Ellen Butler – författare

From international bestselling author, Ellen Butler, comes an award winning historical fiction novel inspired by true events.A beautiful American spy flees into the night, hunted by the SS. Alone and exposed, she must outwit her enemies and cross enemy lines to reach the safety of Allied forces.Lily Saint James grew up roaming Europe, mastering languages and blending into foreign cultures. But when her mother's sudden death calls her back to Washington, D.C., and Pearl Harbor plunges the U.S. into war, Lily's life takes a dangerous turn. Recruited by the newly formed Office of Strategic Services (OSS), her gift for languages lands her deep behind enemy lines — undercover as a nanny in the home of a powerful German colonel.But when her key contact vanishes and a midnight rendezvous turns deadly, Lily is forced to flee into the freezing night, carrying false papers and a mini film cartridge packed with critical intelligence. Every step toward Allied-controlled France brings new dangers — ruthless SS agents, suspicious locals, treacherous terrain — and with each heartbeat, the stakes rise.The Brass Compass is an award-winning WWII spy novel that pulls readers into the heart-pounding world of espionage, resistance, and survival. Fans of The Lost Girls of Paris, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, Kate Quinn's The Alice Network , and those who enjoy stories of daring women operatives will be swept up in Lily's breathtaking journey — a tribute to the real-life heroines whose courage shaped the course of history.

A notorious art heist mystery. Peeling back layers of lies could save a masterpiece…or reveal a killer.After a long week lobbying on Capitol Hill, all Karina Cardinal wants to do is chill with Netflix and her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne. Instead, she's slipping her aching feet into red stilettos for his parents' annual holiday bash. When she accidentally interrupts Patrick's father in his study, her embarrassment is tempered by suspicion that Martin Dunne and his dapper, secretive guest are hiding something. Maybe the painting she barely glimpses right before it disappears behind a secret panel. An internet search raises her curiosity to full-blown alarm. If she's right, Martin is in possession of a stolen masterpiece. Infamous because everyone close to it has turned up dead. As in Mafia-style-execution dead. As she's chewing over which instinct to follow—back off while she still can, or dig deeper for the truth—she crosses paths with FBI agent Mike Finnegan. An old friend and not-quite flame from her college days. When she looks into his warm, mocha eyes, she's tempted to tell him everything. Trouble is, she's already being watched. And the next move she makes could destroy innocent lives…including her own.Perfect for readers who enjoy smart, action-packed mysteries featuring art, history, espionage, and adventure. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series for a witty, capable female protagonist balancing danger with humor.

From the #1 Bestselling Author of the Isabella's Painting comes the next installment of the Karina Cardinal mystery series. Lawmaking can be a murderous affair.If any day calls for a soothing glass of wine, it's today.One moment, Capitol Hill lobbyist Karina Cardinal is having a heated discussion with Senator Harper, who just torpedoed her latest health care legislation initiative. The next, after a cryptic remark, the senator is dead at her feet. Hours later, she's still so rattled she wakes to a freezing apartment because she forgot to close her back door. Or did she?When her boyfriend, FBI cybercrimes expert Mike Finnegan, is suddenly reassigned to work a new case, he's got bad news and worse news. The bad: the senator's death was no heart attack—it was assassination by a hacker disabling his pacemaker. Worse: Karina's a "e;person of interest."e;Certain that status could change to "e;suspect"e; at any moment, Karina begins her own back-channel investigation into who could have wanted the senator dead. Of course, in Washington, that means playing politics and following the money trail. A trail that leads to more murders…and possibly leaving the door open for a killer to change her status to "e;dead."e;Perfect for readers who enjoy smart, action-packed mysteries featuring high stakes adventure. Fans of Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, and Janet Evanovich will feel right at home with Karina Cardinal's blend of suspense, humor, and intrigue.

International bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Butler presents book three in the Karina Cardinal mystery series! Perfect for readers who love smart mysteries filled with humor, adventure, stolen treasures, and international intrigue. Fans of Janet Evanovich, Kate Quinn, and Elizabeth Peters will enjoy Karina Cardinal's blend of suspense, history, and witty charm.The rainbows-and-unicorns period of her friends-to-lovers relationship with Mike Finnegan officially over, Karina Cardinal is taking a tactical retreat. No way is she calling him for rescue from one of her infamous "e;scrapes."e;Too bad trouble, if not her middle name, is a close relative.Sadira Manon, friend and colleague of Karina's sister Jillian, has been dropping way too much cash on designer labels for a middle school teacher. Even one who moonlights as a jewelry store clerk. But when she's accused of theft, the loose diamond falling out of her purse is enough for the police to sing the song of their people—"e;Miranda Rights."e;Karina, Jilly, and Silverthorne Security join forces to investigate who's setting Sadira up to take a fall, and why. They dig up a shady tangle of Russian mob ties and gambling debts. By the time Karina realizes they've dug too deep—and maybe a little too far outside the law—Jillian's in trouble, and the only way out of this particular pot of hot water is to make that phone call…and hope Mike doesn't let it go to voice mail.

International bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Butler presents book four in the Karina Cardinal mystery series!  Margaritas, mayhem, and murder. Too bad her only defense is a cocktail umbrella.After some of Karina Cardinal's recent adventures—her lover Mike Finnegan would call them scrapes, jams, or pickles—she's more than ready to blow this D.C. pop stand for a short girls' trip to Mexico. Until Jillian's roller skate wreck blows their plan out of the water. With Jilly injured and Mike working, her fellow lobbyist Rodrigo volunteers to share some sun, sand, and margaritas in Cancun. It's tough to relax, though, knowing what's in her suitcase. A package she promised to hand off to Mrs. Thundermuffin in Mexico.Mrs. T's evasive maneuvers around Karina's questions wave more red flags than a bullfighter, leaving Karina no choice but to take a peek. Okay, so it's not a kilo of something illegal. It's an Egyptian death mask that turns out to be a magnet for crooks, conmen, kidnappers, and outright killers.When the situation explodes into chaos, Karina and Rodrigo are lucky to have friends in the right place—at their backs. But they're in one heck of a jam. And they could be going home in something tackier than a souvenir t-shirt—more like a body bag.Perfect for readers who enjoy smart, action-packed mysteries blending ancient Egypt, archaeology, art crime, and international intrigue. Fans of Dan Brown and Elizabeth Peters will appreciate Karina Cardinal's mix of historical research, suspense, and adventure. Fans of Janet Evanovich will enjoy Karina's wit and humor as she solves the crime.

Sophie Hartland has recently turned 30, and is five years out from a confidence crushing divorce. She’s sworn off men in favor of making her interior design business a success when her best friend introduces her to LA Heat’s hot new star, Ian O’Connor. He’s one of Hollywood’s beautiful people, with an Irish accent that makes Sophie’s toes curl. Ian hires her to renovate his home, and at their second meeting he initiates a scorching kiss that knocks her socks off. Even though she would love to drop down and go for it on the funky kitchen floor, Sophie sticks to her guns and enforces her “no dating clients” rule.The tabloids portray flirtatious Ian as Hollywood’s latest playboy who has women falling at his feet, and Sophie refuses to be another notch on his bedpost. But Ian isn’t the type to take no for an answer, and he finds Sophie a refreshing change from the actress wannabes trying to hop aboard his new gravy train of success. Using his charm, he tries to persuade Sophie to break the rules.Can Sophie ignore her traitorous libido and hold Ian off for the next five or six weeks until the renovations are finished? Or will she cave in to his pull on her heartstrings, and end up doing the knicky-knacky on the new velvet sofa? More importantly, can she protect her heart in this game of wills?Sensuality Level: Sensual

Poppy Reagan is a Type A personality who runs her professional life with the precision of a Swiss watch. After catching her latest boyfriend cheating, she decides it’s time to take her dating life as seriously as she does her business. She swears off the bad boys and strategically maps out a plan to find an honest, attractive man to become her life partner.As she works her way through a summer of dates ranging from crazy to plain boring, she begins to wonder if her soulmate’s even on the same coast. Her foolish emotional spirit secretly yearns for the sexy Ohio dermatologist she met on a trip to Hawaii last year. The one who she insists is “just a friend,” because she refused to engage in a long-distance relationship.Will her heart overrule her head and move this California girl to the Midwest?Sensuality Level: Sensual

Holly Hartland has spent the last year in Los Angeles finalizing her divorce from an abusive husband and getting her career as an art gallery curator back on track while trying to raise her young daughter. She shares a nanny with LAPD detective Gary Sumner, whose wife ran off to France with another man, abandoning him and his daughter.With full-time careers to juggle, Gary and Holly end up relying on each other to help keep watch over their girls, who've become fast friends. The platonic co-parenting roles they've adopted are perfect for two people who've sworn off romance, but the burgeoning sexual chemistry they share proves hard to ignore.When a Christmas wish puts the children in danger, Holly and Gary are forced to set aside their trust issues and work as a real team to keep their families safe. But can they overcome their baggage enough to open up their hearts to love?Sensuality Level: Sensual

White collar crime can get dirty quicker than a line drive into foul territory.Karina Cardinal's Saturday starts out with a bang, and it's not the home renovation marathon she's watching on HGTV. It's the FBI banging on her door, hunting for a fugitive. As if she could easily hide one in her modest condo. Especially one named Mike Finnegan.The two of them called it splitsville a couple months ago, but Mike? Take a $1.2 million bribe? No and no and no.  No matter how much evidence the feds claim to have.When a mysterious burner phone shows up in her pocket, Karina has no doubt who dropped it there. Mike is deep undercover and so far off-grid, he needs help to figure out who's framing him—and why. Classic Karina, she jumps in with both feet, ignoring the dangers. The trouble with leaping before you look? You can land in a world of dirt. And when an old enemy starts playing hardball, you can end up six feet under it.-----International bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Butler presents book five in the Karina Cardinal mystery series! Fans of Melinda Leigh and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum will adore this gripping mystery adventure.

~INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS~A companion to the internationally bestselling novel, The Brass Compass, Operation Blackbird takes the reader on a spy adventure from South America to Europe during a time when the yoke of Communism is tightening the reins on an unwilling people.One defection could shift the balance of power—or ignite a global war.October 1952. While recovering in Argentina from a near-fatal mission, CIA agent, Miriam Becker, is haunted by ghosts she can't outrun.     When fellow operative—and longtime family friend—Jake Devlin tracks her down, Miriam is drawn into a high-stakes operation: extract a valuable rocket scientist from Soviet-controlled East Berlin, right under the KGB's nose. Every move is a risk. One misstep could trigger World War III.     A betrayal derails the mission, forcing Jake to sacrifice his own escape so Miriam can flee with the defector. With Jake wounded and trapped behind the Iron Curtain, Miriam must rely on untested allies and covert contacts beyond the CIA's reach. But completing the mission means abandoning the only man who still connects her to the life—and the past—she thought she'd left behind.

A dead body, a magazine deadline, and a race against time—1958's most fashionable writer turns sleuth. During 1958, when the workforce is predominantly male, societal norms dictate women should be compliant, fashionable housewives. To Ariadne Winter, the sole tradition she aims to embrace is that of being fashionable. Amidst the ambiance of Ivy Tree Inn, where she's been dispatched as a writer for Ladies' Lifestyle Magazine, her focus wavers as she grapples with an interview assignment concerning a Hollywood starlet on the cusp of royal matrimony—an event hailed as the "e;Wedding of the Century."e; While Ariadne dutifully attends to her task, her heart yearns for the pursuit of her collegiate ambition: to be an investigative reporter for a renowned newspaper. However, fate intervenes when she discovers a dead body and recognizes the opportunity it presents to write her way into the role she desires. Yet, as Ariadne delves deeper into the lives of the inn's inhabitants, she uncovers a labyrinth of intertwined relationships and long-buried secrets among guests and staff alike, yielding a plethora of suspects. With a murderer on the loose, her magazine deadline looming, and the inn cordoned off by authorities, Ariadne faces a race against time to untangle the web of deceit and solve the murder before she loses more than just her job.