Mariah Stewart – författare

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.BLOODLINE Dina McDermott is on top of the world. Attractive and independent at thirty, she runs her own business, funded by a generous inheritance. But an explosive chain of events will soon be set into motion—and her perfect life will spin out of control. A journalist with a fearless instinct, Simon Keller believes he’s struck gold when he unearths an unsettling story about former president Graham Hayward, one that started with a secret affair and ended in tragedy. The trail leads Simon to Dina McDermott’s front door—and threatens to expose a parentage that would rock the political world. Shaken to her core by a shattering truth, Dina is suddenly thrust into the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer—and on the run of her life.From the Paperback edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards. A skilled compositor for the FBI, Kendra Smith has a way with witnesses, helping them to remember crucial details about their attackers they might otherwise have forgotten. She believes her work helps to provide closure for the victims and their families–closure that has eluded her for the eleven years since her brother was kidnapped, his body never found. Determined to put her painful past behind her, Kendra throws herself into every case one hundred percent. Now she is called in to sketch the face of a man the press is calling the Soccer Mom Killer. It’s a difficult investigation made even harder by the presence of Special Agent Adam Stark, a man with whom she once had a brief, passionate affair. As the number of victims continues to rise, and with a killer always one step ahead, Kendra will learn a lethal lesson: You can run from the past, but you can’t hide. . . .

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Three devious prisoners vow murderous revenge. Now the first is free. It was inescapably chilling, as if the murderer was methodically working his way down a page torn from the phone book. The three victims brutally killed in their own homes had one thing in common: they were all listed as M. Douglas. The fact that Mara Douglas is next on the list has her jumping at shadows, until FBI agent Aidan Shields shows up to make sure she doesn’t become the fourth victim. Aidan has been out of commission since an undercover operation went bad more than a year ago. Back on the job, his razor-sharp instincts are returning. But it will take all of Aidan’s wits to stay one step ahead of the elusive killer who has engaged him in a deadly game—a game in which Mara’s life is the prize. A game only one can win . . .BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Dead Certain.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Three devious prisoners vow murderous revenge. Now the second is free. With her stalker captured, antiques dealer Amanda Crosby can finally sleep at night. Having worked hard to put the nightmare behind her, Amanda has vowed to never be a victim again. But when her business partner, Derek England, is found with a bullet through the back of his head just hours after she left an incriminating message on his voice mail, Amanda finds herself in danger of becoming a victim of another sort. All the evidence points to Amanda as Derek’s killer, and Chief of Police Sean Mercer is building the case against her. But when another of her colleagues is found brutally murdered, it’s obvious that someone other than Amanda is behind the killings. Suddenly Amanda is a target once again, as a diabolical killer circles ever closer—and the only thing that stands between her and becoming the third and final victim is the man who had tried to put her behind bars. . . .BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Dead Even.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Three devious prisoners vow murderous revenge. Now the third is free. FBI Special Agent Miranda Cahill has always played by the rules: always maintain a respectful professionalism, and never mix business with pleasure. Except when it comes to fellow agent Will Fletcher. Their on-again, off-again relationship has left painful scars even he has never seen.Now, a series of murders has the two agents racing to outwit a killer before he can strike again. Miranda and Will know that lives depend on identifying intended victims and tracking them down before the killer does. But as they begin to unravel this homicidal agenda, it becomes clear that Miranda may be the last and final target in a twisted game. With the clock ticking, time is running out on a killer who is determined to cross Miranda’s name off his hit list . . . permanently.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Dead End.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.TRUTH HAS DEADLY CONSEQUENCES Twenty-six years ago, even before a series of brutal murders rocked the idyllic town of Bowers Inlet, Cassie Burke lost her parents, her sister, and nearly her own life to a transient befriended by her father. Back then, Cassie was a scared kid–now she’s a homicide cop. Back then, the suspect was caught and convicted–he died in prison. But now the killing has started again. And all signs indicate that the Bayside Strangler has come back for more. With too many victims and too few suspects, Cassie has her hands full investigating the case, while working through the old trauma it has brought to the surface. Luckily, FBI agent Rick Cisco is dispatched to lend support. Together, Cassie and Rick must uncover the link between the dark past and the dangerous present to bring this small town’s long nightmare to an end. If they fail, an elusive fiend will slip back into the shadows . . . to watch and wait–and kill another day. In matters of crime, there are many versions of the truth.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Hard Truth.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.WILL THE TRUTH SET HER FREE–OR SET A TRAP? Murder didn’t end Nina Madden’s life–it destroyed it. When her father was charged with the serial killings of several college students, Nina and her mother became pariahs in their small Maryland town. Though Nina never believed the hideous accusations, evidence led to her father’s conviction and guaranteed the death penalty. After the execution, Nina left Stone River to escape the hatred and persecution . . . but she couldn’t shake the lingering doubts. More than twenty years later, those doubts are stirred to grim life. A new series of murders is plaguing Stone River: a killing spree that bears a striking resemblance to the one that sent Nina’s father to the death chamber. And Nina isn’ t the only one disturbed enough by the gruesome events to take notice. Wes Powell, the cop who pursued the original case, can’t ignore the eerie similarities between the crimes . . . nor their harrowing implications. Drawn back into a mystery that refuses to die, Nina and Wes will cross paths on their dangerous quest–and find themselves in the crosshairs of a bloodthirsty predator. In matters of crime, there are many versions of the truth. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Final Truth.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Bestselling author Mariah Stewart proved she can knock ’em dead with the best when she delivered the resounding one-two-three punch of her suspense “thrillogy”–Dead Wrong, Dead Certain, and Dead Even. Now, in her anticipated hardcover debut, she’ s back to finish off this stunning series with her hottest shot yet. Two years ago, a major FBI undercover drug deal suddenly went south– and special agent Dylan Shields went down in a hail of bullets. When the dust cleared, his fellow agent (and fiancée) Anne Marie McCall was left alone with too many unanswered questions and nothing to do but hit the job as hard as she could to dull the pain. Only now is she beginning to ease up on her punishing routine as a Bureau profiler and starting to let some light in again. and. Detective Evan Crosby had a lot to do with drawing Annie back into life, and she’s not about to let her chance at happiness with him slip away. But before she can embrace a bright new future, she must grapple with the dangerous past whose demons of doubt and suspicion won’t let her sleep at night . . . and whose dead will never rest in peace until someone digs up the truth and deals out the payback. That means going places where no one– including the FBI–wants Annie to be and cutting through a minefield of smoke and mirrors, politics and intimidation, dirty tricks and deadly threats, in order to make a cold case hot enough to get the right people sweating. The harder Annie squeezes, the more blood, lies, and betrayal she wrings out . . . and the closer she comes to connecting a face to the trigger finger that blew away her dreams–and Dylan Shields. What she doesn’t know is that the killer she’s closing in on is looking for closure too. The kind that only Annie’s death can bring.From the Hardcover edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL Two children who mysteriously disappeared twenty-one years ago are the last thing on Lorna Temple’s mind when she returns to her Pennsylvania hometown to sell the old family property in the wake of her parents’ passing. But instead of memories, the fields where Lorna grew up yield something utterly chilling. All those years ago, when nine-year-old Melinda Eagan vanished on her birthday, her foulmouthed older brother, Jason, quickly became the lone suspect. Yet when he went missing, too, the case turned cold. But Jason, it seems, never got far: His bones have been moldering on the Temples’ land for two decades. As far as the local police are concerned, the book is closed on Melinda’s murder–and Jason’s death is justice served. But Lorna refuses to let the dead rest uneasily. She turns to private eye T. J. Dawson to dig up the dirt of the past and see what lies beneath. Only there’ s someone out there who hasn’t forgotten–and who won’t be the least bit forgiving about being exposed as a killer. In matters of crime, there are many versions of the truth. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Dark Truth.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.In her thrill-packed trilogy Cold Truth, Hard Truth, and Dark Truth, Mariah Stewart proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she can brilliantly and suspensefully handle the truth. Can you? Then prepare yourself for the shocking, eye-opening Final Truth, in which a woman who specializes in exposing lies finds herself trapped in a real-life nightmare. All that stands between Lester Ray Barnes and the state of Florida’s death chamber is a judge’s signature. He is sentenced to die for the rape and murder of a young woman, his conviction hinging on two pieces of evidence: DNA testing and an eyewitness who placed him at the scene. But when the story breaks that the DNA testimony at trial had been fabricated and that the eyewitness was coerced by a cop, all hell breaks loose. In the absence of credible evidence to sustain the conviction, the court is forced to set Lester Ray free. It’s the sort of circus the media adore–until it turns into the kind of Grimm’s fairy tale the media love even more. Intrigued by the story of a young man railroaded by justice, true-crime writer Regan Landry is drawn into Lester Ray’s camp like a moth to a flame. For Regan, writing is a way to stay connected to her late literary-legend father, and her knack for detective work makes her a natural when it comes to uncovering new leads in even the murkiest mysteries. Eager for the spotlight, Lester Ray willingly agrees to work with Regan on a tell-all about his experience as an innocent man on death row. But less than a week after leaving prison, he vanishes from the Sunshine State. Soon after, darkness descends on the outer banks of North Carolina as a string of women are raped and murdered in a frenzied spree. Fearing the worst, Regan, along with Special Agent Mitch Peyton and the FBI, sweeps in to confront the unspeakable: the horrifying possibility that they have helped to free a cunning monster with an insatiable appetite for death–and a ruthless determination never to be caged again.From the Hardcover edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.You’ve taken your Last Look. You’ve spoken your Last Words. Now prepare to surrender your Last Breath in this tour de force of suspense, romance, and action. As renowned archaeologist Dr. Daria McGowan readies the most important project of her career–a University museum exhibit showcasing the priceless artifacts her great-grandfather unearthed a century earlier in the Middle East–she makes a shocking discovery: many of the most significant pieces have vanished. Panicked, Daria turns to the FBI. Solving the mystery is an assignment that Connor Shields is more than happy to accept: Daria is the same intriguing blonde archaeologist he’s had on his mind since their paths first crossed two years ago. Working together to track down the stolen artifacts, Daria and Connor discover a trail of bodies–collectors who have met brutal, bizarre ends at the hands of a killer whose murderous methods are based on the rituals of an ancient civilization. Amid rumors of a curse and mounting pressure from both the FBI and the University, Daria and Connor race to unmask their enemy and unravel a mystery stretching across oceans and centuries. All the while, an ingenious murderer follows a sinister plan to gather the coveted antiquities and one last acquisition–Daria.From the Hardcover edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards. THE TRUTH WON’T STAY BURIED. News that the body of a recently murdered prostitute–stabbed repeatedly and dumped on Georgia’s Shelter Island–has been identified as Shannon Randall stuns the FBI, particularly special agent Dorsey Collins. Twenty-four years ago, nineteen-year-old Eric Louis Beale was convicted and later executed for Shannon’ s murder–and the agent in charge of the case was Dorsey’s father. Now Dorsey is determined to find out where her father’s investigation went wrong, what part he played in the death of an innocent man, and where Shannon has been all this time. The heat is on FBI special agent Andrew Shields to discover what happened to Shannon on that night decades ago–to find out who killed her and why. Dorsey shadows Andrew’s every investigative move, hoping to redeem her father’s reputation and capture a cunning killer. Together, Dorsey and Andrew unravel a shocking mystery that will shatter one family and rock an entire town.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Last Words.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.THIS KILLER TAKES THEIR BREATH AWAY. A nine-year veteran of the FBI, special agent Mia Shields thinks she’s seen it all. But nothing prepares her for the terror that descends upon the idyllic bayside community of St. Dennis, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where a depraved killer has left a grisly surprise for Chief of Police Gabriel Beck: the body of an unidentified woman, naked and completely encased in plastic wrap, stretched across the back-seat of Beck’s car. Hidden in the wrapping is a tape recording of the victim’s last, gasping words, terrifying evidence of the horror endured at the hands of a madman. Soon the body count begins to rise as more victims are found, all gruesomely cocooned, their final pleas also captured on tape. Determined to catch the sadistic killer, Beck and Mia team up and set a trap–with Mia as bait. But their prey is closer than they ever could have imagined. Now Beck must race against time to save Mia from becoming the next victim of a serial killer as elusive as he is evil. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Last Breath.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Mariah Stewart crafts compelling stories of romantic suspense, full of richly imagined characters, dazzling plot twists, and breathless action that keeps the pages turning. Now Stewart begins a thrilling new series–with a novel that proves to be her biggest and boldest yet. On a balmy spring evening, four high school seniors–three boys and a girl–enter a park in the small Pennsylvania city of Conroy. The next morning, two of the boys are found shot to death, and the girl and the third boy are gone. After three weeks with no leads and no sign of either of the two missing teenagers, the chief of police begins to wonder if they too were victims. But with no other suspects, the authorities conclude that one of these kids was the shooter. The missing boy’s grandmother, a secretary at the local parish church, maintains his innocence. On her behalf, the parish priest, Father Kevin Burch, hires former detective Mallory Russo as a private investigator to figure out what happened in the park that night. Mallory had ended her nine-year stint with the Conroy police force some time ago after becoming a target of a smear campaign. Now a true-crime author, Mallory is surprised to receive the priest’s offer–and highly intrigued by the case. She can’t help but accept the challenge–especially when she learns that her investigation will be financed by Father Burch’s cousin the reclusive billionaire Robert Magellan, a man whose own wife and infant son disappeared without a trace a year ago, a man who understands the heartache of not knowing what happened to a loved one. Detective Charlie Wanamaker is facing another sort of tragedy. He fled Conroy years ago with no plans to return to what he considered a dying factory town–until a family emergency brought him back. Finding the situation much worse than he’d thought, he trades his job as a big-city detective for one with the Conroy police department. Assigned to the park shooting case, Charlie quickly realizes that the initial investigation left a lot of questions unanswered. Unofficially, he teams up with Mallory to uncover the truth and find the two kids, dead or alive. What Charlie and Mallory discover will take them down a twisted path that leads to an old unsolved murder–and justice for a killer with a heart of stone. Mercy Street is tautly paced, resonant with emotion, and relentlessly gripping. It showcases Mariah Stewart at her most brilliant, as she ratchets up the suspense to new levels of excitement.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Cry Mercy. Praise for Mariah Stewart “Mariah Stewart is one to watch and savor for a long time.”–The Philadelphia Inquirer “Stewart can always be counted on to write an exciting romantic suspense thriller.”–TheBestReviews.com

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.WHO SPEAKS FOR THE DEAD WHEN THEY SCREAM BLOODY MURDER? Sheldon Woods kidnapped and killed an untold number of boys, then escaped the death penalty by making a plea bargain for multiple life sentences in exchange for revealing the whereabouts of some of his victims. More than a decade later, the full extent of his crimes is still unknown, and many of the dead have never been accounted for. But Lisa Walsh is certain her brother Christopher was one of them, and to honor her mother’s dying wish, she’s on a mission to learn the truth and recover the little boy’s remains. FBI agent Portia Cahill, tasked with confronting the caged killer, is obliged to play his mind games to get what she’s after, but she ends up with more than she bargained for when the remains of another boy’s body are discovered. Determined to ID the mystery child, Portia reluctantly teams with James Cannon, the attorney who once defended Woods. But chasing a killer’s grisly legacy, and the bones of the forgotten dead, will lead them into the lethal orbit of a monster who’s seeding the graves of the past with a fresh wave of innocent victims.From the Paperback edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.After Ann Nolan, a California beat cop, adopts the daughter of a notorious drug dealer, the ruthless father vows to take back his only child. In response, Ann flees across the country, changes her name, and starts a new life as an investigator for the Mercy Street Foundation, the billionaire-endowed organization dedicated to finding missing persons. As Emme Caldwell, she takes the lead on the Foundation''s first case: Nineteen-year-old Belinda Hudson disappeared from her sorority house leaving behind only one cryptic clue. Retracing the vanished student''s steps leads Emme to Heaven''s Gate, a fertility clinic, and the mysterious Donor 1735.Belinda''s legal guardian, Nick Perone, is determined to shadow Emme''s every move as she searches for his niece. But the closer Emme gets to Donor 1735 and the chilling truth, the more apparent it becomes that she''s escaped one dangerous man only to run head-on into another-one who''s far more determined and every bit as deadly.

From the Paperback edition.

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards.Former FBI agent Sam Delvecchio brings the keen skills of a profiler to his new position as a Mercy Street Foundation operative–and not a moment too soon. His first assignment, the cold-case murder of a local soup kitchen volunteer, has all the telltale signs of a serial killer’s work. That grim suspicion is confirmed when FBI agent Fiona Summers shares the details of two other killings with eerie similarities to Sam’s case: The bodies in all three cases have been carefully posed. And when a fourth victim is discovered, the two investigators realize they’re pursuing the same twisted quarry. Local parish priest Kevin Burch, Mercy Street founder Robert Magellan’s cousin, recognizes the posings for what they are: The killer is staging the church’ s seven Acts of Mercy (“Feed the hungry, clothe the naked . . .”) with the bodies of his victims. But as Sam and Fiona race to prevent the final three murders, taunting messages from their target lead to the most chilling realization of all.From the Paperback edition.

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.In the wake of his wife’s murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI—and everything else—to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love, and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister’s wedding draws him to St. Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn’t interested in finding love again, Grady can’t ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton.Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St. Dennis is the best decision she’s ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She’s made friends, has a home she loves, and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she left behind. The last thing she’s looking for is romance, but the hot new man in town is hard to resist. And when Vanessa’s past catches up with her, Grady finds that he’s unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn’t always have to hurt.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Long Way Home.

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she’s an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas’s charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland—the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent. Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he’s everything she remembers, and more—and that the spark is still there. But Dallas’s promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother’s worst nightmare—and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it’s coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Long Way Home.

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.When she was young, Steffie Wyler always knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life: 1. Make ice cream. 2. Marry the coolest boy in town. 3. Live happily ever after. These days, Steffie is the proud owner of One Scoop or Two, a wildly popular ice cream parlor. But the cool guy left town right after high school, before they could scratch the surface of their mutual attraction to see what, if anything, lay beneath. Steffie’s made a great life for herself in St. Dennis, but true love has never come knocking.Wade MacGregor left for college in Texas and remained there to start a successful business with his best friend, Robin Kennedy, but he’s always felt something was missing. Then life throws him a curveball: A third partner has robbed the company blind, and Robin has died—but not before entrusting Wade with a precious secret. Now back in St. Dennis, Wade’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect his friend’s legacy—and to figure out, once and for all, if the sparks that fly whenever he’s with Steffie are just temporary fireworks or the lights in the window leading him home. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Long Way Home.“Warm romance that is as sweet as ice cream and just as perfect for a relaxing spring day.”—Parkersburg, W.V., News and Sentinel

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again? BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Long Way Home.

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.Some of Lucy Sinclair’s best days were those spent growing up in small town St. Dennis—working at the family inn and enjoying summers filled with swimming, sailing, tennis, and the company of Clay Madison, her best friend. But Lucy’s darkest day, the one that shattered her innocence with violence and fear, also happened in St. Dennis. And the town she once loved became the place she gladly left behind—along with the terrible secret she’s kept for twenty years.   While Lucy headed off for college and a career, Clay remained—more than satisfied with the life St. Dennis had to offer. But now, even after inheriting his family’s thriving farm and starting up an organic brewery, he can’t help feeling that something’s missing. And when Lucy comes back to town to plan a celebrity wedding at the Sinclair family inn, she and Clay reconnect, and find themselves reevaluating their long-sleeping friendship that could blossom into something deeper. Like a bookend to those distant childhood days, this summer will be Lucy’s chance to finally confront her hidden pain, make peace with the past, and plan her own whole new future.BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mariah Stewart''s Long Way Home.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERMariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.As the only child of a wealthy investment manager, Ellie Chapman has never known anything besides a life of perfect privilege. But her years of good fortune come to an abrupt end when her father is exposed for swindling billions of dollars from innocent investors in a massive Ponzi scheme. And just like that, Ellie loses everything: money, job, home—even her fiancé, who’s jailed as her father’s partner in crime. With no job prospects on the horizon, no cash, and her family name in tatters, Ellie has only one place to go.   Sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland, is hardly where Ellie intends to stay, however. Keeping her identity a secret, she plans to sell the house her late mother left her in the small town and use the proceeds to move on with her life. Unfortunately, her ticket to a new beginning is in dire need of a laundry list of pricey improvements, many of which she’ll have to do herself. And until the house on Bay View Road is fit to be sold, the sole place Ellie will be traveling is the hardware store. But as the many charms of St. Dennis—not to mention Cameron O’Connor, the handsome local contractor who has secrets of his own—begin to work their magic, what begins as a lesson in do-it-yourself renovations might just end up as Ellie’s very own rejuvenation.Includes a preview of the next book in the Chesapeake Diaries series, At the River’s EdgeFrom the Paperback edition.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERMariah Stewart returns to her beloved Chesapeake Diaries with this charming novel of small-town romance—perfect for fans of Barbara Freethy, Robyn Carr, and Susan Mallery.After taking stock of her life, Sophie Enright has decided it’s time for a break. Between a law career that’s become criminally dull and a two-timing boyfriend she’s done with once and for all, Sophie desperately needs some time to think and some space to breathe. The perfect place to do both is easygoing St. Dennis, Maryland, where Sophie can visit with her brother while she figures out her options. Once in St. Dennis, she discovers a shuttered restaurant and makes a bold move that is also a leap of faith. Sophie buys the fixer-upper in order to finally pursue her dream career.   But Sophie’s labor of love becomes a bone of contention for her new neighbor Jason Bowers. The local landscaper has big plans for growing his business—until Sophie scoops up the property he’s got his eye on. And no amount of buyout offers or badgering from him will get her to budge. It’s hardly the start of a beautiful friendship. But when they’re paired up to work on a community project, they agree to put their differences aside, and sparks begin to fly. Then Sophie’s cheating ex suddenly shows up, looking for a second chance—and threatening to make Jason a third wheel just when his hotheaded feelings about Sophie were turning decidedly warmhearted. All Sophie wants is a new life and a true love. But what are the odds of having both?Praise for At the River’s Edge  “Everything you love about small-town romance in one book . . . At the River’s Edge is a beautiful, heartwarming story. Don’t miss this one.”—Barbara Freethy   “Another signature and heartwarming familial story . . . If a book is by Mariah Stewart, it has a subliminal message of ‘wonderful’ stamped on each page!”—Reader to Reader ReviewsFrom the Paperback edition.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Mariah Stewart comes a captivating and heartwarming novel in her beloved Chesapeake Diaries contemporary romance series—perfect for fans of Barbara Freethy, Robyn Carr, and Susan Mallery.   Carly Summit’s name couldn’t be more fitting, since in life she always lands on top. She grew up wealthy and privileged in a tony Connecticut town, opened her own gallery in New York City, and is about to make art world history displaying previously unknown works by a prominent twentieth-century painter. No wonder she possesses a can-do attitude that can’t be soured. Ford Sinclair is another story. A military career in war-torn Africa, where he witnessed unspeakable violence and suffering, has left him haunted and deeply cynical. Now he’s looking for a way to forget and a place to belong. He hopes to find both back home in St. Dennis.  When Carly is forced to move the premiere of her new exhibit from her Manhattan gallery to St. Dennis, and Ford agrees to temporarily take over the town’s paper, the two cross paths. While Ford is confounded by Carly’s unflappable good cheer, he can’t help being drawn to her. And undaunted by Ford’s restless heart, Carly sees a man worth caring for. But when a late-night phone call sends Ford back to Africa, Carly’s left to wonder if the pull of the past and its ghosts will prove stronger than the promise of their future together.   Advance praise for On Sunset Beach   “Mariah Stewart’s rich characterization, charming setting, and a romance you’ll never forget will have you packing your bags for St. Dennis.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn CarrFrom the Paperback edition.

Welcome to Chesapeake BayThe first book in a wonderfully warm and romantic series by Mariah Stewart. . . In the wake of his wife's murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI - and everything else - to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister's wedding draws him to St Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn't interested in finding love again, Grady can't ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton. Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St Dennis is the best decision she's ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She's made friends, has a home she loves and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she's left behind. The last thing she's looking for is romance, but she's finding that the hot new man in town is hard to resist. And when her past catches up with her, Grady finds that he's unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn't always have to hurt.Readers LOVE Mariah Stewart'Romantic and funny and sassy''I found myself laughing and smiling a lot while reading this book . . . an amazing read, full of action!''A heartwarming romance with a pinch of intrigue and mystery''A sweet, fun first book in a series''Such a fun summer read''This was no run of the mill romance novel . . . a mystery, romance and thriller all in one''Stewart's writing style is remarkable . . . sweet, funny, romantic!'

Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she's an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas's charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St Dennis, Maryland - the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent. Reunited with her boisterous, beloved great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he's everything she remembers, and more - and that the spark is still there. But Dallas's promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother's worst nightmare, and Emilio storms into St Dennis to save the day - along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it's coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything for her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share.