Showing results by narrator "Hollis McCarthy" in All Categories

When Princess Isabella diTalora needs an expert to study the ancient artifacts hidden beneath the royal palace, she’s determined to hire the best: Nick Black, a mysterious collector who knows San Rimini’s medieval era better than anyone. Nick Black knows San Rimini’s history for good reason. He lived it. In fact, he was once known as Domenico of Bollazio, a powerful knight pledged to San Rimini’s king. But he was cursed for his ambition and will never know peace - or mortality - until he can solve the riddle of his enchantment.

Sixteen years old, Caina is a student of the Ghosts, the spies and agents of the Emperor of Nighmar, and from them she learns the arts of stealth and infiltration, of disguise and intrigue. But when a man dies of a mysterious poison, Caina faces a deadly test. Because if she doesn't solve the murder, she might die next....

Caina Amalas is a Ghost circlemaster, leader of the Emperor's spies in Istarinmul. Yet the people of Istarinmul know her as the Balarigar, the daring master thief who challenged the corrupt lords and cruel princes of the city. And now Grand Master Callatas, the most powerful sorcerer of Istarinmul, wants her dead, and without allies Caina will not survive. So when a legendary thief offers Caina a chance to rob Callatas himself, she has no choice but to join the venture. But no one has ever escaped the dark perils of Callatas' Maze...

Jennifer Allen is on a mission to assist refugees, not to be swept away by a fairy tale prince. Even if the prince in question is a drop-dead sexy billionaire. When Prince Antony diTalora visits her camp, she’s certain it’s a publicity stunt and keeps him at arm’s length. But when he invites her to the palace to speak about her work, it brings her beliefs into question and has her looking at Prince Charming in a whole new light.

Daniela D’Ambrosio is the most trusted employee of Sarcaccia’s Queen Fabrizia, managing the queen’s schedule and ensuring she never makes a misstep in public. But when Fabrizia sends Daniela to organize the belongings of San Rimini’s late queen for a charity auction, Daniela finds a locked closet full of treasure, a suspicious king, and an attractive handyman who seems strangely familiar.

It's the new year in Ivory Beach, and Rory is nursing a broken heart after the Reaper's abrupt departure from town. A distraction comes in the form of a batch of new tourists visiting the library, but when a holidaying stranger returns a rare book to her family and is then found dead, Rory finds herself in hot water again.

Welcome to Northern California, where the redwoods meet the sea, surfers catch the waves, and...people grow cannabis? In their quest to prove Dora’s innocence in a murder back in Pensacola, Dora and Evie find themselves at a remote cannabis farm, where they are sucked into another murder mystery to solve.

Caina Amalas was a nightfighter of the ghosts, spies, and assassins of the emperor of Nighmar, and through her boldness and cunning, she saved the empire and the world from sorcerous annihilation. But the victory cost her everything. Now, she is exiled and alone in the city of Istarinmul, far from her home and friends. Yet, centuries-old darkness now stirs in Istarinmul, eager to devour the city and the world itself.

Eighteen suspenseful short stories with a twist for lovers of Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. Journey into strange worlds and meet their unusual and sometimes terrifying residents in these stories spanning suspense, horror, paranormal, science fiction, and supernatural from the dark mind of short story award-winning author Susan May.

Dora Winslow is having a hard day. Not only does she stumble upon a money laundering scheme, but the next thing she knows, her boss is dead. As the prime suspect for his murder, she goes to Brian, a police officer she trusts. She soon learns things aren’t adding up because Brian’s got a mysterious scheme of his own. With her best friend Evie by her side, Dora is on the run. But before they can leave town to secure the evidence that could clear her name, she has to bring Brian down.

There’s trouble in New Orleans. When Evie and Dora arrive in the French Quarter eager to secure the evidence to clear Dora’s name, they walk right into the middle of a murder. Now, they must put their plans on hold to solve the case that no one else seems to be investigating. With an adorable dog by their side, a crazy mardi gras krewe, and plenty of beignets, it’s up them to solve the crime before they become the next targets.

It's the holiday season in the town of Ivory Beach. Rory Hawthorn and her new magical family are preparing for the festivities. But when a group of strange werewolves materializes in the library, it kicks off a series of bizarre events which appear to be lifted directly from her aunt's best-selling novels.

Witches are descending on Hemlock Cove and the town is gearing up for mayhem. Bay Winchester is ready to cover the event for her newspaper, and is excited to see faces she hasn’t interacted with in more than a decade. Then the unthinkable happens. The local blacksmith shop catches fire and Bay and her cousin Thistle risk death to try and rescue the owner. Unfortunately, they’re too late, and the man is unable to be resuscitated. Not only that, but it wasn’t the fire that killed him. No, he was murdered.

Take your ticket and enjoy the thrills and chills awaiting those who dare journey into this exciting collection of short fiction and novellas. Savor six twisted tales, which will both delight and surprise listeners as they travel into the dark realms of supernatural and paranormal suspense.

What if all that stood between us and hell was a match? An ordinary couple stand accused of a heinous crime. They're the last people you'd expect to save the world. Are they criminals, heroes, or completely insane? Or maybe all three? Inspired by true-life headlines, revealed in Susan May's fascinating postscript From the Imagination Vault, Behind the Fire is an engrossing novelette of the random appearances of frightening black things, and one couple's battle to protect their town from these dangerous and hellish creatures.

Rory Hawthorn is adjusting to her new life as a witch working at her family's enchanted library in the coastal town of Ivory Beach. Between the library's bewildering magic and her eccentric new family, life is never dull. When Rory and her cousin find the body of a local wizard on the beach, all the signs suggest he was killed by a vampire.

Caina Amalas is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar. She has defeated powerful sorcerers and corrupt lords, freed slaves, and overthrown great evils. But now, someone has begun slaughtering the Ghosts of the Imperial capital, and the killer is wearing her face. And this time, saving the Empire might cost her everything.... Ark is a man of many roles - father and husband, Ghost and veteran, blacksmith and Champion of Marsis. But when the circlemasters of the Ghosts order him to hunt down the renegade Caina Amalas, Ark must make a choice.

Just when Pepper Dunn starts accepting her ability to communicate with animals, she’s thrown for a loop - an egg containing a baby dragon winds up on her doorstep. Convinced the creature will grow up to become a destructive force of nature, Pepper gives the dragon to the first person interested in buying - a traveling magician named Mysterio, who claims he can communicate with the dead.

In this Regency-set short story, widowed Lady Diana Waverly finds love and passion in the most unlikely of places when a new piano tutor arrives at her door.

Caina Amalas is a nightfighter of the ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through cunning and valor she has cast down both proud lords and mighty sorcerers. But a power darker than any she has ever faced is awakening. When a mad assassin armed with a sorcerous blade rampages through the Emperor's capital, Caina must track the weapon to its origin, a ruined city blighted by the folly of sorcerers, a city that holds weapons far more potent than mere blades. Weapons that can resurrect an ancient empire of dark sorcery to enslave the world anew....