The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb
The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2014-03-25

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 125004197X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The historic New England village of Dorset has actually elected a living, breathing woman as its First Selectman. And now she's about to undertake the Historic District's biggest public works project in a generation–the widening and re-grading of Dorset Street. The job has needed doing for ages but the previous First Selectman, Bob Paffin, always opposed it. So did a lot of Dorset's blue-blooded old guard. The long put-off dig uncovers a body buried underneath the pavement in front of the Congregational Church. It belongs to Lt. Lance Paffin, Bob Paffin's older brother, a dashing U.S. Navy flyer who went missing off his sailboat the night of the country club's spring dance more than forty years ago. Everyone had assumed he just left town. But now it's clear Lance has been under Dorset Street this whole time, and that he was murdered. Des and Mitch soon discover that there are deep, dark secrets surrounding Dorset's elite, and some very distinguished careers have been built on lies. Coal Black Asphalt Tomb is the tenth in David Handler's original and very funny Berger and Mitry mystery series featuring this engaging biracial couple.

The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb
The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2014-03-25

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 146683918X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The historic New England village of Dorset has actually elected a living, breathing woman as its First Selectman. And now she's about to undertake the Historic District's biggest public works project in a generation–the widening and re-grading of Dorset Street. The job has needed doing for ages but the previous First Selectman, Bob Paffin, always opposed it. So did a lot of Dorset's blue-blooded old guard. The long put-off dig uncovers a body buried underneath the pavement in front of the Congregational Church. It belongs to Lt. Lance Paffin, Bob Paffin's older brother, a dashing U.S. Navy flyer who went missing off his sailboat the night of the country club's spring dance more than forty years ago. Everyone had assumed he just left town. But now it's clear Lance has been under Dorset Street this whole time, and that he was murdered. Des and Mitch soon discover that there are deep, dark secrets surrounding Dorset's elite, and some very distinguished careers have been built on lies. The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb is the tenth in David Handler's original and very funny Berger and Mitry mystery series featuring this engaging biracial couple.

The Cold Blue Blood
The Cold Blue Blood

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2002-10-13

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 1429974850

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

From Edgar-Award winning author David Handler comes The Cold Blue Blood, the first in a fresh, bright mystery series starring a highly mismatched romantic duo guaranteed to captivate readers. Mitch Berger, a top film critic with a major New York newspaper at a surprisingly young age, has become almost a recluse since his wife died one year ago. He spends his time secluded in his apartment or in the dark recesses of a screening room. Although he continues to dazzle moviegoers and the film elite with his criticisms, his editor and good friend is alarmed about him. As a scheme to pull him out of the doldrums of his grief, she gives him a non-film assignment - to do a color story on the wealthy and social homeowners on Connecticut's Gold Coast. It takes some doing, but in the end Mitch agrees. He is fortunate to find a cottage to rent on Big Sister, the absolute top-of-the-line private island outside the town of Dorset. His landlady, Dolly, is pleasant and friendly, but some of the other inhabitants of this small piece of land, although too well bred to come right out and say it, are not happy to have Mitch, born of parents only one generation away from Eastern Europe and raised on the city's pavements, arrive in their back yard. But Dolly, whose husband has recently left her, needs the money, and at least she is more than gracious. The discovery of a body during a bout of optimistic gardening in Dolly's back yard brings on the other main player - Lieutenant Desiree Mitry, one of only three women on the Connecticut State Police major crimes squad, the youngest of the three, and the only black. A dedicated officer, she is the terror of everyone who doesn't really want to give a home to one of her stray cats. She is, as well, a closet artist and a complicated and beautiful woman, and she intrigues Mitch from the start.

The Burnt Orange Sunrise
The Burnt Orange Sunrise

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2007-04-01

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 1429974834

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The odd couple Mitch Berger and Desiree Mitry return in The Burnt Orange Sunrise, the fourth book in award-winning author David Handler's mystery series. But Les lied. He had much bigger plans, full of Hollywood heavy-hitters, supermodels, rap music stars, high-profile athletes, and camera crews from every celebrity TV show in America. They are all to gather at the faux castle that Ada's husband had built for her in little Dorset, Connecticut. All of them would come to celebrate the return of Ada Geiger from self-imposed exile--just the kind of event Mitch Berger hates, even though idolizing Ada was one of the things that had led him into the film world as a critic. But it's too late to pull out now. Then Mitch has a lucky break---or so he thinks at the time. The snowiest winter anyone under the age of ninety could remember has hit Dorset and vicinity with what seems like six more inches every three days. Soon, the regrets and "have to wait till tomorrows" come flowing in. The gathering is pared down to what Les had falsely promised---just a few people: Ada's immediate family, Mitch and his lover, beautiful police officer Des Mitry, and a few "deserving" others make a manageably small group. When it snows even harder, they are all prisoners of the storm. The reduced guest list makes the job a little easier for Des and Mitch when one by one the people at the Castle are killed off. Since our two friends have no intention of waiting to pinpoint the murderer until he--or she--is the only one left standing, Des and Mitch dare to dive into a breathtaking climax that has Des taking a terrible chance, and Mitch taking a worse one.

The Darkening Hour
The Darkening Hour

Author: Penny Hancock

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2013-08-29

Total Pages: 415

ISBN-13: 0857206265

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Who do you trust? Meet Theodora. And Mona. Two women, from completely different walks of life, forced by circumstances to live together under one roof. Both women are at their wits' end, scared of losing the one thing that's most precious to them. So when tensions boil over, who will go to the most extreme lengths to survive? Will it be Theodora, finally breaking under the pressure? Or Mona, desperate to find a way out? In a tale of modern day slavery and paranoia, two women tell their sides of the story. Who do you trust? 'The author skilfully plays with [the two narrators'] versions of reality as this dark and brooding novel races towards its genuinely scary conclusion' Sunday Mirror 'Penny Hancock cranks up the tension in The Darkening Hours, so when a murder is committed we don't know who to believe. This thriller about a stressed-out radio presenter who demands more and more from her elderly father's put-upon carer is frighteningly plausible' Thriller of the Month, Good Housekeeping

The Woman Who Lowered the Boom (Stewart Hoag Mysteries)
The Woman Who Lowered the Boom (Stewart Hoag Mysteries)

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Penzler Publishers

Published: 2024-02-13

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1613165145

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This new installment of the Edgar award-winning Stewart Hoag mystery series finds the beloved ghostwriter-sleuth finally on the precipice of reclaiming his previous literary fame when threats against his editor appear to put both his career and her life in jeopardy. Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag is walking on cloud nine after a meeting with his editor, Norma Fives, where she predicts his new book is sure to establish him as the next great American author. It has been years since he has even dreamed of such success after a crippling case of writer’s block limited his literary aspirations to ghostwriting celebrity memoirs. But his happiness is short-lived when at his next meeting with Norma she asks for his help in discovering who is behind a series of increasingly threatening letters sent to her attention. Norma herself is not overly concerned about the letters but her boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Romaine Very of the NYPD, thinks the threat of violence against Norma should not be so easily dismissed. Very feels the combination of Hoagy’s detective skills and knowledge of the underbelly of the publishing world make him the perfect person to investigate the matter. Plus, Hoagy is a friend he can trust to take care of the love of his life. Hoagy agrees if for nothing else than to ease the minds of two people he cares about very much. After all, this is likely to be nothing more than a dramatic gesture from a frustrated writer. But as Hoagy and his trusty basset hound Lulu investigate, the threats move beyond the written word, making it clear that someone out there is determined to write a vicious ending to Norma’s life. Could it be the wealthy aging children’s author? The unethical snake of a literary agent? Or the handsy historian? This is not the return to the literary world that Hoagy dreamed of, but he is determined to unravel the mystery before the author of these crimes gets the last word.

The Man Who Wasn't All There
The Man Who Wasn't All There

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd

Published: 2021-04-01

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 1448305071

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The latest installment of David Handler's Edgar Award-winning Stewart Hoag mystery series, set in 1990s' New York, sees the ghostwriter-sleuth and his faithful basset hound Lulu inadvertently make a dangerous enemy. After six glorious weeks of hard work on his long-overdue second novel, celebrity-ghostwriter Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag has hit a crossroads in his plot. He thinks a change of scenery will do him good - and he knows just the place. His ex-wife, the actress Merilee Nash, has offered him the use of her idyllic Connecticut farmhouse, while she's away shooting a movie in Budapest. Hoagy and his beloved basset hound Lulu settle in for a few days' rest and relaxation. Hoagy expects fall splendor, long walks and crisp night air. He doesn't expect Merilee's eccentric, unwelcoming neighbor. Austin Talmadge warns Hoagy not to get on his bad side, but what harm can a country oddball like Austin do? Quite a lot, it turns out. All Hoagy wants to do is relax and clear his head, but soon he's caught up in a strange, complex mystery - and he'll need all his wits about him, and Lulu's unerring nose, if he's to come out of this one alive . . .

The Lavender Lane Lothario
The Lavender Lane Lothario

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2016-02-23

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1250076110

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Every year, the Gant family performs an annual ritual desecrating the tomb of Aurora Bing. The Gants have held a grudge against the legendary silent film star for almost eighty years, but for Sherm Gant and his son, things have become personal. Aurora's only grandchild, Hubie Swope, has shut down Sherm's notoriously rowdy beachfront bar, and refuses to allow The Pit to reopen until Shem undertakes expensive upgrades. This means war. And when The Pit catches fire and Hubie Swope's charred remains are found in the rubble, it also means murder. Who killed Hubie Swope? Crime-fighting duo Mitch and Des have no idea. Not only are Sherm and his son prime suspects, but so are the women in Hubie's life. To their surprise, Mitch and Des discover that Dorset's building inspector, a quiet widower who repaired cuckoo clocks in his little house on Lavender Lane, was secretly juggling four girlfriends at once. And then there's Gaylord Holland, a builder who had a beef of his own with Hubie. Dorset is in turmoil, and only New York City film critic Mitch Berger and Connecticut State Police Resident Trooper Des Mitry can put it back together. The Lavender Lane Lothario is the eleventh in David Handler's original, hilarious and charming series featuring the engaging biracial couple that fans love.

Phantom Angel
Phantom Angel

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2015-02-10

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 1466865075

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A wickedly funny private eye novel set in the dark underbelly of New York City, where the worlds of Broadway and organized crime meet When it comes to tracking down teen runaways, there is no private investigator in New York City better than streetwise Benji Golden. But his newest client is Morrie Frankel, the last of the great Broadway showmen. Morrie's current extravaganza, a lavish $65 million musical adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, is the biggest unfolding disaster the Great White Way has ever seen. Rumor has it, if he doesn't find a deep-pocketed "angel," or investor, soon, he might go down and take the production with him. Morrie thought he had found such an investor in hedge fund billionaire R.J. Farnell, who promised to keep the teetering production afloat. But Farnell and his $12 million have vanished. Benji tracks Farnell to his girlfriend, Jonquil Beausoleil, who turns the investigation on its head. When Morrie is found gunned down on 42nd Street, Benji finds himself smack in the middle of a high-profile murder investigation, and he'll have to pierce through a lot of Broadway gossip before he can find the killer. Phantom Angel is the next entertaining installment in David Handler's newest mystery series, sure to delight both old and new fans of this award--winning, unique voice in crime fiction.

The Lavender Lane Lothario
The Lavender Lane Lothario

Author: David Handler

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2016-02-23

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1466887494

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Lavender Lane Lothario is the eleventh in David Handler's original, hilarious and charming series featuring the engaging biracial couple that fans love. Every year, the Gant family performs an annual ritual desecrating the tomb of Aurora Bing. The Gants have held a grudge against the legendary silent film star for almost eighty years, but for Shem Gant and his son, things have become personal. Aurora's only grandchild, Hubie Swope, has shut down Shem's notoriously rowdy beachfront bar, and refuses to allow The Pit to reopen until Shem undertakes expensive upgrades. This means war. And when The Pit catches fire and Hubie Swope's charred remains are found in the rubble, it also means murder. Who killed Hubie Swope? Crime-fighting duo Mitch and Des have no idea. Not only are Shem and his son prime suspects, but so are the women in Hubie's life. To their surprise, Mitch and Des discover that Dorset's building inspector, a quiet widower who repaired cuckoo clocks in his little house on Lavender Lane, was secretly juggling four girlfriends at once. And then there's Gaylord Holland, a builder who had a beef of his own with Hubie. Dorset is in turmoil, and only New York City film critic Mitch Berger and Connecticut State Police Resident Trooper Des Mitry can put it back together.