1129 Book(s) Related to locke and key read online

Jaxon Gray is New York's hottest businessman, gangster and mafia king. A terrifyingly harsh man that claims to be 'impossible to love' due to his dark nature, murderous choices and suffocating demeanour...

That is, until he meets the sweetheart known as Faye Woods... The perfect victim to fulfil his selfish plans.

Faye and her best-friend Michael, both were bullied throughout high school and were unfortunate enough to be left without parents. They struggle to make ends meet as they work in a run-down cafe - praying for something to go right for them for once...

Jaxon lands himself in Fayes hold, quickly deciding that she would be the perfect target for his master plan...

One altercation leads to another, as he decides to kidnap and threaten the innocent girl - which he claims is the only one right for the job - before he forces her fully into his hectic world filled with crime and darkness.

Could someone so cold survive around someone so warm? Could a criminal actually love or be loved? Or will the monster hidden within be impossible to beat... read at your own risk to find out more!

Orlind. Locked behind impassable mountains, buried under the weight of a vast — and terrible — history, the Seventh Realm has remained a mystery all the long ages through. Until now. For the Lokant sorcerers’ power and might grows by the day — and all their thought is bent upon Orlind. What secrets lie hidden behind so ancient an enchantment? What powers could be worth a war to win? For war has come to the Seven. The draykoni are on the attack — and Llandry’s home city is first in the firing line. As Llandry fights to defend her home, Eva sets out upon the trail of the Lokant leader, Krays. If he’s bound for Orlind, then so is she — and what she finds there may change the course of history forever. The mystery begun in Draykon reaches its climax in Orlind: an epic tale of valour and secrets, darkness and hope.

Two packs. One big problem.

A rivalry between two packs that has been ongoing for many years has to be put aside when they discover they are both suffering the same fate — Mysterious deaths with no trace.

It goes on and on until a prophecy reveals that the destiny of a special young girl is intertwined with that of the alpha of the rival pack. A prophecy that is the only way to curb the mysterious activities in both territories.

But both individuals do not seem ready to put aside the differences between them until fate starts to bind them together...

【Unexpected online love with a celebrity.】

Lindy, a simple teenage girl who lives in Canada, never wanted to stand out because she is afraid of getting noticed.

Milo, a famous member of Spitfire Strip, filthy rich and a woman's magnet while adored by millions of his screaming fans. He has everything could ask for -- sold-out concerts, albums, world tour concerts year after year, money, and women.

But despite everything he has, he knows there's still something missing in his life because he wants a woman that can love him instead of his fame.

One wicked night in Canada, Lindy lost her phone and fortunately, she found it. It wasn't until she received an unknown phone number that she realized it wasn't hers, and found that an English cheeky boy had accidentally swapped phones with her. To change their phones, she kept communicating for a week with a man named Mill.

Lindy didn't expect that she has fallen in love with a man online.

What will happen if Lindy know Mill is Milo?

“Kiss arse! Your contract doesn’t say you can toss me around!” Her voice sounded deceivingly confident. She was trembling inside, every fibre of her wanting to shrink away from the man who towered over her, watching her with his disarming gaze. Marc Aryan had unnerved her the first time she’d met him and he still unnerved her now.

“Kiss arse? My contract says you should obey my every command within the terms of said contract.”

Amelia Parker thought she had it all figured out - a successful career as a pediatrician and a fulfilling life. That is until she meets her new patient, James, who changes everything. When James wakes up from a coma with no memory and calls her 'Mummy', Amelia's life takes an unexpected turn. She never expected to end up married to James' billionaire father, Marc Aryan, let alone fall in love with him.

As their relationship becomes more permanent, Amelia discovers that there is more to Marc than meets the eye. His cold exterior hides a caring and warm-hearted person that she falls in love with. But, when Amelia is given evidence about her mother's death from the rival family, everything is thrown into chaos.

Can Amelia and Marc overcome the challenges that stand in the way of their love? Will Amelia be able to clear her mother's name? Find out in this captivating romantic novel about love, secrets, and the lengths we go to protect the ones we love.

I bought a handsome, aloof incubus from a clearance sale online to be my live-in maid.
For a week, he was perfect. Then he started fainting, his skin burning with a fever no amount of rest could fix. Panicked that I’d somehow overworked my best employee, I called the 24/7 Aphrodisiac (companyI bought him from) helpline.

Ma’am, our incubus models have a demonic lineage and you have got a high-output model. They have near-infinite stamina. They don't get 'feverish' from vacuuming. But... why did you have him doing 'housework'?"
"Because the house was dirty?"
The agent suddenly chuckled. "Ah, I see. Everyone has their own fantasies and kinks. Roleplay is very popular. But tell me, according to the log, when was the last time Xanthos received physical intimacy?"
"Huh?"
"Physical intimacy," the agent repeated. "Love, spoiling, skin-to-skin contact. If a male incubus doesn't get intimacy, his internal energy stagnates. They fall sick. Male models are much higher maintenance than females; they need constant affection to stay healthy."
My blood ran cold. "Affection? I bought him to mop the floors!"
"Ma'am," the agent's voice dropped. "You are on Aphrodisiac. We are the world's leading provider of supernatural escorts. Did you... did you not read the site description?"

Turns out, I hadn’t bought a demonic domestic servant.
I’d accidentally purchased a high-maintenance supernatural escort.
And apparently, if I didn’t start showing my “maid” some affection soon, he would die and I would be jailed for abusing my maid.

A love that goes beyond the barriers of time and space.
A woman who carries in her blood the power to beget a new generation of wolves.
A man embittered by life who will do anything to have the woman he lost in another life.
A villain who will not measure scruples so that this love will not have a happy ending.
A society long forgotten

Helena always dreamed of becoming a teacher; she was the pride of her whole family, the first in her family to go to college.

Ever since she was a little girl, she has dreams of a mysterious man and two giant wolves who fight a mortal battle for her.

On her first day of school, she meets Argo, the man who appears in her dreams. A doctor in Greek culture, he was lost in the corridors of the university, just as Helena was lost in his arms, something tells her to stay far away.

Argo is a Shifter wolf, eldest son of the mighty Nicolas Licáon, the alpha of the oldest Greek pack, and is completely mesmerized, she was his predestined mate.

In the past, they were separated in a tragic way, and fate has given them a new chance for a happy ending... Could it be?

💍 Fake vows. Real sparks. One impossible deal…

When Fallon Prescott returns home for what’s supposed to be a routine family dinner, she’s met with a double blow: her father’s empire is crumbling, and the only way to save it is through a marriage she never asked for — to Reid Callahan, the one man she vowed to never see again.

Reid — arrogant, gorgeous, and heir to the powerful Callahan fortune — isn’t exactly thrilled either. But for the sake of business, legacy, and keeping their families happy, they both agree to the unthinkable: a two-year marriage contract. No feelings. No strings. No mess.

Just one problem…
Pretending to be the perfect couple isn’t as easy as they thought.

From tense charity galas to late-night encounters that feel far too real, Fallon finds herself drawn to the very man she swore to keep at arm’s length. Beneath Reid’s cool charm is a tenderness she never expected. And beneath her icy exterior, something’s starting to melt.

As sparks fly and the lines between fake and forever blur, Fallon has to ask herself: Is she falling for the man she promised not to love?

Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, arranged marriage, and slow-burn tension that catches fire, The Arrangement is a sharp, sexy romance about love, loyalty, and the lies we tell ourselves to stay safe.

"Very entertaining. Highly recommended for the permanent library of any reader who appreciates a well-written mystery with twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!" --Books and Movie Reviews (regarding Murder in the Manor)A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Fiona Grace, author of Murder in the Manor, a #1 Bestseller with over 100 five-star reviews (and a free download)!Audrey Smart, 34, is a brilliant vet—yet fed up by her demanding clients who think they know more than her and who don’t care about their animals. Burnt-out with the endless hours, she wonders if the time has come for a new direction. And when her 15th year high school reunion (and her hopes for re-sparking on old flame) end in disaster, Audrey knows the time has come to make a change.When Audrey sees an ad for a $1 home in Sicily, it captivates her. The only catch is that the house requires renovation, something she knows little about. She wonders if it could be real—and if she may really be crazy enough to go for it. Can Audrey create a life and career—and the home of her dreams—in a beautiful Sicilian village? And perhaps even find love while she’s there?Or will an unexpected death—one that only she can solve—put an end to all of her plans?Are some dreams too good to be true?A laugh-out-loud cozy packed with mystery, intrigue, renovation, animals, food, wine—and of course, love—A VILLA IN SICILY will capture your heart and keep you glued to the very last page.“The book had heart and the entire story worked together seamlessly that didn't sacrifice either intrigue or personality. I loved the characters - so many great characters! I can't wait to read whatever Fiona Grace writes next!”--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)“Wow, this book takes off & never stops! I couldn't put it down! Highly recommended for those who love a great mystery with twists, turns, romance, and a long lost family member! I am reading the next book right now!” --Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)“This book is rather fast paced. It has the right blend of characters, place, and emotions. It was hard to put down and I hope to read the next book in the series.”--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)Books #2 and #3 in the series—FIGS AND A CADAVER and VINO AND DEATH—are now also available!

There are times in our lives when we have to make choices, choices that change the course of what was already expected.

Giovanna Rinaldi was taught throughout her life to be grateful to God and to accept the choices her family made for her life. When she finds herself trapped in a marriage with Lorenzo Bianchi, she is surprised at how feelings can arise and things finally fall into place.

But nothing lasts forever, she has always known that her family is full of secrets, but Giovanna has learned not to question anything for a while, but when some secrets come to light, nothing stops her, she longs for answers.

In the meantime, Lorenzo's past comes knocking, Giovanna's life declines and she realizes that she never knew her husband. That's when she finds a sincere friendship in Brian, an engineer at the RBC company, which may at some point develop into something more.

On a journey of learning and in Brian's company, Giovana can finally discover what True Love means.

Ares Collin
He's an architect who live his life the fullest. Money, fame, women.. everything he wants he always gets it. You can consider him as a lucky guy who always have everything in life but not true love. He tries to find true love but he gave that up since he's tired of finding the one.

Roseanne West
Romance novelist but never have any relationship and zero beliefs in love. She always shut herself from men and she always believe that she will die as a virgin. She even published all her novels not under her name because she never want people to recognize her.

On Roseanne's 25th birthday, she decided to get drunk until she's wasted. The next day, she ended up someone's bed meaning that she lost her V card unwillingly. She didn't cry or regret it, she just ignored it because there's no use of crying since it's only a one night stand. Being the cold heart she is, she just left without caring who she slept with or how did it happen or why did she even there. Before she can leave without any trace, the man who she slept with caught her right before she enters the lift and that's where her love story begins.

In a remote and isolated village, there exists a road known as the "Mysterious Road." The local residents avoid it like the plague, believing it to be fraught with terrifying paranormal occurrences. However, a renowned paranormal researcher named Sarah decides to unravel the enigma behind this road. Alongside her team, they venture into the village on a dark and ominous night.

As they begin their investigation of the road, they encounter eerie signs such as lurking shadows in the darkness, haunting sounds filling the air, and other paranormal phenomena. Their every attempt to uncover the truth only worsens the situation, and they realize they may have awakened something far more malevolent than they could have ever imagined.

In this harrowing journey, Sarah and her team must fight for their lives and unveil the secrets of the Mysterious Road before it's too late. Can they escape the road alive or will they be trapped forever in unimaginable horrors?

This novel combines elements of horror, psychological tension, and gripping uncertainty to create an adrenaline-pumping experience for readers.

"Don't come near her again. That is a warning you must not transgress."
"Who the hell you are to say that, huh?!"
Darth stepped closer. "Because she's mine. And I don't share my property with anyone."
"Don't look at him. I'm just here," Darth stated gently to me.
UNHESITANTLY, Darth kissed me


As the wheel of fate keeps rolling, two lovers in the previous life meet again.

Hera, a painter who was crazy for wolgans since her childhood. She liked to collect everything about wolgans for no reason, just like wolgan is part of her life and she couldn’ t live without it. Among all of the wolgans, she picked the red wolgan most. One day, she came to met a new man in the town and something magical happened.

Darth Lancelot, the red dragon-wolf better known as red wolgan—a werewolf with dragon blood, has been stuck in the mortal world for two hundred years. Somehow he keeps being summoned by a human girl to save her from danger. And he found that he was deeply attracted by the girl and felt jealous when someone else stood beside her.

She is his property.
And he doesn't share his property with anyone

If a zombie opens its bloody maw at you — not to eat you, but to trade for a steak —

Do you take the deal?

I opened a wasteland exchange with a hundred thousand tons of frozen meat, priced everything with a barcode scanner, and used the Law of the Abyss as my guarantee.

When the mechanical army surrounded my cold storage, I hit the citywide broadcast:

"Big order, open to all — whoever tears apart the man on that heavy truck eats as much meat as they want."

No one remembers who owned Locker 313. At Blackwood Academy, students pretend it doesn’t exist. But when scholarship student Aria Vale is forced to use the abandoned locker, she finds an old voice recording exposing a classmate’s darkest secret… and predicting their murder. The prediction comes true. As more recordings appear, each revealing another victim before they die, Aria is pulled into a decades-old conspiracy powerful enough to destroy the academy. Then the next recording begins with two chilling words: “Hello, Aria.”

Maurvi is a very pretty, smart, bubbly and innocent girl. She is a kind of friend, anyone would wish to have. She wants to save her friend from getting too involved with a guy who is not good for her. But she needs help in order to help her friend...

Gautam is a tall, dark, handsome, doctor. He is smart, funny and witty. He needs to take help from someone to get out of an awkward situation with his friend. He
comes out with a perfect solution...

Join their journey and find out how they fall for each other for real.....

I was just trying to make it to graduation.
Classes by day, coffee shop by night, that was my life. No parents. No foster homes. Just me, surviving on scraps of hope and caffeine.

But one walk home changed everything.

One moment, I was on the phone with my best friend. The next, a hand was clamped over my mouth, the world spinning as something sharp sank deep into my skin. I should’ve died right there on that cold, dark street. But death never came.

Instead… I woke up hungry.

Not the kind of hunger food fixes. This was deeper, darker — and it came with fangs and cravings I swore I’d never have. I despised humans for the way they used, abandoned, and broke people like me. Now? They’re the only thing that keeps me alive.

I never asked to become a monster.
But that’s exactly what I am.

Mistake.

That was all it took to ruin Violet Brooks’ life.
She had been an ordinary college girl in Virginia—until one night she drank too much and ended up in a situation she could barely remember.

Weeks later, she found out she was pregnant.
She didn’t know who the father was.

When her parents found out, they didn’t try to understand. There was only anger, disappointment, and words that made home feel unbearable. Violet couldn’t even return to school. The thought of whispers, stares, and silent judgment was too much.

So her parents made a decision for her.
They sent her away.

Violet was forced to leave Virginia and start over in Brooklyn with her aunt, expected to erase everything like it never happened.

She tried.

She kept to herself, applied to a new university, and told herself this was a second chance. After giving birth, she returned to school, determined to rebuild her life quietly.

But Hawthorne University was not what it seemed.

There were rumors about a group called The Red Pen. No one knew who they were. No one had seen their face, but everyone feared them.
It was said that once they wrote your name down… your fate was sealed.

Violet didn’t believe in rumors.

Not until her first day.

That night, she saw something she wasn’t supposed to see.

If she had left earlier… if she had chosen a different path… none of it would have happened.
But she didn’t.

And now, there was no undoing it.

Her fresh start was over before it truly began.

Because Violet Brooks had just made a mistake—

One far worse than the first.

"Do not tempt me, Wildling. You're mine to protect, not to fuck."


Kyla Harper

After the death of my father, I never expected to be placed under the custody of a stranger who claimed to be his friend.

I expected an old man with grey hair. Not a demigod who turned my world upside down. Cold. Distant. Devilishly handsome.

His words sink into my skin, leaving my knees shaking. And while I flinch at every man’s touch, his feels… different.

Now I can’t stop myself from craving the forbidden.


Carlos Redd

I was caught off guard by Harper’s last will. To take in his only daughter and protect her, despite knowing the violent and dangerous world I live in.

Out of respect, I took her in.

Kyla crosses every line. Curious about everything I keep hidden.

Each moment, each encounter, each argument—tears down my restraint.

The more I push her away, the more I crave her.

And the more I crave, the closer we get to secrets that could tear us apart.

Betrayed by my wife on the eve of the apocalypse, they stole the shelter keys and locked me in the heart of the zombie outbreak to die.
I felt no anger.
Three minutes to blast open the blast door, ten minutes to drain the billions from that despicable couple's overseas accounts,
and then I'd buy machine guns and artillery from the black market! The couple speeding down the highway had no idea that the "top-secret key" they were protecting was actually a bomb designed to detonate the defense system.
The real wasteland survival game had only just begun.

A modern day twist of what really happened between Little Red Riding Hood, her Grandmother, and the Wolf.
What if the story was all wrong?
What if a Curse brought them together?
➖➖
"What are you?!" I shrieked. My mind trying to figure out ways to escape. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, which caused shivers to roll down my spine.
"I'm your big bad wolf, and your my little red" he said smirking.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, follows a fresh lead for her abducted daughter. It leads to a violent confrontation with The Collector—which, in turn, offers more clues that may, after all this time, reunite her with her daughter.Yet at the same time, Keri is assigned a new case, one with a frantic ticking clock. A teenage girl has gone missing in Los Angeles, a girl from a good family was who duped into drugs and abducted into a sex trafficking ring. Keri is hot on her trail—but the trail is moving fast, with the girl being constantly moved and with her abductors’ single, nefarious goal: to cross her over the border with Mexico.In an epic, breathtaking, cat and mouse chase that takes them through the seedy underworld of trafficking, Keri and Ray will be pushed to their limits to save the girl—and her own daughter—before it is all too late.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF VICE is book #3 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #4 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF MURDER (Book #2 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter. Encouraged by the new lead that has landed, the first in years, she pursues it with all that she has, determined to find her daughter and bring her back alive.Yet Keri, at the same time, receives a phone call from a frantic husband, a famed Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, who reports that his wife has been missing for two days. A wealthy socialite with no enemies and little reason to leave her life, he fears the worst has become of his wife.Keri takes on the case, assigned a new partner whom she hates, as Ray still recovers in the hospital. Her investigation leads her deep into the elite Beverly Hills world of the idle rich, to encounters with lonely housewives, and those with shopping-addicted, empty lives. Keri, in over her head in this world, becomes increasingly puzzled by the conflicting signals: did this woman, with a stalker and a lurid, secret past, run away, or was she abducted?Or did something far more sinister happen?A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF MURDER is book #2 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #3 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense. A TRACE OF HOPE is the final book in the Keri Locke series, bringing the series to a dramatic conclusion.In A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, is closer than she’s ever been to finding her daughter. Finally, she gets a fresh lead—and this time, she will do whatever it takes to bring her home alive.At the same time, a new, urgent case is assigned to Keri: an 18 year old girl has gone missing after being hazed by her sorority. As the race is on to find her, Keri plunges deep into the world of pristine college campuses, and comes to realize that all is not what it seems.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF HOPE is book #5 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

The global freeze descended, and the apocalypse arrived right on cue. I seized all the critical supplies and evacuated first, leaving "the perfect base" behind for the two traitors who backstabbed me. They thought it was heaven, but little did they know that the entire fortress was a precision trap constructed of deception, scarcity, and despair. As the outdoor temperature plummeted to minus eighty degrees, I sat by the window, roasting venison and watching them through high-definition infrared, coldly observing as they lost their humanity in the desperate fight for a single bowl of sawdust.

“Please….I won’t tell anyone. Please!” Begged jianna. As she walks backwards with her hands in front of her for protection.
“You’ve seen too much” Sebastian growls. “I can’t let you out of this building. I’m sorry” said Sebastian as he walks towards Jianna
“People will be looking for me. You can’t do this!” As she keeps on backing up until she realized she’s backed to a wall with nowhere to run.
“What people? You don’t have “people” “ said Sebastian with a grin that reminded her of The Joker in the Batman comics. “No one will be looking for you. I made sure of it” whispers Sebastian in her ear as he corners her with both arms.
————————————————————————————————————————-Jianna has always been a strong, independent and resourceful woman. She may not remember her past due to an accident when she was 10, but she’s making it up by living her life in the present. At least she was until she came across the path of multi-billionaire genius, Sebastian Cross. A playboy, genius, eccentric CEO of Cross Industries who doesn’t take no for an answer. He hires her as an assistant and has since been running her raged. Until one day, she discovers Sebastian’s biggest secret. Will she tell Sebastian about her discovery or will she just keep letting him push her around? And who are these mysterious individuals that seem to keep on showing up in Sebastian’s office and how do they fit in the puzzle?

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF CRIME (Book #4 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, follows a fresh lead for her abducted daughter. She winds her way through a twisted underworld, and step by step, she gets closer to finding her daughter.Yet she has no time. Keri is assigned a new case: a dad calls from an affluent community and reports that his teen daughter vanished on the way home from school.Shortly after, ransom letters arrive. Twisted, filled with riddles, they make it clear that there is little time to save the girl. They also make it clear that this is the work of a diabolical killer who is toying with them.Keri and the police must scramble to find the kidnapper, to understand his demands, to decode the letters, and most of all, to outwit him. But in this master game of chess, Keri may find herself up against a foe even she cannot understand, and for the missing girl—and her own daughter—she may just be too late.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF CRIME is book #4 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #5 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter, years before, never found. Still obsessed with finding her, Keri buries her grief the only way she knows how: by throwing herself into the cases of missing persons in Los Angeles.A routine phone call from a worried mother of a high-schooler, only two hours missing, should be ignored. Yet something about the mother’s voice strikes a chord, and Keri decides to investigate.What she finds shocks her. The missing daughter—of a prominent senator—was hiding secrets no one knew. When all evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. And yet, despite pressure from her superiors, from the media, despite all trails going cold, the brilliant and obsessed Keri refuses to let it go. She knows she has but 48 hours if she has any chance of bringing this girl back alive.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF DEATH marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #2 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

I thought I was the luckiest person in the apocalypse.
My brother, a former special forces soldier, brought me supplies so I wouldn't have to face the horrors above ground.
My girlfriend comforted me over the radio, saying she'd cry in my arms once we could finally get out.
I lived underground for three years, grateful like a domesticated dog.
Until that day, when I pushed open the door, smelled fresh grass, and saw the swimming pool in the sunlight—that's when I understood that the so-called apocalypse was never outside, but behind the door they had locked me in.

After pulling back-to-back graveyard shifts, I dragged myself to my twin brother's place to mooch his washer. One look at his biohazard of a bed, and I crashed on the clean bunk across the room instead.
Big mistake. It belonged to Jensen—the baseball team's untouchable ice king.
He lost his mind over the sweet peach scent someone left in his sheets, then discovered it was the first thing in two years that let him actually sleep. My desperate brother, hunting for free rent, conned me into playing Jensen's "replacement sleep aid" and locked the damn door behind me.
Jensen caught on instantly. But instead of throwing me out, he offered me cash to stick around as his contract girlfriend. After he handled some thugs threatening my brother, this guy who never lets anyone close pressed his face into my neck, voice raw and possessive:
"Your brother sold you to clear his debt. You're mine now. And I don't do returns."

Seven years ago, I unexpectedly transmigrated into the treacherous world of the North American mafia.
 
The System told me that as long as I accumulated a 100% "Angst Index" in this world, I could escape and return to reality with substantial rewards.
 
But after crossing over, I became the most pampered princess of the entire Koschei family.
 
My mafia father would buy all the roses in Manhattan just because I said I liked them. My genius doctor brother once climbed a mountain in a blizzard just to find medicine for me. And my fiancé, the heir apparent to the empire, still carried a scar on his chest from a fatal bullet he took for me.
 
I lost myself in the tender illusion they had forged.
 
Just when I had decided to give up everything and stay in this world forever, I overheard my father talking to my brother in his study:
 
"The brake lines are cut. Tomorrow, as soon as the crash happens, take advantage of the chaos in the ambulance to remove Elara's corneas. Do the transplant for Seraphina immediately."
 
Seraphina was the true blood daughter they had just brought back a month ago.
 
My fiancé, Silas, merely added, "Leave Elara alive, at least. She's called you 'Father' for so many years, after all."
 
Standing outside the door, my blood ran cold like ice.
 
So the next day, I gave them exactly what they wanted.
 
Amidst the deafening crash of the collision, feeling the agonizing pain of my legs being crushed, I watched my brother sprinting toward me, carrying an organ transplant cooler.
 
A long-absent electronic voice echoed in my ears:
 
[Congratulations to the Host. The Angst Index has reached 100%. You may return to the real world upon physical death.]
 
As blood completely swallowed my vision, a trace of twisted relief welled up in my heart.

In my last life, I fell for every word out of Ryan's mouth.
To save his shot at attending physician, I volunteered to take the fall for his medical malpractice case.
My license was revoked. I went from being a surgeon to being a housewife trapped in his family's home, wasting ten years of my life chained to a kitchen stove.
I thought my sacrifice would earn me his gratitude for the rest of our lives.
Turns out, he'd been sleeping with that doe-eyed little nurse, Lily, for God knows how long.
When years of exhaustion finally caught up with me and my heart gave out, I collapsed on the freezing basement floor.
My husband Ryan was upstairs, arms wrapped around Lily, sleeping in the master bedroom we'd bought with my dowry.
"That bitch is finally kicking the bucket. Once she croaks, this house is ours."

Elena Walsh turns out to be the real heiress of one of the wealthiest families in Mayfield.
When she was born, she got mixed up with the wrong family and was switched at birth. But after 18 years later, the families involved discovered this mix up. This made her fake family mistreat her while she was staying with them.
After her real family found her, she was sent packing immediately. They ridiculed her, thinking her real family was poor and they made fun of her.
But turns out her real family is one of the wealthiest families in Mayfield and her former family doesn't even come close to their league.
After reuniting with her family, her real parents pleaded with her to let them keep the fake heiress, Kiera, as part of the family.
But it seems fake heiress isn't pleased with the fact that the real heiress is back and can't help but scheme against Elena while maintaining the innocent and meek façade.
Unfortunately for her, Elena wasn't about to be bullied either and she would stop at nothing to expose her schemes while snatching everything that rightfully belongs to her.

They wanted a real daughter, so they traded me for her.
On the engagement day, my fiancé slipped a ring on her finger. My parents handed me a train ticket to oblivion.
They celebrated their victory while I disappeared.
What they didn't realize was that letting me go was the worst mistake of their lives.
I am the surgical prodigy saving lives that science deems hopeless. I am the muse of the art world. I am the true heir to a dynasty they couldn't even dream of.
Now, I am back.
Not as the girl they abandoned, but as the storm they prayed would never come.
My ex-fiancé kneels in regret. My fake sister chokes on her jealousy. And the CEO who once looked through me? He is now crawling, desperate to taste the success he once threw away.
The joke isn't on me.
It's on them.

Kidnapped as a child, I was raised in the countryside. When I returned to my bankrupt biological family, everyone mocked me as a hillbilly. Even the fake heiress abandoned the family to marry into wealth.
But no one knew that I am actually the mysterious boss of the Dark Division!
I am a legendary doctor who can bring the dead back to life, a world-famous artist, and a top-tier fighter. I cured my paralyzed brother, saved my mother, and ruthlessly slapped my enemies in the face.
When the all-powerful CEO, Si Shenxing, cornered me against the wall, he smirked devilishly, 'You cured my father. Now, take responsibility for me.'
I sneered, 'Get in line.'

"Jessica, you can't escape.

There's nowhere in the world that I can't find you. No matter where you run, I will find you."

But what he never expected was that he had used all of his power and connections to search for her, but there was no record of Jessica at any airport, high-speed railway station, bus station, or even hotel.

Was it true what she said, that she evaporated from this world like a human being, and really went to a place where he could never find her again?

In the mist-choked Appalachian valley of Red Hollow, Wren Calloway lives a quiet life tending bees alongside her enigmatic father—until their hives fall suddenly, unnaturally silent. When her father vanishes without a trace, he leaves behind a hidden journal that reveals a devastating truth: their family is part of an ancient lineage bound to contain the Reeping, a supernatural force born from the mountain’s accumulated grief.

As the Reeping begins to stir, Wren learns it is not a creature to be fought, but a wound in the world—one that feeds on sorrow and threatens to consume everything if left unchecked. Following her father’s final clues, Wren and her closest friend Caleb descend into the abandoned Blackwood Colliery, where reality fractures and the mountain itself begins to speak.

Inside the Heart of the Mountain, Wren discovers the truth of the Guardians: they do not destroy the Reeping—they become vessels for it, absorbing its grief to preserve the balance between the living world and the ancient power beneath it. Faced with the weight of her inheritance, Wren must choose between a life of her own… or a sacrifice that will bind her to the mountain forever.

As Wren merges with the Reeping, she transforms its hunger into something new—reshaping it from a force of destruction into one of protection. Red Hollow begins to heal, its long-held darkness lifting at last.

But peace comes at a cost.

As the only mute player in this horror game, I thought I was screwed.

Turns out the boss knows sign language.

Thank God! Perfect!

Then he gets everything completely wrong.

I sign "help me," he reads it as "you're hot."

I sign "danger," he thinks I'm saying "I like you."

I sign "get lost," and he goes, "You want me to come closer? Okay."

The worst part? I curse him out in sign language, calling him a psycho pervert.

He just smiles and says, "Baby, you're so good at flirting. I can't even bring myself to kill you now."

Me: ...

My teammate whispers to me, "Please stop signing. Every time you do, he stares at you even more like a psycho."

My best friend Lily was brutally assaulted and tragically took her own life.
But I fiercely protected the monster who did it.
Lily’s mom knelt down and begged me, but I just closed the door coldly.
When the villagers came with torches to smash my home, I didn't hesitate to unleash my dog to drive them away.
"Ivy, you cold-blooded monster! We treated you like family, and you protected the beast who drove Lily to her death for a whole decade!"
"Today, I’m going to show the whole world who this man is—the one you’d rather be cursed by everyone than expose!"
But when my deepest memories were violently torn open and the culprit's face appeared clearly on the giant holographic screen...
The high and mighty Emma instantly drained of all color and collapsed to the floor.

Every time the clock hits 11:10 PM, I am brutally slaughtered in my apartment. And every time, I gasp awake ten minutes earlier to fight for my life. The deadbolts are secure. The windows are sealed. Outside my door, nothing but silence. Yet, the killer strikes precisely on time. Who is watching me from the dark?

“I’ve lived with that guilt every single day.”

Lila swallowed hard. Her world felt disoriented with memories of her sister, the lingering grief, the recent attacks all blended into a suffocating haze.

Beckett continued, quieter now. “I am twenty-six years old. Young and naive as a professor. And this campus...” He gave a hollow laugh. “It’s full of people who would love to get rid of me. Students who resent strict grading. Colleagues who think I got my position too early. Some who believe I’m arrogant. Some who simply don’t like me.”

His eyes sharpened, steady but tired. “So yes. Anyone could be the killer. And anyone could be trying to frame me. Or frame Damian. Or frame anyone close to this case.”

Lila’s heartbeat grew loud in her ears.

Her mind raced.

Damian said Beckett wasn’t the killer. Mara said Beckett was suspicious.
Mercer said Beckett was dangerous.

At Halden University, the murders follow a deadly rhythm, one red-haired girl every month, each found with a single rose placed in her hand, each killing more vicious than the last.

Lila Rowan arrives a year after her sister’s death, determined to uncover what the police can’t: the identity of the Rose Killer. But the deeper she digs, the more her world begins to tilt. Her sister’s voice slips into her dreams, repeating a warning Lila can’t ignore:

He’s charming. He’s handsome. And he never lets go.

Now every man around her feels like a threat.
The professor whose gaze lingers a heartbeat too long.
The best friend who is trying to protect her.
The other male students who claim to know her sister.

The roses keep appearing.
The bodies keep escalating. And someone is watching Lila, waiting for their moment to strike.

Accidental Marriage with the Mafia Lord

"I wanted to discuss the arrangement between you and your brother." He told her letting his fingers graze the bare skin of her shoulder.

"Okay, so what's the deal then?" She asked giving him a confused look.

"Are you aware of the amount that he owes?" Josiah asked her.

"He said he took out around ten k. I've been able to get about a thousand a week back to the guy so there is only about four thousand left." She said with a shrug.

"Yes, but the thing is, since he was getting repaid regularly, the guy reupped his loan. Your brother borrowed another ten k two days ago. So now there is a total of 14k outstanding on the debt." Josiah said, watching her carefully for her reaction.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" She finally whirled to face him, her tone furious.

Josiah didn't respond, just watched the vision of her standing in front of him clad in nothing but an almost see through bra and thong with stockings and garter belt. She was standing before him with her hands on her hips, her breasts heaving from her agitated breaths. He quite forgot himself and just stared at her for a moment. She was a very beautiful woman, and he couldn't deny he liked seeing her angry. For a moment she just stared back at him, then seemed to remember herself and retreated across the room to try and compose herself. He let her have her space for the time being.

"So, what do you want from me? "

"Simple, you marry me, I forgive your brother's debts and keep him from doing anything else stupid like getting involved with anyone else," Josiah said.

“Are you making an offer?”
“Careful, Charmeze, you are playing with a fire that will burn you to ashes. ”
She had been one of the best waitresses who had served them during the Thursday meetings. He is a Mafia boss and a vampire.
He had liked having her in his lap. She felt soft and round in all the right places. He had liked it too much, which had become clear, as Millard had called her over to him. Vidar’s instinct had been to object, to keep her in his lap.
He took a deep breath and took another hit of her scent. He would ascribe his behavior during the night to the long time he had been without a woman, or a man, for that. Maybe his body was telling him it was time to indulge in some depraved behavior. But not with the waitress. All his instincts told him that would end up being a bad idea.


Working at 'The Red Lady' was the salvation Charlie needed. The money was good and she liked her boss. The only thing she stayed away from was the Thursday club. The mysterious group of hot men that came every Thursday to play cards in the back room. That was until the day she didn't have a choice. The moment she laid eyes on Vidar and his hypnotic ice-blue eyes, she found him irresistible. It didn't help that he was everywhere, offering her things she wanted, and things she didn't think she wanted but needed.
Vidar knew he was gone the moment he saw Charlie. Every last instinct he had told him to make her his. But there were rules and the others were watching him.

After being sold into slavery by her own mother, Umara is taken to the capital of the Kurani Empire where she will be rescued by whom she believes to be a prince.

The long journey and the hardships make him lose consciousness and when he wakes up he finds nothing more and nothing less... than in the Emperor's harem!

Trying to stand by her beliefs, she will be involved in a series of dangerous events, as she accidentally discovers that someone is trying to poison the emperor and his wives.
She earns the enmity of Lady Cassandra, the Emperor's first wife, who will try by all means to get rid of her.

They found my husband locked inside his mistress.

Not metaphorically. Literally locked—a medical phenomenon called vaginal spasm, triggered when their sports car crashed mid-affair on a mountain road. The doctors said separating them required a high-risk spinal injection. Without it, he'd lose everything below the waist. Possibly his life.

They needed my signature. The wife's consent.

I looked at the consent form. Then at my phone—47 missed calls from three nights ago, when our four-year-old son stopped breathing.

Adrian never picked up. He was too busy.

Now he was begging me to sign.

I wiped away my tears, picked up the pen.

Now it was his turn to die.

Ninety-nine lashes. That was the price of loving the Alpha’s son.

Bettoni Williams gave everything to Ardon. Her heart. Her trust. Her dignity. In return, he accused her of witchcraft, stripped her of her rank, and watched as she was whipped ninety-nine times in the public square.

Broken, disowned, and demoted to a Gamma, Bettoni swore she would never trust a royal again.
She planned to rot in the slums, to remain invisible and forgotten.

But fate, and a bored Alpha Commander, had other plans.

When the kingdom's most feared war hero, Commander Zachery, returns home, Alpha Jaceon fills the grand hall with silk-dressed noblewomen and forces him to choose a wife before the blood moon or lose everything he has. Annoyed, Zachery slips out the back. Bettoni, hiding from the feast in a dark alley, stumbles upon him in a moment that would make any sensible woman run. She doesn't run, but calls him a wild animal to his face, and this only makes him immediately obsessed with her.

He drags her into the feast by the wrist, declaring;

"You're going to be my Commandress tonight."

Now, Bettoni is trapped in a marriage with a brute who collects wives like trading cards. Zachery is uncouth, violent, and dangerously seductive. He treats the palace like a playground and his brother, the King, like a joke.

Bettoni intends to use this monster to climb back to the top and destroy the family that ruined her. But Zachery is not a ladder. He is a cliff. And he has no intention of letting his new sweetheart go.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. But the Commander likes his nights scorching hot.

•

️ ⚠️ Content Warning (18+): This story contains 18+ content including explicit erotica, and mentions of sexual violence .

My husband, Julian, tells me he's flying to Italy for a month, business trip.
I check the calendar and freeze. His birthday falls right in the middle of that month. Alone, in a country where he knows no one outside of work.
I tell Margaux, my mother-in-law. She doesn't hesitate.
"Then we go," she says. "We surprise him."
My brother Dante is the only family I have left. For years I've told the Whitfields he just runs some business in Italy. They don't know the rest, and they never will if I can help it.
The second we land, I call him, give him the hotel name.
"Got it," he says, distracted. "I've got things to handle first. I'll come see you after."
Margaux and I check out the hotel restaurant before Julian even knows we've landed. Dinner, and a look at how the family's investment is running.
Food's good. Service is fine. Then the bill comes.
I glance down at the bill.
Dinner for two: 180,000.
Market-price seafood surcharge: 45,000.
Imported wine corking fee: 20,000.
Private dining ambiance fee: 60,000.
A dozen more line items after that, none of them making any sense.
Numbers that don't make sense. Charges I don't recognize. Margaux and I trade a look.
"Get us the manager," I say. "Now."
A woman walks over, chin already tilted up.
"I am the manager," she says. "If you can't pay, what's the point of complaining?"
I almost laugh. What kind of place is my own family running here?
"I'll take this up with the owner myself," I say.
She smiles, slow and pleased. "My husband happens to own this restaurant."
My stomach drops.
This restaurant belongs to the Whitfields. Belongs to Julian.
Since when did my husband become someone else's?