At 5.15 p.m. Harvey Ellis was trapped - stranded in a line of eight cars by a blizzard on a Norfolk coast road. At 8.15 p.m. Harvey Ellis was dead - viciously stabbed at the wheel of his truck. And his killer has achieved the impossible: striking without being seen, and without leaving a single footprint in the snow . . . For DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine it's only the start of an infuriating investigation. The crime scene is melting, the murderer has vanished, the witnesses are dropping like flies. And the body count is on the rise . . .

When veterinarian Jeremy Reed hears a thump one night on his front step, he expects to find an abandoned animal. What he gets is battered and broken cop Brendan Wheeler. Kidnapped from his apartment five days earlier by an unknown man, Brendan now sports a vivid tattoo across his back depicting a young woman’s death, a woman nobody knows. Until the next morning when Jeremy discovers her dead body. Brendan wants to find the killer. Jeremy wants Brendan to survive. Someone wants both of them to pay ...

Stripped of his possessions and executed as a result of Mao's Land Reform Movement in 1948, benevolent landowner Ximen Nao finds himself endlessly tortured in Hell before he is systematically reborn on Earth as each of the animals in the Chinese zodiac.

Edgar Award-shortlisted author Ashley Weaver returns with Death Wears a Mask, the witty and stylish next installment in the delightful 1930s Amory Ames mystery series “Amory Ames and her rakish husband Milo might just be the new Nick and Nora Charles.” —Deborah Crombie It was amazing, really, what murder had done for my marriage . . . Following the murderous events at the Brightwell Hotel, Amory Ames is looking forward to a tranquil period of reconnecting with her reformed playboy husband, Milo. She hopes a quiet stay at their London flat will help mend their relationship. However, Amory soon finds herself drawn into another investigation when an old friend of her mother’s asks her to look into the disappearance of valuable jewelry snatched at a dinner party. Amory agrees to help lay a trap to catch the culprit at a lavish masked ball. But when one of the illustrious party guests is murdered, she is pulled back into the world of detection, caught up in both a mystery and a set of romantic entanglements where nothing is as it seems. Also out now in the Amory Ames mysteries: Murder at the Brightwell and A Most Novel Revenge

The loss of a child takes mythological, magical casts--distortions that allow us to see the contours of grief more clearly.

Nearly ten years after the first edition of Water-Related Death Investigation: Practical Methods and Forensic Applications, water death cases continue to be improperly investigated. The pathologist’s report can determine the cause of death as a drowning, but the manner of death is the most challenging to prove. The report will not determine if a victim jumped into the water to commit suicide, fell into the water accidentally, or was pushed in as a homicidal act. Many drowning cases do not reflect injury to the body, so evidence collected at the scene plays a vital role. The importance of an on-scene body assessment cannot be overemphasized. Often, the body evidence begins to change rapidly upon recovery and may not be present during an autopsy. Written statements on the scene are an effective tool to use to determine the accuracy of information given to arriving officers. These statements need to be written by the witnesses themselves as well as the reporting person. The "Show Me" technique can also help reveal discrepancies in a person’s version of what occurred as well as aid in providing the most details to an incident as is humanly possible. This second edition includes updated information on the latest technology to assist water death investigators. Parabon Snapshot can help determine the faceless identity of skeletal remains and help locate potential suspects using the science of DNA. Drones can aid in locating missing persons as well as human remains, even months after death. Updated information is provided regarding fingerprints from submerged objects, and Carbon-14 can help determine the origin of a found corpse. Key Features: Thoroughly reviews the physiological aspects of drowning Reveals the investigative characteristics inherent to various scenes of water-related deaths Highlights certain "red flag" indicators that may point to foul play or scene staging Outlines autopsy protocols, trial preparation, and expert witness testimony Provides numerous case studies and numerous illustrations to further clarify key points presented in the text Coauthored by a Master Water Death Investigator and an experienced forensic pathologist, Water-Related Death Investigation: Practical Methods and Forensic Applications, Second Edition merges the essentials of evidence collection and field investigation with autopsy best practices and laboratory testing. It will continue to serve as a valuable resource for the various professionals involved in these cases.