Tag Archives: romantic suspense

The Marker Blitz

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A 20th Century Murder Mystery

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: March 7, 2025

Publisher: Changeling Press

 

 

1974: Peace, love, sex, drugs, and murder — at a commune in the mountains
of West Virginia.

Hope knew she should have killed Jesse the night he used her as his marker
in a poker game with Spike. When Spike won that marker, he stole
Hope’s heart. But Spike wanted more than a weekend with Hope. He
wanted forever. That was more than Hope could promise. A man like Spike, a
good man, would never understand the evil a bastard like Jesse was capable
of.

1989: Now he’s First Sergeant Sam Callaghan, and he’s
back.

When a chance meeting drops Fiona Donovan into the arms of Sam Callaghan,
West Virginia State Police, their past twists in on both of them,
threatening to tear apart their worlds, for better or worse. Hope — Fiona
— was the love of his life, the woman who can still rock his world with a
single kiss. When he’s around her, Sam forgets to think. But first and
foremost Sam’s always been a cop. If Sam discovers Fiona really did
murder Jesse, will he be able to arrest her? There are a few things in
love’s way — like her dead husband’s missing body, over a
million dollars in cash, and the IRA…

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Excerpt

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2025 Shelby Morgen

 

The asphalt felt slightly sticky with heat under his black oxfords. The air
in the administration building was already stuffy, though summer wasn’t
officially here yet. Sam stood waiting at the front desk while the
receptionist called for a junior officer who would escort him back to the
operations building.

Brenda, his dispatcher, had asked him out a few weeks ago. A man couldn’t
help noticing how well Brenda filled out that uniform. She wasn’t Hope, but
she’d been there, been part of his life, every day for the last fifteen
years. If she hadn’t given up on him yet, Sam decided, he’d accept. Hell.
Maybe he’d ask her. He wasn’t getting any younger. Besides, there was that
betting pool the squad had going. He wasn’t supposed to know about it, but
there was little in his barracks that escaped his notice.

“Can I help you, Officer?”

Sam pushed his smoke-colored sunglasses to the top of his head long enough
to let his eyes adjust to the relatively dim interior florescent lighting.
He looked down — and down again.

The woman who stood behind the reception desk now had to be less than five
feet tall. She stood admiring him with pale blue eyes that were just a
little too friendly.

Where had she come from? How had she managed to simply appear right in
front of him? He really was losing his edge. “I’m already signed in and
stamped,” Sam explained. He held out his fist so she could see the ink
that looked like a temporary tattoo across the back of his hand.

Her warm appraisal made him uncomfortable, like a piece of meat in a
butcher’s display case. He always got a sick, guilty feeling in the pit of
his stomach when women looked at him that way. He slipped his hand into his
pocket, fingering a worn silver chain.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee…

He shifted his gaze away from direct contact with the woman at the front
desk, studying the pictures on the wall behind her. Anything but meeting the
woman’s watercolor eyes. Anything not to encourage her.

The pictures held the usual faces. The Governor. The Commissioner of
Corrections. The names changed from one institution to another, but the
faces stayed pretty much the same. “Sam Callaghan, West Virginia State
Police. I’m waiting for –“

Except that one. Sam stopped mid-sentence as his eyes scanned the picture
again. Employee of the Month. “Fiona J. Donovan.”

The woman blinked twice. “Excuse me?”

He was hardly aware he’d read the name aloud. Sam rallied himself, forcing
his breathing back under control, willing his pulse rate back to normal. He
turned his most charming smile on the little woman. Her badge said she was a
unit manager. Doris White. “I’m waiting for an escort back to
Interview, Ms. White, but I’d really like to see Fiona Donovan while I’m
here if you could arrange that for me.”

Doris studied him for a moment longer, her smile fading. “Fiona’s in
records, pulling some case files for me. I’ll take you back.”

Sam nodded curtly, dismissing the woman as if she didn’t exist. Because,
for him, she didn’t exist. His mouth went dry. His chest felt tight, as if
there were some great weight pressing on it. He slid his hand back into his
pocket. Hail Mary, full of grace…

The hall seemed like the longest walk he’d ever taken. You’re just
imagining the resemblance. You’ve been wrong before.

The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women…

Why would she be here? He’d thought to find her in a restaurant, or a shop
somewhere or — or anywhere else. Anything but actually working in law
enforcement.

Hope? A caseworker named Fiona Donovan? That can’t be Hope. Not here.

Doris waved at a doorway where a sign on the wall said Records. “I’ll
be around the corner in the copy room if you need me,” she
offered.

Hope…

His heart was beating so fast it was bound to explode.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

He stood staring, drinking in the sight of her, waiting for her to feel his
eyes watching, waiting for her to look up, recognize him, call his
name.

Control. Get yourself under control. Slow, deep breaths. Can’t let her see
you falling apart like this.

Her name was different, her hair was shorter, just past shoulder length,
but she couldn’t change her face — the face that had haunted his dreams.
She looked a little older, naturally, but not so much older. Not as much
older as he’d been feeling lately. She’d gained some weight, but only enough
to give her curves a fuller, softer line. He’d have recognized her anywhere.
His arms ached to hold her. He had to try three times before he could find
the voice to speak her name.

“Ms. Donovan?”

About the Author

Shelby Morgen loves writing offbeat tales that defy as many rules as
possible.

She likes chocolate with her peanut butter, suspense with her romance, and
kink with her sex, and she’s always had a hard time keeping murder,
motorcycles, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal from mixing with her
kink.

Shelby shares her belief in electronic publishing with her longtime friend
and partner, Bill, her husband of more than four decades.

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok:
@changelingpress

 

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Ruthless Week Blast

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*FREE*

 

Nomad Outlaws Trilogy, Book One

 

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: 08-31-2018

 

 

Four years ago Rebel claimed Ginger to keep them both alive, and then she
disappeared. Bike Week at Daytona Beach brings them back together. He’s a
dangerous nomad. A ruthless killer. But he’s her addiction, and she’s his.
Can they keep the past where it belongs and move forward, or is it too
late?

 

Excerpt

I grabbed Ginger by the hand and pulled her out of the room, down the hall
and to the bathroom. Her resistance was futile, her fear unimportant. I knew
what I had to do, and if she were smart, she’d realize it, too. If she
wanted to live. I opened the bathroom door and yanked her inside, thankful
that I found it empty. It was filthy, but better than nothing, and it had a
shower that everyone used when they felt the need to be clean, which wasn’t
often.

Ginger spun around when I shut the door, the look of a trapped animal in
her pretty blues. I ignored her growing terror, steeling myself for what I
had to do. Even behind closed doors I had to make it real, had to be
convincing that I was an unfeeling bastard. I saw her swallow, could see her
tits rising and falling rapidly as the fear of the unknown overwhelmed her.
She was expecting the worst, preparing herself to do whatever she had to do
to survive.

“Take off your clothes.” I kept my tone harsh, indifferent to her
growing panic.

 

***No cheating. No cliffhangers. Dangerous and Furious completes the
trilogy.

About the Author

Tory Richards

Tory Richards is an author who writes smut with a plot. She’s an Amazon
bestselling author in erotic romance and romantic suspense categories. Born
in Maine, she’s lived most of her life in Florida where she went to school,
married, and raised her daughter. She’s retired from Disney and spends her
time with family and friends, traveling, and writing.

 

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Dolly’s Ruse Teaser Tuesday

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(Sisters Three)

Steampunk, Murder Mystery, Romantic Suspense

Date Published: Oct 20, 2023

 

London is under attack!

At Allenby Hall the net tightens around Dolly Preston and her gentleman
friend, Pascal Baudelaire. Lies abound. Who can she trust?

The chaos in the heart of the empire requires Agent of the Queen, the
predatory Miss Clayton, to make an ultimatum. The snowstorm ends, and Molly,
caring for the wounded Mr. Allenby, is in for a shocking disappointment as
events reveal the truth behind the Lewellen murder.

While London burns, Polly risks her new relationship with the honourable
Tom Gold by revealing her extreme carnal desires. The three Preston sisters
deal with the threat to their family’s future in their own inimitable
styles, but will they succeed?

 

Dolly's Ruse tablet

EXCERPT

 

Copyright ©2023 Mikala Ash

 

I cleared a circle on the fogged glass and peered out at a vast sheet of
white: the snowbound grounds of Allenby Hall. Above the distant ice-shrouded
trees, the pale outline of the sun was visible through thin, leaden clouds.
It was a beautiful scene worthy of any Christmas postcard, but for all that
it was a cruel deceit. The picturesque vista cloaked a deadly reality, for a
fathom of snow entombed the landscape and smothered the helpless creatures
beneath. That was my melancholy state. I felt trapped, unable to extricate
myself from a suffocating fate.

Instead, I should have been happy, or at the very least satisfied. The
fornication, my stock in trade, had been as unrelenting as the snowfall.
Indeed, during the last week all my lusty holes had been filled countless
times over.

“At last,” I murmured. “It has finally
stopped.”

“Come back to bed,” Anthony Jamieson implored.
“It’s too bloody cold to be out. The fire in the hearth has
died, but not the furnace in my heart.” He chuckled at his saucy
wit.

“My heart is incandescent with desire,” added Mathew, not one
to be outdone by his twin brother. “My cock is harder than an oak and
is impatient for your attention. Lying in such a state next to my brother
is, however, unbecoming in a gentleman of my manly nature.”

Though my quim pulsed with lust, I ignored their bantering. The Jamieson
twins, impecunious younger sons, were customers of long standing. Having
found me at Mrs. Q’s bawdy house, they often and enthusiastically
indulged their love of sodomy, my particular speciality, whenever they were
in funds, and were as generous as they could be. They had even invited me to
move from Mrs. Q’s to rooms in the fashionable West End, where I would
be theirs exclusively, their own private whore. My objections had simply
been financial — they would not be able to afford both the rent and the
extra they gave me to pass onto my impoverished Mama and my two half-sisters
Holly and Lolly. My and my full sisters’ goal was to get them out of
the Whitechapel slum in which they lived, and away to the country. Then I
had a flash of inspiration, and suggested the twins invite a third gentlemen
into the scheme to defray the costs.

Anthony interrupted my recollections. “I’m afraid our rampant
displays of lust have scared away your Frenchman, Dolly.”

He referred to that third gentleman, Pascal Baudelaire. He had come into my
life on a search for my sister, Molly, because of her nascent relationship
with an engineer, Mr. Lewellen, who had been brutally murdered. Molly had
stumbled upon the poor man. The fiend James Polk, who had minutes before
found the dying man, watched from the shadows, and had mistakenly believed
Lewellen had told her something as she comforted him in his last moments.
That mistake had set off a tumultuous couple of weeks, replete with gruesome
murders, violent kidnappings, daring robberies, and shootings with a roiling
undercurrent of espionage. Hardly the usual fare of an East End whore or toy
manufacturer, which was Pascal’s family business. He too had shared
our adventure by being kidnapped and losing a finger to the maniac’s
knife.

Pascal also enjoyed the depths of my arse, and I had brought him to Allenby
Hall while I visited my sister who was recovering from that same ordeal. The
twins, friends of Mr. Allenby, had unexpectedly shown up just in time to be
caught by the snowstorm.

With the intention of making the twins’ plan a reality I introduced
Pascal to the joys of group copulation, and the idea of sharing the cost of
the rooms which the Jamiesons proposed. He had been cautious at first but
had soon given himself up to the novelty of enjoying my holes in the company
of others, a new experience for him. He quickly agreed to the proposal so
when he visited London, he could use me with the two Jamiesons, rather than
the untold hundreds who visited me at Mrs. Q’s. His contribution would
allow the twins to finance my plan of relocating Mama. All that planning,
unfortunately, would be for naught. It wouldn’t be possible because of
that bitch, Miss Clayton.

“Though the bed is large, I think Pascal was afraid of accidently
touching my impressive member,” Mathew added with a mischievous
chuckle. “He should realise that I have eyes only for you,
Dolly.”

“I rather think, after our latest debauch,” Anthony mused
drowsily. “He has retreated to his own room to recuperate before Dolly
once again roused him into action. He is an impressive stallion, I must
admit.”

That he was. I sighed, feeling his future departure most keenly. Not from
this bed, but from my life entirely. A surge of guilt rushed though me. I
hadn’t told the twins of the disaster that had befallen me and Pascal
— that he would be soon leaving England, never to return. They would have
to give up the idea, and I would lose any chance of escaping Mrs. Q and
saving Mama.

Our sojourn here in Molly’s employer’s country estate had not
been all fun and games, hugs and kisses and inevitable bedroom antics. Our
stay had been overshadowed by the consequences of the Lewellen murder in
London, and the unexpected appearance of two Agents of the Queen, the
catlike Miss Clayton and her equally predatory Miss Felicity Cressy.

They suspected Pascal of being a foreign agent attempting to steal military
secrets from Mr. Allenby’s factory. Miss Clayton had ordered me to spy
on him, a repellent task which I’d soon whispered to him under the
bedclothes. Despite the cost of ending my dream, I’d begged Pascal to
leave England as soon the snowstorms had relinquished their bitter hold. He
resented the need, having protested his innocence, but had agreed, albeit
reluctantly, that the more distance between him and Miss Clayton the
better.

Feet padded behind me as one of the twins grabbed me by the waist, lifted
my silk bathrobe, and with his feet and knees he pushed my legs apart so his
determined cock could find my semen-filled cunny. Our debauchery had caused
us to run out of Cumberland prophylactics, which meant yet another douche
with Mrs. Q’s secret potion.

He draped a blanket over both our shoulders to keep us warm while he fucked
me. Was it Anthony or Mathew? I couldn’t tell. They were truly
identical in every respect, even to the size of their manly organ. The only
way to tell Mathew from his brother was to insert my finger in his arsehole
while he fucked me. He didn’t enjoy it, while his brother did. Whoever
it was, his thrusts were urgent and powerful, and I soon rested my forehead
against the cold pane and lost myself to his plundering.

 

About the Author

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development
consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by
night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is
concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags
of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.

Author on Facebook

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok:
@changelingpress

 

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Veiled in Brick Blitz

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The Veiled Series, Book Two

 

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: August 18, 2023

 

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Zoey Sheffield never understood the appeal of the unknown. She’s a
woman who knows what she likes. A blunt woman. A woman who craves control.
She doesn’t need love—the mere idea of romance is detestable
and, no, she does not need a man to stand by her side. She would much rather
have their company in bed—or in a car—or in an
alleyway—the location isn’t relevant, really. What’s
important is that she could happily and promptly bid them adieu after they
served their purpose and then, she could move on to the next one. The world
that she’s been thrust into, however, is one where that thought seems
utterly impossible.

It’s all because of the men. The stupid men.

There’s James Turner, the tall, muscular, tattooed one. Charming and
charismatic with a sarcastic flair that knows no bounds, he’s worked
for months to chip away at Zoey’s stone clad will to avoid romance
with expertly placed sledgehammer strikes.

And, then, there’s Liam Cohen. Blonde and freckled, burly with golden
retriever energy, a playboy mindset and a disguised damaged past, he and
Zoey have long fallen into a friendship that both of them wish to remain a
constant in their lives.

The men have made Zoey’s life more complicated than she wished it to
be, and she struggles to hold onto the reins to her own reality. The
universe that she’s a part of has different plans, however, for there
is more for Zoey that lurks in the shadows. The threat crouches in the
distance, hides around corners, and awaits the most imperfect opportunity to
present itself. It’s ready to snatch the reins from Zoey’s hands
altogether—and the uncomfortable unknown that she’s forever
attempted to avoid is now a darkness that threatens to drown her
completely.

 

Other books in The Veiled Series

 

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Thinly Veiled

The Veiled Series, Book One

The past haunts her, the present beguiles her…and the future is
ready to bring her full circle.

Freshly escaped from her unfulfilling and unnecessarily stressful criminal
past of drug dealing and theft (and the manipulative ex-boyfriend associated
with it), the beautiful, foul-mouthed romantic Claire Branson needs a fresh
start. Routine. Monotony. An authentic happiness that could
feel…simple. She needs her chaotic life to go right for once –
please, and thank you.

Claire never expected her run of bad luck to turn so quickly. After moving
to the Appalachian small town of Salem, Virginia, a spur-of-the-moment visit
to a nearby tavern leads to new, unforeseen possibilities when she opens the
front door and locks eyes with Luke Turner, the steel-grey eyed bartender at
the run-down watering hole.

Luke could be the simplicity that Claire longs for – he’s
undeniably sexy, sarcastically sweet, and, above all, radiating innocence.
But with Claire’s dark past festering under the gauze of her quick
getaway, will Luke be able to keep his innocence? And, more importantly,
will they get out of everything alive?

Thinly Veiled is a steamy medium burn romance novel with a dark,
adventurous edge that keeps fans of suspenseful romance novels turning
pages, wondering if that ‘happily ever after’ ending will ever
really come for Claire and Luke…while their passionate soirees will
leave us all begging for more of their steamy love scenes.

 

“OMG, I just finished. This book was amazing. I cried, was on the
edge of my seat; man, those sex scenes… damn. Eliza’s writing is
impressive; I could see it all in my head so easily, and I didn’t see how it
would end. I loved the ending, though. Yes, I totally cried!” –
Amazon Review

“The writer expertly weaves together multiple plotlines, leaving
readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. “Thinly
Veiled” is a must-read for anyone who loves a good suspense novel with
a healthy dose of snark and irony.” – Amazon Review

 

If you’re looking for a witty romantic comedy combined with suspense and a
bit of sexiness, scroll up and order now!

 

 

About the Author

Eliza Modiste

Eliza Modiste lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and an
abundance of animals. Graduating in 2017 with a degree in accounting, she
became immersed in the ever-riveting world of numbers and reconciliation.
Shortly thereafter, as a hobby – or, perhaps, a method of escape – she began
to write in her spare time.

Her first novel THINLY VEILED started as creating characters that mimicked
the brash, humorous, never-ending monologue in her mind. Combining this and
a heavy splash of romance similar to the books that she would often get lost
in made for an entertaining way to pass the time. This hobby, however,
eventually blossomed into a full-blown passion. THINLY VEILED has since
morphed into a mix of both romantic comedy and suspense, and Eliza has plans
for several more novels to follow THINLY VEILED

When not writing, Eliza can be found baking, binging a television series,
or spending time with friends and family.

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DOC Release Blitz

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Book 8 Desert Rebels MC series

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: 08-01-2023

 

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Doc has been a member of the Desert Rebels for a long time. He had his own
clinic until a sweet, beautiful nurse came on board and ruined everything.
Harlow is married and a complication Doc didn’t need. He tried; he really
did. But after a while he couldn’t stand working beside a woman he wanted
more than he needed air to breathe

Giving his practice up seemed the only solution, but life has a way of
kicking you in the ass when you least expect it. Harlow becomes friends with
some of the old ladies and suddenly she’s frequenting the clubhouse and club
owned bar. There’s only one way Doc can survive being around her.

Make the beauty hate him any way he can.

About the Author

Tory Richards

Tory Richards is an author who writes smut with a plot. She’s an Amazon
bestselling author in erotic romance and romantic suspense categories. Born
in Maine, she’s lived most of her life in Florida where she went to school,
married, and raised her daughter. She’s retired from Disney and spends her
time with family and friends, traveling, and writing.

 

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Kobo

iBooks

Smashwords

Google Play

 

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