Injustices, big and small, surround each of us every day. But what can one person do? Plenty, in these stories of vengeance and betrayal - whether it's a cheating spouse, a prostitute who's had enough, or a bookkeeper who decides to stick it to "the man." Ten twisted tales of mystery, deceit, family secrets, murder and even some aliens thrown in for good measure will have you cheering for the bad guys to get their just desserts. ˃˃˃ Praise for BV's Mysteries in Crime Time "Now this story was close to brilliance...The main character was truly three-dimensional, a noteworthy feat especially in a short story. The plot was fast, dark and thrilling." - IHeartReading.net "Kept me guessing until the very end. I’d recommend this to experienced mystery readers who enjoy wrestling with skillfully placed hints that don’t easily reveal their secrets." - Long and Short Reviews "We've had the pleasure of reading these tales and can enthusiastically recommend them." - Omnimystery News "One of the best shorts I've read this year. Scary and triumphant in the bleakest kind of way with two of the best characters I've read." - AJ Hayes, author of the Mad Dog and Englishman series "Awesome story. Beautifully written...you have really written something special." - Terrie Farley Moran, author of the Read ’Em and Eat Café and Bookstore series

Con artist Beverly Laborde and police detective Adam Dutton form an unlikely partnership forged out of a shared sense of justice. Using her wiles and tricks of deception and his expertise and diligence, they reluctantly combine their individual strengths in pursuit of the truth. But first, they have to overcome their distrust of each other while fighting their growing—and inconvenient—mutual attraction. Includes: MURDER IN THREE ACTS: At a costumed Halloween charity event, con woman Beverly Laborde blends into the crowd, her past hidden behind charm and deception. But when a murder occurs during a theatrical performance, the night takes a deadly turn. Detective Adam Dutton locks down the venue, but Beverly can’t resist investigating on her own. As her sleuthing puts her in the killer’s sights, she must outwit a murderer lurking among the guests before she becomes the next victim. THE VASE CHASE: At a lively Christmas festival, con artist Beverly Laborde and detective Adam Dutton are on a mission to recover stolen antique plates from their friend’s shop. But when their search reveals an elderly woman desperate to sell a rare vase for her medical bills, a much darker crime surfaces. Using Beverly's wiles and Adam’s expertise, they navigate deception in the midst of holiday cheer, racing against time to restore what’s been taken—before Christmas is stolen, too.

Revenge is best served BOLD. When Beverly Laborde becomes a con artist to exact revenge on the man who shut down her grandmother's antiques business and sent her to an early grave, she comes face to face with the handsome but haunted Vermont police detective, Adam Dutton—who doesn’t know whether to arrest her or ask her out on a date. Yet, what started as a personal vendetta for Beverly against whose a man whose criminal tendrils reach far into Vermont politics and the Northeastern Antiquities League grows into something more. The quirky town of Ironwood Junction, a sympathetic local antiques dealer, and the mysterious "Mr.X" start to chip away at Beverly's hardened outer emotional shell. But can she push past her issues with trust and betrayal to settle down? And will her quest for vengeance ever truly be over? As Beverly and Adam come to terms with their inconvenient growing attraction toward each other, they have to dodge bribery, theft, extortion, and murder ... to settle old scores and to keep each other safe. Includes: STEAL AWAY: A con woman hoping to take revenge on the man she feels responsible for her grandmother's death has to fight her growing attraction for a handsome Vermont police detective and the efforts of her nemesis to silence her ... forever. But if she can allow herself to trust her instincts—and the detective—she might just have a fighting chance. HIDE AWAY: Vermont Detective Adam Dutton has to make one of the hardest arrests of his life—his good friend and godfather, Harlan Wilford, who stands accused of murder. Once again teaming up with con woman Beverly Laborde, Adam and Beverly must find the real killer before it's too late for Harlan...and for them. BURN AWAY: When a series of arsons targets Vermont antiques stores, Detective Adam Dutton and con-woman Beverly Laborde worry a shop owned by their friend might be next. But the stakes take an even deeper and uglier turn after a body is found inside one of the burned buildings. Was it an accident, suicide ... or murder? Praise for BV Lawson's mysteries/thrillers: "Worth putting on your reading list." - The Library Journal "Lawson's protagonist is greatly compelling." - Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize "Lawson’s book was so good, I read it twice from beginning to end." - Readers Favorite Reviews The complete chronology of the Adam Dutton & Beverly Laborde mystery/thriller series for those who enjoy reading in order is: Steal Away Hide Away Burn Away Keywords: mystery novel, detective novel, crime fiction, murder mystery, mystery series, police procedural, amateur sleuth, female sleuth, heist novels, thrillers, traditional mysteries, crime thrillers, murder, mystery series, private investigator, detective books, crime series, thriller series, crime thriller series, vigilante justice, detective series, private investigator series, PI series, private eye series, crime authors, thriller authors, psychological thrillers, mystery boxed sets, crime box sets

What's a cop to do when his best friend is accused of murder? Vermont Detective Adam Dutton has to make one of the hardest arrests of his life—his friend and godfather, Harlan Wilford, who stands accused of murder. Meanwhile, slightly reformed con woman Beverly LaBorde has returned to Ironwood Junction to take her first tentative steps toward a more normal life and maybe romance with a certain handsome detective. Neither Adam nor Beverly believe for a minute that honest Harlan is capable of murder, but who framed him and why? Was it a disgruntled former customer of Harlan's antiques business or another attempt by the crooked members of the Northeast Antiquities League to get back at Adam? With Adam and Beverly's nemesis, Mayor Titus Lemann, piling on the pressure, and his wife—who also happens to be Adam's ex—piling on the seduction, Adam and Beverly must dodge personal and professional land mines before they blow up in their faces. Harlan's freedom may not be the only thing at stake, as Adam and Beverly begin to wonder if they'll ever be able to take their relationship to the next level. Praise for BV Lawson's mysteries/thrillers: "Worth putting on your reading list." - The Library Journal "Lawson's protagonist is greatly compelling." - Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize "Lawson’s book was so good, I read it twice from beginning to end." - Readers Favorite Reviews The complete chronology of the Adam Dutton & Beverly Laborde mystery/thriller series for those who enjoy reading in order is: Steal Away Hide Away Burn Away Keywords: mystery novel, detective novel, crime fiction, murder mystery, mystery series, police procedural, amateur sleuth, female sleuth, heist novels, thrillers, traditional mysteries, crime thrillers, murder, mystery series, private investigator, detective books, crime series, thriller series, crime thriller series, vigilante justice, detective series, private investigator series, PI series, private eye series, crime authors, thriller authors, psychological thrillers, mystery boxed sets, crime box sets

From Derringer Award winner BV Lawson come five tales featuring Scott Drayco, a man who had everything going for him: handsome, brilliant, and a talented classical pianist in the prime of his youth. After violence scarred him physically and emotionally, he turned to an FBI career before becoming a crime consultant, taking on cases other people often don't want to touch. In HEAR NO EVIL, first published in Poison + Murder = Satisfaction, pianist Adina Dyson asks to meet Scott Drayco at a recital hall in the middle of a snowstorm, but the last thing he expects is for Adina to turn up dead. In TER-LUCK-EN, when noted defense attorney Benny Baskin finds himself in jail on Thanksgiving Eve, Drayco has to try to save his bacon. In THE LEAST OF THESE, first published in Plan B: Volume III, Drayco goes undercover at a French Embassy soiree in hopes of bringing closure to a motherless girl. In WITH SWEET LAVENDER, first published in Over My Dead Body, Drayco discovers that love is not always a many-splendored thing. In FM IS FOR MURDER, first published in Poison + Murder = Satisfaction (and honored by an American Independent Writers award), the shock-jock host of a morning radio program turns up murdered—but maybe the question is who *didn’t* want him dead? PRAISE FOR BV LAWSON'S SHORT FICTION "Now this story was close to brilliance...The plot was fast, dark and thrilling." - IHeartReading.net "All in all, an excellent read for lovers of quality mystery fiction." - Jacqueline Seewald, author of The Inferno Collection Category Keywords: vigilante justice, crime fiction, murder, private detective, suspense, mysteries, thrillers, mystery & detective, private investigator series, detective novel series, literary mystery, murder mystery series, vengeful, mystery series, thriller books, crime books, suspense books, best mystery novels, short stories, short crime fiction, mystery stories

COMBINES "Grave Madness" and "Vengeance is Blind" into one volume! Scott Drayco had everything going for him: handsome, brilliant, a talented classical pianist. After violence scarred him physically and emotionally, he turned to an FBI career and now freelances as a crime consultant, taking on cases other people often don't want to touch. From a suspected serial killer who plays mind games with Drayco, to murder and revenge at 20,000 feet, these eight stories delve into the darkest mysteries of the human soul. Praise for Derringer Award-winning BV Lawson's short fiction: "We've had the pleasure of reading these tales and can enthusiastically recommend them." - Omnimystery News "...One of the best shorts I've read this year. Scary and triumphant in the bleakest kind of way with two of the best characters I've read. - AJ Hayes "Awesome story. Beautifully written...you have really written something special." - Terrie Farley Moran "BV Lawson ends the anthology on a strong note. Scott Drayco investigates the death of a shock jock and...cleverly solves the crime. All in all, an excellent read for lovers of quality mystery fiction." - Jacqueline Seewald Keywords: crime fiction, FBI agents, murder, private detective, suspense, mysteries, thrillers, mystery & detective, private investigator series, detective novel series, literary mystery, murder mystery series, serial killers, vengeful, mystery series, thriller books, crime books, suspense books, detective books, crime series, thriller series, crime thriller series, vigilante justice, detective series, PI series, private eye series, crime authors, thriller authors, psychological thrillers, mystery short stories

Some secrets of the dead can torture the living. Scott Drayco thought he'd seen it all after his years in the FBI and as a private crime consultant. But nothing prepared him for the bombshell hidden within the walls of a historic Victorian mansion being used as a movie set. Although some of the movie's cast and crew believe the production is cursed, Drayco suspects life is imitating art in a most gruesome way. After a decades-old murder is exposed, Drayco is hired to get to the bottom of the mystery, even though he knows—from his own painful personal experience—most cold cases are never solved. Digging deeper, he discovers some of the movie crew may not be who they appear to be and that the past is very much alive and determined to catch up with the present. Hunted by a killer who will stop at nothing to protect explosive secrets, Drayco must navigate the treacherous waters of cover-ups and deception to get to the bottom of the mystery. But when Drayco is also targeted, he realizes the stakes reach even higher than he imagined. PRAISE FOR BV LAWSON'S CRIME FICTION: "Worth putting on your reading list." - Library Journal "Lawson's protagonist is greatly compelling." - Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize "A well-plotted mystery with wonderfully drawn characters." - Long and Short Reviews

Vermont Detective Adam Dutton has to make one of the hardest arrests of his life-his good friend and godfather, Harlan Wilford, who stands accused of murder. Once again teaming up with con woman Beverly Laborde, Adam and Beverly must find the real killer before it's too late for Harlan...and for them.

If you play with fire ... you get murder. When a series of arsons targets Vermont antiques stores, Detective Adam Dutton and con-woman Beverly Laborde worry a shop owned by their friend might be next. But the stakes take an even deeper and uglier turn after a body is found inside one of the burned buildings. Was it an accident, suicide ... or murder? Adam and Beverly hoped they'd seen the last of a crime syndicate operating under the Northern Antiquities League—and that they could finally put those dark memories behind them. But do the arsons signal the last gasp of the NAL? Or is a new mob threat rising from the ashes? With the help of the mysterious Mr. X, Adam and Beverly race to get to the bottom of the fires before any more lives are lost ... including their own. Praise for BV Lawson's mysteries/thrillers: "Worth putting on your reading list." - The Library Journal "Lawson's protagonist is greatly compelling." - Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize "Lawson’s book was so good, I read it twice from beginning to end." - Readers Favorite Reviews The complete chronology of the Adam Dutton & Beverly Laborde mystery/thriller series for those who enjoy reading in order is: Steal Away Hide Away Burn Away Keywords: mystery novel, detective novel, crime fiction, murder mystery, mystery series, police procedural, amateur sleuth, female sleuth, heist novels, thrillers, traditional mysteries, crime thrillers, murder, mystery series, private investigator, detective books, crime series, thriller series, crime thriller series, vigilante justice, detective series, private investigator series, PI series, private eye series, crime authors, thriller authors, psychological thrillers, mystery boxed sets, crime box sets

Includes "The Melungeon Witch": Suspense, romance & the supernatural in the Appalachians between the World Wars: A girl is murdered after meeting Melungeon healer Cephea Collins, and it's up to Sheriff Daniel Praeger to uncover the truth - if he can avoid falling for the main suspect. "Return of the Melungeon Witch": Melungeon healer Cephea Collins finds herself falling for Sheriff Daniel Praeger, but those feelings are put to the test when he asks her help on a case involving the murder of his ex-girlfriend's brother. As the ex makes it clear she wants to rekindle her relationship with Daniel, Cephea learns that love can be as deadly as any of the poultices and poisons she uses in her craft. "The Melungeon Witch's Ghost": When Sheriff Daniel Praeger's three-year-old son finds a "sleeping man" in the woods, Daniel realizes the man has been murdered—and was himself accused of murdering his own wife a year ago. With the dead man's uncooperative family and Daniel's ex turning up the heat, can Daniel keep his son and Cephea safe while sorting out his own conflicted emotions? "The Melungeon Witch's Gold": A mysterious stranger is found with a bag of gold—and shot with a poisoned arrow. When a man and woman arrive in town with claims the gold was stolen, Sheriff Daniel Praeger must uncover the truth while Melungeon healer Cephea Collins tends to the wounded and unconscious victim. Will the growing feelings between Daniel and Cephea help solve the puzzle or drive them further apart? "The Melungeon Witch's Scandal": When a single, pregnant woman is attacked, Melungeon healer Cephea Collins comes to her defense and her aid. After all, Cephea herself knows a thing or two about being an outcast in society. As Sheriff Daniel Praeger's ex-wife makes a last-ditch attempt to drive Daniel and Cephea apart, Cephea begins to wonder if there will be a happy ending for anyone.