Susan Rogers Cooper

In the tight-knit town of Black Cat Ridge, Texas, everyone knows everyone else's business. But no one saw the tragedy coming when the beloved Lester family is found dead in their own home. The police are quick to rule it a murder-suicide committed by the father, but romance writer and next-door neighbor E.J. Pugh isn't buying the official story. E.J. was the one who discovered the horrific scene—and she also found the only survivor: four-year-old Bessie, who is now too traumatized to speak. Convinced that a cold-blooded killer is still walking the streets of their quiet town, E.J. takes the investigation into her own hands. She must unravel the dark secrets of her neighbors before the real murderer decides to silence little Bessie for good. Can this suburban mom outsmart a killer before tragedy strikes again?

Chief Deputy Milt Kovak knows that the quiet streets of Prophesy County, Oklahoma, hide their fair share of dark secrets. When a devastating crime rocks the small community, Milt is thrust into a complex investigation that forces him to look behind the closed doors of his own neighbors. As he pieces together the clues left behind in the aftermath of a tragedy, he realizes that nothing is exactly as it seems. The deeper he digs into the private lives of the townspeople, the more he uncovers a tangled web of hidden motives and long-buried lies. With pressure mounting and the town on edge, Milt must rely on his sharp instincts and deep understanding of human nature to track down a ruthless killer. Dive into a gripping mystery where the truth is often stranger—and far more dangerous—than fiction.

When a young homeless woman is found dead, the local police are quick to point fingers at E.J. Pugh's troubled sister-in-law. But E.J., a suburban Texas mom and romance novelist, isn't about to let her family take the fall without a fight. Stepping out of the pages of her own books and into a very real crime scene, E.J. transforms into an amateur sleuth determined to uncover the truth. As she digs deeper into her town's hidden secrets, she unearths a shocking web of lies, dangerous behavior, and deep-seated depravity. The closer she gets to the real killer, the more her own carefully constructed life begins to unravel. Now, E.J. must race against time to clear her sister-in-law's name before her fragile house of cards collapses entirely. Can she solve the case, or will her investigation make her the next target?

Kimmey Kruse is a stand-up comic who is used to dealing with tough crowds, but her latest gig in Chicago is about to become a literal murder scene. While performing at the Kaiser Komedy Klub, Kimmey bumps into her former boyfriend, Cab Neusberg. Hoping for a quick catch-up, she invites him back to her hotel room. Instead of a romantic reunion, Cab suddenly collapses and dies right in her arms. Things go from bad to worse when the local detective informs Kimmey that Cab did not just have a heart attack. Someone poisoned him with enough digitalis to take down a horse, making Kimmey the prime suspect in a bizarre homicide. Now, this pint-sized comedian has to step off the stage and into the role of an amateur sleuth. Armed with her sharp wit and the constant phone support of her no-nonsense lawyer friend Phoebe, Kimmey must track down the real killer before she ends up trading her microphone for a prison jumpsuit. Get ready for a hilarious and thrilling mystery where the punchlines are sharp and the stakes are deadly.

Romance novelist E.J. Pugh is dealing with a nightmare that has nothing to do with writer's block. An invisible, high-tech stalker is tearing her life apart—hacking her computer, draining her bank accounts, and tapping her phone lines. E.J. suspects a creepy neighborhood teenager is behind the malicious pranks, until the boy turns up dead in the backseat of her family car. Suddenly, the anonymous harassment escalates into a terrifying game of life and death. With the police refusing to take her seriously and writing off her fears as an overactive imagination, E.J. realizes she is the only one who can protect her children from a faceless killer. She must outsmart a brilliant and deadly stalker before her family becomes the next target in a twisted game of cat and mouse. What you can't see really can hurt you.

Oklahoma Chief Deputy Sheriff Milt Kovak is used to solving crimes on his own turf, but a desperate call for help sends him packing for the big city. His sister, Jewel Anne, has just been arrested in Houston, accused of murdering her own husband. Milt knows his sister is no killer, but proving her innocence in an unfamiliar town is going to take everything he's got. Teaming up with Jewel Anne's quirky neighbors, Milt starts digging into his brother-in-law's shady past. As he uncovers a trail of lies, betrayals, and hidden motives, Milt realizes the real murderer is still out there—and they will do whatever it takes to keep the truth buried. Can Milt navigate the dangerous streets of Houston and clear his sister's name before she's locked away forever? The clock is ticking, and family loyalty is on the line.

Chief Deputy Milt Kovak is used to the quiet, predictable rhythm of life in Prophesy County, Oklahoma. But when a shocking murder shatters the peace of his small town, Milt finds himself at the center of a baffling and dangerous investigation. Tasked with tracking down a mysterious suspect known only as the man in the green Chevy, Milt must navigate a complex web of local secrets, hidden grudges, and unexpected twists. As he digs deeper into the lives of the townspeople he thought he knew, he realizes that the truth is far more complicated than a simple crime of passion. With pressure mounting to close the case and the town on edge, Milt must rely on his sharp instincts to catch a killer before they strike again. Dive into a gripping mystery where small-town charm hides deadly intentions.

Amateur sleuth E.J. Pugh is used to tracking down killers, but her latest case hits terrifyingly close to home. When her usually predictable, couch-potato husband, Willis, vanishes without a trace, E.J. is plunged into a frantic search to find him. Her investigation leads her away from her quiet suburban life and straight to the corpse of a lovelorn trucker. As E.J. digs deeper into the dead man's past, she uncovers a tangled web of dark family secrets and hidden betrayals that threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. With the clock ticking and the danger mounting, she must piece together the clues to find out exactly how the murder connects to Willis's sudden disappearance. Can E.J. unravel the mystery and bring her husband home safely, or will a ruthless killer make sure her family is broken forever?

Stand-up comic Kimmey Kruse is used to dealing with tough crowds, but nothing could prepare her for a family reunion in East Texas. Summoned from a Pittsburgh gig to babysit her injured grandfather, Kimmey finds herself surrounded by feuding relatives, spicy Cajun food, and decades of bitter grudges. The family drama turns deadly when her estranged aunt Letitia is found dead in her car, the victim of a mysterious wasp attack. While the police write it off as a tragic accident, Kimmey spots a clue—two dead wasps in a jar—that screams murder. Armed with her sharp wit and a stubborn refusal to back down, she starts her own investigation. Even the arrival of an infuriatingly charming Chicago cop won't distract her. But as she gets closer to the truth, Kimmey realizes that catching a killer might be the most dangerous gig of her life.

Romance novelist and amateur sleuth E.J. Pugh has a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time. When she pulls a suicidal teenager named Brenna from a freezing Texas river, she thinks she's just doing a good deed. But Brenna's life is a nightmare, and things are about to get much worse. Shortly after the rescue, Brenna's mother is found murdered, and the troubled teen becomes the prime suspect. E.J. knows in her gut that the frightened girl is innocent. Determined to save Brenna from a life behind bars, E.J. dives headfirst into a dangerous investigation. Uncovering the truth about Brenna's deeply dysfunctional family might just cost E.J. her own life as she races to catch a ruthless killer. Will her determination be enough to save a young girl's future, or is she walking straight into a deadly trap?