Daredevil? Not Theo Hesperton. Edgy? No way! He liked things orderly, safe, and saneÑand made all the right choices to land a career and lifestyle which met that standard. To Theo, a focused plan, a tidy schedule, and solid goals defined the borders of a satisfactory life. Staying within those borders and avoiding scandals or madcap adventures helped him excel at his job with Uncle Sam. Then, scams and controversies spread from headlines & talk-shows in the form of personal crises that invaded and destroyed those boundaries. External order became internal chaos that set the needle on his moral compass spinning wildly. Life doesnÕt always play by the rules. Focused plans go whacky; tidy schedules get messy. As for solid goals? They can turn into tumult in the blink of an eye. Just ask Theo. Emotional calamity hit like a whirlwind. Satisfactory, and safe, and sane no longer described TheoÕs world.

When Dale Donnahue brought an unmarked box to Rick Dante, he delivered more than the notebook inside itÑhe dumped a nightmare on the Milford, Iowa, Chief of Police. The contents of that taunting notebook point an accusatory finger straight at Chief DanteÑwith the brazen implication that he hasnÕt been doing his job. The cryptic caption on the title page says: Milford, Iowa: Unsolved Murders. The murderer must be a cocky dude with ice flowing through his veins. The notebook contains irrefutable evidence of five seemingly unrelated homicides: five obituaries matched to five signs which incorporate MilfordÕs water tower into their sinister messages. Each sign follows the progression of the countdown to the grand finale: 1 down, 5 to go . . . 2 down, 4 to go . . . Rick and his police force must thaw five cold cases in search of clues. Unless they find the perpetrator of those heinous crimes, the execution of Ò6 down, 0 to goÓ will stun the town. No one will feel safe anymore in Milford, Iowa.

Years ago, Nell Crane built a wall of silence around herself and a serious lie. The barrier held firm until a reporter's sharp mind and pointed questions kicked a hole in it. With the whole wall in danger of giving way, Nell risks full exposure for what she is: a criminal. Ethan Crane is a man of high principles who has believed his wife shares his values and honors honesty and self-discipline. When Nell's illicit act and continuing deceit are revealed, their lives take a devastating blow. Boundaries shatter, trust crumbles. The Cranes wonder if naming their masonry business Rock Solid mocks everything they?ve worked so hard to achieve. Nell must decide her next step. Can she persist in lying, in hopes that doing so will preserve her pride? Or, must she face truth and justice, head-on, and live with the consequences?

A startling pronouncement changes Dutchville's Wedding-of-the-Decade from predictable to unusual. A furtive letter delivered at the reception generates speculation and dismay. Is anyone even thinking about the bride and groom? It's doubtful!

He drives a big rig & has even bigger plans . . . for someoneÕs death. She drives her motherÕs car & wishes she had a plan . . . for her own life. He lacks conscience. She lacks confidence. He has $10,000 . . . which surely will accomplish his ultimate goal of freedom. She has $1.30 . . . until a windfall brings more freedom than she knows how to handle. He meets her when he has begun to lose hope. She meets him when sheÕs begun to find hope. He thinks sheÕs in Milford, Nebraska. She wonders why sheÕs in Milford, Maine. ItÕs an understandable, but potentially deadly mistake.

A marriage ends . . . but a secret lingers; a friendship totters . . . and a relationship spins. Granted, Cory isn't Bennett, but Laurel seeks neither a husband nor a clone in Little River CA-all she wants is peace. Instead, she finds herself flung in the face of prevailing winds, at odds with her children and best friend . . . all because a civil engineer creates a tempest of his own in Laurel's life.

In 1944, Muriel discarded her friendship with Sanna and concocted a self-centered plot, which gave her what she wanted: Derek VanHousen. That Sanna and Derek were all but publicly engaged didn't deter Muriel. Blindly she plunged into the murky waters of self-gratification, latching on to everything but a clean conscience and peace of mind. Now it is 1964 and Sanna is returning to Dutchville. With his first-love walking the same streets again, will Derek remain true to his wife? Muriel has a tough row ahead if she's going to make what she knows to be fiction (a happy VanHousen marriage) seem real enough to fool Sanna. Muriel has a two-pronged problem: 1) keeping face in a town that remembers her deviousness, and 2) resurrecting the vivacious Young Muriel who snagged her best friend's true love. Life is in disarray for the VanHousen family-while Sanna is as enticing as ever. Sometimes you just can't escape shadows, even shifting shadows . . .