“
You sound like you’re enjoying my suffering.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
She must feel like Lucifer’s frigid breath is running down the back of her delicate neck.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
Her growing possessiveness felt both good and bad.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
I watched her undress with moonlight shivering across the room from behind sheer curtains that moved with the currents from the hearth fire.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
The verdict got both the fish and me off the hook.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
What the hell, if you are going to roll the dice with Lucifer, I say go the distance.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
It was as if we played chess after denying me both bishops and knights.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
I knew I rode a rugged crest of turmoil that might crash on the rocky shore of irrational behavior.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
Death rides on all of our shoulders from the day we are born.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
The steps leading to the porch looked worn, cracked, and unpainted, ready for a nice hot fire.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
The Alchemy Scroll works on the heart,” he said. “It plants words as I plant stones. The Scroll-maker is my brother. He paints the mysteries of God while I, guided by the Mother, built the new Hall as a door to heaven,” he said.
”
”
Susan Rowland (The Alchemy Fire Murder (Mary Wandwalker #2))
“
I swallowed a sigh since, truthfully, I was glad she found the cabin.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
There was no going back now. Rubber and metal could only take so much. The car could shatter and send its passengers into an elemental distillation of rock, flesh, blood, and ash. Alchemy, thought Mary, grimly. Too much bloody alchemy.
”
”
Susan Rowland (The Alchemy Fire Murder (Mary Wandwalker #2))
“
Death is the ultimate test of faith.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
The final sound of the rifle shot bounced around the lake.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
A look of absolute terror locked onto her features.
”
”
Gabriel F.W. Koch (Death Leaves a Shadow (Marlowe Black Mystery, #2))
“
Upon arriving at the murder scene, they saw Deputy Sheriff Peewee Stubblefield pacing back and forth on the front walk. He stopped and smirked as Sheriff Roosevelt Baker braked the patrol car. He emitted a noise sounding more like a groan than a sigh.
”
”
Lea Charles (Easy Peasy: An Appalachian Town Diner Cozy Mystery (Ginny Dove Cozy Mystery, Series Book 2))
“
Adrien, people get killed all the time. Since when is it your job to find out what happened to them?"
"I'm not usually suspected of murdering them."
"You have been as long as I've known you.
”
”
Josh Lanyon (A Dangerous Thing (The Adrien English Mysteries, #2))
“
As I began to assess her, I have to say to be in Mirza Almazan’s presence was a strange feeling. She gave off a powerful aura of high spirt, intellect, and strength. I took it all in and literally basked in it.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
Did you, Vance?”
“Did I what?”
“Did you have Hines killed?”
“Now what kind of a question is that?
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
Then, like a born and bred asshole, he added to the sheriff, "He writes murder mysteries.
”
”
Josh Lanyon (A Dangerous Thing (The Adrien English Mysteries, #2))
“
Sitting down on the bed, my mind went blank again. I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes. Dad is dead. My father is dead and I will never be able to talk to him again. I opened my eyes and checked the time. Almost 6am.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
What the hell, Jack? What the hell were you doing back there? Cool the hell off. You’re used to people staring. Get a grip, man. Too early to let things get to you.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
911. What is your emergency?”
“Dead body.”
“You’ll have to speak up. I can’t hear you.”
“There’s a dead body in the woods!”
“Where are you located?”
“I’m on one of the trails off Summit Road in Wild Oaks Mountain Park. I’m near the summit.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“No, I can’t! Just get someone here!
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
He would tell you to leave?”
“Yes. He is…was a rude man, but it didn’t bother me. I was used to it. As I said, I’d gotten used to Mr. Hines. He is…was, despite his rudeness, a good boss. He never questioned me or my brother on how much we spent on the house. If there was something that needed fixing, he’d instruct my brother on what was to be done.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
The man might have died in a fit; but then the jewels are missing," mused the Inspector, "Ha! I have a theory. These flashes come upon me at times... What do you think of this, Holmes? Sholto was, on his own confession, with his brother last night. The brother died in a fit, on which Sholto walked off the treasure! How's that?"
"On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside," said Holmes.
”
”
Arthur Conan Doyle (The Sign of Four (Sherlock Holmes, #2))
“
Treason is a judgment based wholly on perspective.
”
”
Jeffrey S. Stephens (Enemies Among Us (Nick Reagan, #2))
“
A long walk. A very long walk. Sand between my toes. The rough surf at times reaching and washing away my footprints. About a mile down the beach, I sat down and started thinking back through everything Vance had told me so far. Thought about what my next moves would be. Seeing the Asian guy tomorrow and having him snoop would settle one thing in my mind. Did Vance do it or not? Crucial. Until I knew that, I didn’t want to go any further.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
And, for a moment in time, I’d crossed the line over to evil and used some unethical interrogation techniques to bring him down. I was hoping for a few months of ‘down time.’ Time to reevaluate how I’d let myself cross that line and how to prevent it from ever happening again. Then there was my father. He was quickly succumbing to Alzheimer’s and I wanted to spend more time with him.
”
”
Behcet Kaya (Body In The Woods (Jack Ludefance, #2))
“
Xanax can be addictive. Opioids can be fatal. There are medications intended for only eight weeks of use, yet people take them for years. And what is all this about?…. Money.
”
”
Jeffrey S. Stephens (Enemies Among Us (Nick Reagan, #2))
“
It's weird when you wake of from a bad dream and everything is still bad.
”
”
Todd Strasser (Blood on My Hands (Thrillogy, #2))
“
Now that's a concept that's always fascinated me: the real world. Only a very specific subset of people use the term, have you noticed? To me, it seems self-evident that everyone lives in the real world - we all breathe real oxygen, eat real food, the earth under our feet feels equally solid to all of us. But clearly these people have a far more tightly circumscribed definition of reality, one that I find deeply mysterious, and an almost pathologically intense need to bring others into line with that definition.
”
”
Tana French (The Likeness (Dublin Murder Squad, #2))
“
It was Night. In most places, Night is a time for sleep, for calm, and for mystery. But not in New York City, where many things conspired every evening to murder the night.
”
”
Regina Doman (Black as Night (A Fairy Tale Retold #2))
“
Why are murder mysteries so popular? There's a 3-part "formula" (if you want to call it that) for a genre novel: (1) Someone the reader likes and relates to (2) overcomes increasingly difficult obstacles (3) to reach an important goal. The more important the goal, the stronger the novel. And the most important goal that any of us have is survival. That's why murder mysteries are more gripping than a story titled "Who Stole My TV Set.
”
”
Lois Duncan
“
It felt strange. I was about to read one murder mystery while sitting inside another.
”
”
Anthony Horowitz (Moonflower Murders (Susan Ryeland, #2))
“
The northern star changes its position every ten thousand years, but friendships can last for all eternity.
— RJPeters
”
”
R.J. Peters (Waldon House (Volume 2))
“
Father Jakob mentioned to her that military men took it personally when women at home were assaulted. They were away fighting for their country and they believed the men left behind had an obligation to take care of and protect the women on the homefront. Maeve knew from experience women mostly had to take care of themselves.
”
”
A.G. Russo (Bangtails, Grifters, and a Liar's Kiss (O'Shaughnessy Investigations Inc. 2))
“
Cheered on by other motorists the lorry driver urinated over the nearest three protesters.
”
”
Phil Hall (Murder O'clock (Inspector Bee Thrillers))
“
Forget your mistakes but remember what they taught you.
”
”
Vannetta Chapman (Murder Tightly Knit (Amish Village Mystery #2))
“
Think you’ve read too many mystery novels, Pip.
”
”
Holly Jackson (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder / Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1-2))
“
And, by the by, Joanna solved the mystery of my private messages. She went into my account and searched all of them for me. She told me that if I didn't want to be sent an endless tide of photographs of men's genitals, I should really change my username. Needless to say, I haven't changed it.
”
”
Richard Osman (The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2))
“
Being human doesn’t mean you’re weak, it just means you’re subject to the same little quirks and foibles as the rest of us—for which you should be grateful.
”
”
Patricia Ryan (Murder in a Mill Town (Nell Sweeney Mysteries, #2))
“
You’ve one week to solve this, or you’re history!
”
”
Phil Hall (Murder O'Clock (Inspector Bee Thrillers Book 2))
“
I neither see nor comprehend. You make all these confounded mysteries, and it’s useless asking you to explain. You always like keeping something up your sleeve to the last minute.
”
”
Agatha Christie (The Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot, #2))
“
God is the greatest mystery. And when you believe in something, no matter how grand, no matter how invincible, you are willing to do anything, however preposterous, tosee it to its solution.
”
”
Rachel McMillan (A Lesson in Love and Murder (Herringford and Watts Mysteries, #2))
“
Before we'd arrived, I'd asked my brother to stock our room with paperback classics and murder mysteries - Jamie Watson's poison, if you'll excuse the expression - and I hope that he'll be engrossed enough in Slaughterhouse 5 to not notice that, from time to time, I would slip out to do some work on my own. The fact that Milo ordered those books in German is an unfunny joke and hardly my fault.
”
”
Brittany Cavallaro (The Last of August (Charlotte Holmes, #2))
“
Why Do People become Shadowhunters, by Magnus Bane
This Codex thing is very silly. Downworlders talk about the Codex like it is some great secret full of esoteric knowledge, but really itès a Boy Scout manual.
One thing that it mysteriously doesnèt address is why people become Shadowhunters. And you should know that people become Shadowhunters for many stupid reasons.
So here is an addition to your copy.
Greetings, aspiring young Shadowhunter-to-be- or possibly already technically a Shadowhunter. I canèt remember whether you drink from the Cup first or get the book first. Regardless, you have just been recruited by the Monster Police. You may be wondering, why? Why of all the mundanes out there was I selected and invited to this exclusive club made up largely, at least from a historical perspective, of murderous psychopaths?
Possible Reasons Why
1. You possess a stout heart, strong will, and able body.
2. You possess a stout body, able will, and strong heart.
3. Local Shadowhunters are ironically punishing you by making you join them.
4. You were recruited by a local institute to join the Nephilim as an ironic punishment for your mistreatment of Downworlders.
5. Your home , village, or nation is under siege by demons.
6. You home, village, or nation is under siege by rogue Downworlders.
7. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
8.You know too much, and should be recruited because the secrecy of the Shadow World has already been compromised for you.
9. You know too little; it would be helpful to the Shadowhunters if you knew more.
10. You know exactly the right amount, making you a natural recruit.
11. You possess a natural resistance to glamour magic and must be recruited to keep you quiet and provide you with some basic protection.
12. You have a compound last name already and have convinced someone important that yours is a Shadowhunter family and the Shadowhunteriness has just been weakened by generations of bad breeding.
13. You had a torrid affair with a member of the Nephilim council and now he's trying to cover his tracks.
14. Shadowhunters are concerned they are no longer haughty and condescending enough-have sought you out to add a much needed boost of haughty condescension.
15. You have been bitten by a radioactive Shadowhunter, giving you the proportional strength and speed of a Shadowhunter.
16. Large bearded man on flying motorcycle appeared to take you away to Shadowhunting school.
17. Your mom has been in hiding from your evil dad, and you found out you're a Shadowhunter only a few weeks ago.
That's right. Seventeen reasons. Because that's how many I came up with. Now run off, little Shadowhunter, and learn how to murder things. And be nice to Downworlders.
”
”
Cassandra Clare (The Shadowhunter's Codex)
“
Medical conditions: (1) Sleep problems, possibly inherited from grandfather. (2) Hospital phobia. (3) Bookworm disease. (4) Possible addiction to watching old Columbo, Midsomer Murders, and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries episodes. Personality traits: Shy but curious. Occasionally cowardly. Excellent with details. Good observer.
”
”
Jenn Bennett (Serious Moonlight)
“
Murder had come back to The Hatteras West Inn, and it was a most unwelcome guest.
”
”
Tim Myers (Reservations for Murder (Lighthouse Inn Mystery #2))
“
Stupid murderers and their stupid murders.
”
”
T.E. Kinsey (In the Market for Murder (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #2))
“
No matter which way you dice it, self-preservation is selfish.
”
”
Keith Houghton (Crossing Lines (Gabe Quinn #2))
“
Forget your mistakes but remember what they taught you
”
”
Vannetta Chapman (Murder Tightly Knit (Amish Village Mystery #2))
P.B. Ryan (Murder in a Mill Town (Nell Sweeney Mysteries, #2))
“
I should never do anything pre-coffee.
'It was only a teeny fire,' I told my uncle over the phone.
”
”
Cindy Brown (The Sound of Murder (Ivy Meadows Mysteries, #2))
“
You’ll probably want to jump straight to the punchline, in future, when recounting the discovery of a murder.
”
”
P.J. Fitzsimmons (The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning (Anty Boisjoly Mysteries, #2))
“
Another holiday, another murder. At least no one got murdered at Thanksgiving dinner! How did I end up, in the season of peace and goodwill toward men, investigating another homicide?”
~ Kay Driscoll
Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2) - Coming November 14.
”
”
Susan Bernhardt (Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery #2))
“
No matter how well you plan. Disasters are a fact of life. Just accept it. Yes, you can and should plan carefully, but you are dealing with humans and they all have their own lives, plans, and needs. There’s no telling what can happen when you gather a group of them together. The important thing to remember is when disaster strikes you must face it with aplomb.
”
”
Dianne Freeman (A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #2))
“
Ah," Daniel said, glancing up from his stack. "Now that's a concept that's always fascinated me: the real world. Only a very specific subset of people use the term, have you noticed? To me, it seems self-evident that everyone lives in the real world--we all breathe real oxygen, eat real food, the earth under our feet feels equally solid to all of us. But clearly these people have a far more tightly circumscribed definition of reality, one that I find deeply mysterious, and an almost pathologically intense need to bring others into line with that definition.
”
”
Tana French (The Likeness (Dublin Murder Squad, #2))
“
Tim’s Cranberry-Orange Bread Baker Tim Brunelle makes this yummy quick bread for Greta’s Grains. Make a day ahead of time for easiest slicing. Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached white flour ¾ cup sugar 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda Zest and juice of one orange. If juice doesn’t equal ¾ cup, add
”
”
Maddie Day (Murder on Cape Cod (Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries 1))
“
The advantage of playing dumb is that it postpones the moment confrontation, when you acknowledge you're I opposite sides, when someone fires the first shot. If you're already at a disadvantage -- like for instance, Of your car's in neutral when you thought it was in reverse -- it gives you a chance to reach for a weapon.
”
”
Harley Jane Kozak (Dating is Murder (Wollie Shelley Mystery #2))
“
Love meant accepting the lowest of a person. The parts that made you tingle and shrug. Love saw through every fight and stilled every fear and weathered every doubt. Love meant pushing past perceptions and surmounting expectations and accepting that someone would never always live up to the ideals that you imparted on them.
”
”
Rachel McMillan (Murder in the City of Liberty (A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery #2))
“
Children at play, birds of prey," Lucien said, closing out his register, "and dogs may chase anything that moves. But in general, we are not pursued because we run; we run because we are pursued. Someone wanted something from this girl --love, money, her body, her mind. Find out what pursued your friend, and you find your friend.
”
”
Harley Jane Kozak (Dating is Murder (Wollie Shelley Mystery #2))
“
She planned to fix herself a cup of lemon-ginger tea and pick a book from the stack on her coffee table. It didn’t matter which title she chose, every book had something unique to offer. They were memories she’d yet to make. Worlds she’d yet to discover. Friends she’d yet to meet. And she was looking forward to making their acquaintance.
”
”
Ellery Adams (Murder in the Paperback Parlor (Book Retreat Mysteries, #2))
SaBrowny Rae (Backdoor Tales: Tears of the Serpent September Love)
“
Now was not the time to reflect on the irony of facing down the barrel of a gun held by a killer for the second time in as many months.
”
”
Ashley Weaver (Death Wears a Mask (Amory Ames, #2))
“
Mysteries are at their most interesting while they remain mysterious.
”
”
T.E. Kinsey (In the Market for Murder (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #2))
“
As far as Kitty could tell, men were just as petty as women, but when they didn’t get their way, they didn’t resort to intrigues—they started wars.
”
”
Radha Vatsal (Murder Between the Lines (Kitty Weeks Mystery, #2))
“
Men are a nuisance,” Jesse said. “Sooner or later,
”
”
Loulou Harrington (Murder Most Thorny (Myrtle Grove Garden Club Mystery, #2))
“
Honestly, I suspect that in this day and age most murders could be solved by the correct Google search. It could be a web series. CSI: Bing. I
”
”
Max Wirestone (The Astonishing Mistakes of Dahlia Moss (Dahlia Moss Mysteries Book 2))
“
and he glanced at Addie, a slight smile
”
”
Lauren Elliott (Prologue to Murder (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery, #2))
“
Poirot’s incurable habit of making a mystery out of nothing never failed to irritate me.
”
”
Agatha Christie (The Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot, #2))
“
To ignore a person’s name was to ignore—or deny—her very humanity. “She’s
”
”
P.B. Ryan (Murder in a Mill Town (Nell Sweeney Mysteries, #2))
“
Lies can be expensive to maintain, Alexa. And I’m sure we haven’t seen one percent of the price that the lies in this case ultimately will exact.
”
”
Theodore Jerome Cohen (House of Cards: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Martelli NYPD, #2))
“
Love is a curious malady. The symptoms vary widely among its sufferers.
”
”
P.B. Ryan (Murder in a Mill Town (Nell Sweeney Mysteries, #2))
“
maybe everyone will start believing me about the mysterious
”
”
Tana French (The Likeness (Dublin Murder Squad #2))
“
I wondered if, fundamentally, the world was made up of people who either sought justice at the expense of redemption, or those who sought redemption at the expense of justice.
”
”
Penny Reid (Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, #2))
“
Billy, of course, didn’t need a new suit. He already owned eleventy thousand. The dandy coxcomb.
”
”
Penny Reid (Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, #2))
“
You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.” — Abraham Lincoln
”
”
Penny Reid (Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, #2))
“
I'm a priest for Christ's sake - how can this be happening to me?
”
”
John Banville (Snow (St. John Strafford, #2))
“
He paused, opening the velvet box and revealing a white gold or platinum necklace, the chain comprised of delicate but wide filigree sections with diamonds set in star shapes at each of the links.
”
”
Penny Reid (Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, #2))
“
Like Mardi Gras and Halloween rolled into a public party at the Playboy mansion, Rio during Carnaval is like no other place on earth. And the freak-flags fly like the color guard of an invading army.
”
”
James Schannep (Murdered: Can You Solve the Mystery? (Click Your Poison, #2))
“
So, what are you going to do about it?”
"Watch this!"
"Oh, that’s just freaking great. ‘Watch this!’ The two most dangerous words in the English language. I’m getting out of here before lightning strikes.
”
”
Theodore Jerome Cohen (House of Cards: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Martelli NYPD, #2))
“
Over the years more than one friend or acquaintance had asked Tricia why she was so enamored of the mystery genre. How could she actually enjoy stories that celebrated violent death? They had it all wrong. The books didn't celebrate death, but triumph for justice. Too often real-life villains got away with murder, but in fiction, justice was usually assured.
Sometimes she wished life better imitated art.
”
”
Lorna Barrett (Bookmarked for Death (Booktown Mystery, #2))
“
closed the door behind them and rested my head against the cool, painted wood. No way I would be able to focus on my work anymore while Olinski’s and my mother’s words danced together in my head. A tango in which the roses were all thorns.
”
”
Sue Minix (The Murderous Type (Bookstore Mystery, #2))
“
this had originally been the HQ of the famous Halifax Building Society, before mutuality had largely been abandoned in the greedy years since Thatcher. Carter smiled at his boss’s political reference but it meant little to him; he couldn’t remember the time before Thatcher.
”
”
J.R. Ellis (The Quartet Murders (Yorkshire Murder Mysteries, #2))
“
Lola.” She looked up at me. “I won’t let you go to prison for something you didn’t do. I promise. So don’t worry. I’ve got it. Syn too. He’s waiting in the lobby. And Blossom’s been helping us with spells. We’ve got it. You’re not a murderer and no one is going to put you away.”
Hazel to Lola.
”
”
Marie Batiste (Restless Bones on Crystal Lake (Moon Investigations #2))
“
Too damn long.’ He put his coat on an empty chair, settled a slim attaché case on top of it, and placed a narrow-brimmed gray hat on top of the attaché case. He seated himself across the table from me and dug his lucky charm out of his pocket. I watched him set it spinning. ‘Too goddamned long, Matt,’ he told the coin.
”
”
Lawrence Block (Time To Murder And Create (Matthew Scudder Mysteries Series Book 2))
“
That even if Winnie and I could have faked a tornado, we could never have shoved that boat motor through the door of the truck and down through the passenger seat. And even if we could have managed to pick that boat up and drive it nose-first down into the dirt several inches deep, we could never have managed to get that body up into that tree. Have you taken a good look at where he is?
”
”
Loulou Harrington (Murder Most Thorny (Myrtle Grove Garden Club Mystery, #2))
“
Rather, she feared her distress had its roots in the unexpected amiability of the enterprise, the sense of camaraderie that had sprung up between them as they sat quietly by the fire in her room discussing suspects in Mr. Otley’s murder. In those moments, she’d felt known by the duke in a way she hadn’t been by anyone else, and it made her sad and unsettled to realize how quickly he would cease to know her.
”
”
Lynn Messina (A Scandalous Deception (Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, #2))
“
And the more I thought of what had happened, the wilder and darker it grew. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. There was the original problem: that at least was pretty clear now. The death of Captain Morstan, the sending of the pearls, the advertisement, the letter,—we had had light upon all those events. They had only led us, however, to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. The Indian treasure, the curious plan found among Morstan's baggage, the strange scene at Major Sholto's death, the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer, the very singular accompaniments to the crime, the footsteps, the remarkable weapons, the words upon the card, corresponding with those upon Captain Morstan's chart,—here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue.
”
”
Arthur Conan Doyle (The Sign of the Four (Sherlock Holmes, #2))
“
Karma," he said once, "is not a sentence already printed. It is a series of words the author can arrange as she choses."
Love. Murder. A broken heart. The professor in the drawing room with candlestick. The detective in the bar with the gun. The guitar player backstage with the pick.
Maybe it was true: Life was a series of words we'd been given to arrange as we pleased, only no one seemed to know how. A word game with no right solution, a crossword puzzle where we couldn't quite remember the name of that song.
”
”
Sara Gran (Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway (Claire DeWitt Mysteries, #2))
“
Au Gratin Potatoes About 5 lbs thinly sliced potatoes 2 large thinly sliced onions 1½-2 cups grated sharp cheddar or imported Swiss 1 cup chicken stock Salt and pepper A 9- by 13-inch baking dish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter baking dish. Put in layer of thinly sliced potatoes, then the thinly sliced onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on cheese. Continue this way until you have three more layers ending with cheese. Pour in one cup of chicken stock. Cover pan with foil, bake one hour. Uncover pan bake another ½ hour.
”
”
Isis Crawford (A Catered Murder (Mystery with Recipes #1))
“
Is it fun? Doin' all that detectin'? I always wanted to be a detective. I was one, for about a year, I liked the romance of it all. The suits, the hats, the dark alleys, the femme fetale, all that quick talkin' ... But I couldn't stop killin' folk. I mean, they'd hire me, I'd try to solve their mystery, nut halfway through I'd get bored and end up killin' them, and then the case'd be over and that'd be it. I solved one single murder that whole year, but I don't think that really counts, seein' as how I was the killer. I think that's kinda cheatin', in a way - Billy-Ray Sanguine.
”
”
Derek Landy (Playing with Fire (Skulduggery Pleasant, #2))
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The detective thinks he is investigating a murder or a missing girl but truly he is investigating something else all together, something he cannot grasp hold of directly. satisfaction will be rare. Uncertainty will be your normal state. Much of your life will be spent in the dark woods, no path visible, with fear and loneliness your only companions.
But answers exist. Solutions wait for you, trembling, pulling you to them, calling your name, even if you cannot hear. And when you are sure that you have been forgotten, and that every step has been wrong, and that the woods are swallowing you whole, remember this: I too was once in those woods, and I have emerged to give you, if not a map or a path, hopefully at least a few clues. Remember that I, if no one else, know you are there, and will never give up hope for you, not in this lifetime or the next. And the day I came out of the woods I saw the sun as I had never seen it before, which is the only consolation I can offer as of now.
I believe that someday, perhaps many lifetimes from now, all will be explained, and all mysteries will be solved. All knowledge will be free for the taking, including the biggest mystery of all - who we really are. But for now, each detective, alone in the woods, must take her clues, and solve her mysteries herself.
- Jacques Silette, Detection
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Sara Gran (Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway (Claire DeWitt Mysteries, #2))
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Karl Smith’s Russian Tea Cakes (Pete’s favorite) 1 cup soft butter
½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ finely chopped nuts
(More confectioners’ sugar for finishing) Mix together thoroughly the butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Sift together the flour and salt and stir into the butter/sugar mixture. Add chopped nuts. Chill dough. Roll into one-inch balls and place them 2½ inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until set, but not brown—about 10 to 12 minutes. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool. Roll in confectioners’ sugar again. Makes about 4 dozen 1½-inch cookies.
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Carol J. Perry (Murder Go Round (Witch City Mystery #4))
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Reading Group Guide Questions Discussion questions for The Three Pines Mysteries, by Louise Penny 1. How important is the use of humor in this book? 2. Which Three Pines villager would you most like to have cafe au lait with at the bistro? 3. Why is Ruth a villager? 4. Louise Penny says her books are about murder, but at their heart they’re about other things. What else is this book about? What are some other themes? 5. Agent Nichol is an extremely controversial character in the books. What do you think of her? What purpose does she serve? Discussion questions for Still Life 1. At the beginning of Still Life, we are told that “violent death still surprised” Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Why is that odd for a homicide detective, and how does it influence his work? What are his strengths and his weaknesses? 2. The village of Three Pines is not on any map, and when Gamache and Agent Nicole first arrive there, they see “the inevitable paradox. An old stone mill sat beside a pond, the mid-morning sun warming its fieldstones. Around it the maples and birches and wild cherry trees held their fragile leaves, like thousands of happy hands waving to them on arrival. And police cars. The snakes in Eden.” Can you find other echoes of Paradise in Three Pines, and what role do snakes—real or metaphorical—play there? 3. There are three main couples in the book: Clara and Peter, Olivier and Gabri, and
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Louise Penny (Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1))
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Hold on,” I said. “Frank, name three things you like. And no, Darling doesn’t count.” “Easy,” Frank said. “Murder—” “Too dark. It’s abundantly clear that you like inflicting suffering on things, but we’re going for lighthearted interests at the moment, so try again.” “Uh, mayhem.” “Still too dark.” He paused for a very, very long moment. “Mmm… macarons.” “Are you just naming things that start with m?” “No.” “I think you are.” “Am not.” “Are too.” “Is this really the time for this argument?” Lars said. “I mean, macarons?” I said. “Seriously? That’s a weird flex.” “What is a flex?” Lars said. “How is that weird?” Frank said. “That’s a bougie cookie, man. I’m rich as hell and I still feel guilty buying macarons. Those things are expensive.” “I don’t think it’s about the money. I think deep down in your heart of hearts, you know that you don’t deserve macarons.” “Wow,” I said. “They’re not even that good.” “Macarons are the Cadillac of cookies and if you ever imply otherwise again I will cut that uncultured palate right out of your mouth and force you to eat it.” “Wow,” Lars said. “That’s a really strong opinion.” “Those are the only opinions I have,” Frank said. “Yeah, apparently the guy who’s all about mystery meat also likes macarons,” I said. “Go figure.” “Oh yeah,” Frank said. “I do love me some mysterious meats. I just really like the suspense of wondering what dead animal I’m about to bite into, you know?” “I really think we should go,” Lars said. “Yeah, you’re right. Frank, lemme know when you come up with a third thing.
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Kyle Kirrin (Black Sand Baron (The Ripple System #2))
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Lambspun’s Whodunnit Shell Very Easy Knit with Bulky Yarn GAUGE: 2 sts/in MATERIALS: US size 15 needles (or size to obtain gauge), 14-inch straight Very bulky yarn with gauge of 2 sts per inch INSTRUCTIONS: BACK: With yarn required for gauge, CO 40, 44, 46, 50, 52 sts. Work in garter stitch, (knit every row) or if you like an edge that rolls, work in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row) throughout garment. Continue in garter or stockinette until piece measures 8, 8.5, 9, 9, 9 inches or desired length to armhole. At armhole edges BO 3 sts once, 2 sts once, 1 st once. Work on remaining 28, 32, 34, 38, 40 sts until piece measures 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5 inches. NECK SHAPING: Work 11, 12, 12, 14, 15 sts. Join second ball of yarn and bind off center 6, 8, 10, 10, 10 sts. Work remaining sts, turn. Working both sides at once, bind off 1 st from the neck edge 3 times. Continue working on reaming sts until piece measures 17, 18, 18.5, 19, 19.5 inches. Place remaining 8, 9, 9, 11, 12 sts on holders. FRONT: CO 39, 43, 45, 49, 51 sts. Work in garter stitch, (knit every row) or if you like an edge that rolls, work in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row) throughout garment. Continue in garter or stockinette until piece measures 8, 8.5, 9, 9, 9 inches or desired length to armhole. At armhole edges BO 3 sts once, 2 sts once, 1 st once. Work on remaining 28, 32, 34, 38, 40 sts until piece measures 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5 inches. NECK SHAPING: Same as for back. FINISHING: Join shoulders with three-needle bind off. Single crochet around every edge. Hand seam sides together. Pattern courtesy of Lambspun of Colorado, Fort Collins, Colorado.
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Maggie Sefton (Double Knit Murders (A Knitting Mystery #1-2))
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Death by Chocolate Dark chocolate ganache on a chocolate with
chocolate chips cupcake. 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1½ cups white sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Add the chocolate chips. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Makes 12. Dark Chocolate Ganache 2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract Place chocolate chips in a large bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Once the cream boils, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chips. Let stand for a minute or two, then stir with a whisk until smooth. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Stir in the vanilla until well blended. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ganache and allow it to cool to room temperature. Dip tops of cool cupcakes into the mixture and allow it to dry.
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Jenn McKinlay (Sprinkle with Murder (Cupcake Bakery Mystery #1))
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Caramel Apple Bundt Cake For people. Cake 1½ cups flour 1 cup pecans 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1½ teaspoons cinnamon ¾ teaspoon nutmeg ¾ teaspoon cloves ¼ teaspoon salt 2 medium apples, peeled and cored ½ cup sugar + extra 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) butter at room temperature + extra for greasing the pan 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 large eggs at room temperature 1 cup applesauce Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place the flour, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are fine. Transfer the flour mixture to a bowl. Insert the grating disk and grate the apples. Take 1 tablespoon of sugar out of the plain sugar and set it aside. Cream the butter with the sugars. Beat in the eggs. Alternate adding the applesauce and the flour mixture until completely combined. Stir in the grated apples. Grease the Bundt pan liberally. Sprinkle the extra sugar on the butter. You may need another tablespoon of sugar for full coverage. Use a cooking spoon to ladle the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake 40 minutes or until it begins to pull away from the sides and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to rest on a baking rack about 5 to 10 minutes. Loosen the edges, and flip onto the rack. When cool, top with caramel. Caramel 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup heavy cream Place the ingredients in a deep microwave-safe dish (I used a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup). Microwave in short bursts, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles up and the sugar melts. (You may find that you even like it if the sugar doesn’t melt!) Swedish Tea Ring For people.
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Krista Davis (Murder Most Howl (A Paws and Claws Mystery, # 3))