A severed hand, but no body. But a big pool of blood. For Reiko Himekawa and her team, the investigation into the case of the architect Takaoka is extremely difficult. Where is the corpse? When Reiko shows the missing person´s picture to an old friend, it gets even more complicated. Because he claims that the man in the photo is not Takaoka at all. But who is it then? And where is Takaoka? (personal translation)
Tetsuya Honda is one of Japan´s best-selling authors with the ongoing crime series featuring Reiko Himekawa, a Homicide Detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. The series has sold roughly 4 million copies in Japan and is the basis for two TV mini-series, a TV special, and a major theatrical motion picture. So far there are four books in this series. Honda lives in Tokyo.
The young shadow hunter Emma Carstairs has avenged her parents, but she finds no peace. Because the friendship with her parabatai Julian has become love – a relationship that has brutal consequences according to the laws of shadow hunters. In order to protect Julian and herself, Emma, therefore, takes up Julian´s brother Mark. Mark, who lived with the fairies for five years and whose loyalty is not really clear. Especially as unrest prevails in the underworld. The fairies had to bow to harsh conditions after the Dark War and covet. Emma, Julian, and Mark must fight for what they love – before it´s too late and a new war breaks out … (personal translation)
The Muslim special investigator Faris Iskander has become an undercover agent: Because an Islamist organization plans poison gas attacks on Berlin, Faris is put in jail. Because terrorist leader al-Sadiq is in custody there – if Faris succeeds in pretending to be an Islamist and gaining Sadiq´s trust, he can provide much-needed information to the LKA. But while Faris is forced behind bars to credibly prove his terrorist intentions, his team is desperately chasing Sadiq´s assassin outside. Then the first poison gas attack happens. And as more and more people die in the capital, Faris discovers that a far-right organization is also planning an assassination. A hopeless fight on two fronts begins … (personal translation)
It is spring, and the four sisters Flame, Marina, Flora, and Sky should prepare for their exams. But in Cantrip Towers, weird things happen: An invisible intruder sneaks through the corridors trying to steal the magical powers of the family. How should the sisters fight an enemy they do not see? They make a risky plan and go into great danger. Only with combined magic powers can they survive this adventure. (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary).
Sheridan Winn lives in Norwich, England. She is a freelance journalist and divides her time between freelance work and book writing. When she was six years old, her family moved to a big, rambling house in the country. Littlewood House became the inspiration for Sprite Towers. She worked for The Times, The Guardian and became 2012 a self-publisher when she bought back the rights for her series The Sprite Sisters. The author has two grown-up children and a grand-daughter. She has a keen interest in the Arts, film and finds walking in the countryside a good way to think up ideas.
At age five, Lark had to watch her mother being executed. With the last breath, she took her daughter´s voice and power of words. Because magic is a mortal sin in Jeru. Thirteen years later, the young King Tiras appears at the court of Lark´s father to remind him of his fidelity to the war. He takes the voiceless young woman hostage with him. At first, Lark fears the king, but she quickly realizes that Tiras is just as free as she is, and that love may be the only weapon that can break their chains.
As Penny starts the school year she´s ready to face the world – alone. Noah has gone off the radar after ending his world tour early, and no one, including Penny, knows where he is. So, when she accepts Megan´s invitation to visit her performing arts school, it seems like an opportunity to make some new friends. Helping everyone else seems to be the right remedy – Elliot needs her friendship more than ever, and she meets Posey, who she can really help with her stage fright. But is charming Scottish boy Callum the right kind of distraction? And can Penny truly move on when Noah´s shadow seems to haunt her around every corner?
Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother´s web in an attempt to maintain control over his country – and his prisoner. As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare´s heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back. When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire – leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.
What at first looks like a hostage-taking turns out to be a case of far-fetched personal dimensions for Faris: A man armed with an explosive belt delivers a message to him. It reads: “Next time you will press the trigger.” Faris can save his own life as the bomb explodes. But he does not know that an old enemy devised a devilish plan for him. And this adversary does not shy away from abduction or cold-blooded murder. After all, he wants to witness how Faris himself becomes an assassin … (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)
Kathrin Lange was born in Goslar in 1969. Although she initially had plans to join the police dog squad, her love for books then won the day and she first became a bookseller and then a writer. Today she is a member of the International Thriller Writers and writes bestselling novels for adults and teenagers. She lives with her husband and two sons in a small village near Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany.
After a private drama gemstone expert, Celia urgently needs a break. Relieved, she accepts the invitation to lecture on a cruise ship. There she befriends Lady Em, a rich old lady with an invaluable emerald necklace. Three days later, in the middle of the high sea, Lady Em is found murdered – and the chain has disappeared. Celia is determined to clarify the facts. Even if the list of suspects is getting longer. And even if she can no longer be sure of her own life aboard. (personal translation)
Mary Higgins Clark, born in 1928 in New York, lived and worked in Saddle River, New Jersey. She sold her first story in 1956 for $100 to a magazine. After the sudden death of her husband in 1964 she wrote her first book, a biographical novel about George Washington. Her first suspense novel Where are the Children from 1975 meant a turning point in her life and career: He became a bestseller. She is #1 international and New York Times bestselling author, has written thirty-four suspense novels; three collections of short stories; a historical novel; two children´s books; and a memoir, Kitchen Privileges. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels. Her books have sold more than 100 million copies in the United States alone. She is the most successful thriller author worldwide.
In the eleventh grade, traditionally Castle Prinzensee does a course trip. Carlotta flies to Mallorca with her Spanish course. She is looking forward to the free time with her friends and to many new photographs of the Mediterranean. Summer, sun, palm trees, friends – and lots of time to waste! Isn´t that totally awesome? Jonas is less enthusiastic …(personal translation)
Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She´s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome. Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he´ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation. No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all. They might be right.
Amani, rebel, and daughter of a Djinni, has been fighting alongside the rebel prince for months when she is being betrayed to her worst enemy – the Sultan of Miraji. Although Amani is deprived of her magical powers, she risks her life smuggling crucial information to the insurgents outside the palace – because the rebellion must win at all cost. But the more time Amani spends as the prisoner of the Sultan, the greater her doubts become. Is she really on the right side? Or is she just a traitor? (personal translation)
Reed Royal has it all – looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life. What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father´s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely – keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed´s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed´s entire world begins to fall apart around him. Ella doesn´t want him anymore. She says they´ll only destroy each other. She might be right.
Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe – that´s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to trust him, but hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless – and nearly grave – mistake. What Kol doesn´t know is that underneath Mya´s cool disdain is a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya´s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives. As Kol grows closer to Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he´s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo – Kol doesn’t know which – had been planning all along.
A world where justice and the fate of those accused of murder is decided by the public, but has moved on from the Roman Gladiator “thumbs up or thumbs down” public vote, to a public vote by telephone. If you are voted innocent you are set free; if you are voted guilt you are committed to death by electric chair. Those awaiting their sentence reside in ever decreasing cells, getting smaller each day, until Day 7 and Cell 7, where they hear their fate.
Sixteen-year-old Martha has confessed to killing a famous celebrity. But has she done it? And if not, why has she claimed the murder? Perhaps she wants to show up the flawed and brutal system by sacrificing herself in the hope of a better world … Or perhaps she is protecting somebody else …
Ella Harper is a survivor – a pragmatic optimist. She´s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she´ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother´s death, Ella is truly alone. Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from. Reed doesn´t watch her. He says she doesn´t belong with the Royals. He might be right.
“Now is your name Shikanoko – child of the deer.” He put the mask on his face and felt the strength of the deer and the ancient wisdom of the woods penetrate him, and knew that he would never assume a different name.(personal translation)