DAFINA BOOKS – serie

In her nationally-bestselling novels, Kiki Swinson ignites an unforgettable portrait of Dirty South scheming, greed, desire--and brutal dead ends. Now the stakes have never been more lethal as a compromised female firefighter starts burning down her all-too-corrupt past . . .Kill your secrets . . .Volunteer Virginia Beach firefighter Alayna Curry used to pride herself on saving lives. But now, determined to conceal her part in an arson-for-insurance scam gone bad, she's using her skills to have the scheme's leader, Tim—her ex-lover—shot dead, claiming it was a robbery. She's carefully set him up to be the ultimate fall guy. And she's ruthlessly aiming to silence more witnesses—which will also get her beloved brother Alonzo out of prison . . . Conceal your lies . . .. . . Until Alayna has to desperately defend herself against Tim's vengeful wife and his other grieving side piece's very public accusations, all while fighting to stay steps ahead of the fellow firefighters she betrayed—and the husband she's long past fallen out of love with . . . Watch your back . . .With a determined FBI agent and the police pulling apart her story—and her lies—bit by bit, Alayna recklessly plays her most dangerous trump card to free Alonzo and clear her name for good. But will one body too many be the catalyst that finally blows her chances of escape, and survival, to pieces?

Now available in paperback! Award-winning New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe returns with an outrageous new tale of Depression-era Southern drama starring identical twin sisters with a talent for switching lives and hiding the scandalous results—until one risk too many changes the game forever . . .Since childhood, identical twins Leona and Fiona Dunbar have been getting in—and out—of trouble by pretending to be each other. Yet underneath, they couldn't be more different. Outspoken Leona lives to break rules and scandalize their respectable hometown of Lexington. Fiona is a seemingly demure churchgoing girl who is the apple of her domineering, widowed mother Mavis’s eye.But together, the twins have fooled teachers, boyfriends, bosses, racist police—and most importantly, straitlaced Mavis. Their unbreakable bond keeps them fiercely loyal. . . . So when Fiona feels stifled in her passionless marriage, and Leona is heartbroken over losing her one true love, it's perfect timing to change places once again . . .Leona is shocked to discover she enjoys the security of being a wife and homebody—along with the unexpected spark between her and Fiona’s husband. Meanwhile, Fiona is indulging her inner wild-child and Leona’s ex-lover becomes one temptation she’s having trouble resisting . . .As the sisters’ masquerade ignites desires and appetites they never expected, it also puts their most damning secrets on the line. Once the fallout rocks their small town, can their deep sisterhood shield them from total disaster and help them reconcile their mistakes? Or will it become a weapon that shatters their lives for good?

Brimming with unpredictable twists and scandals, the latest Depression-era Alabama novel from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe tells of a mistreated wife who finally finds the love she's longed for—only to be plunged into deceit, betrayal, and murder . . .As a young woman, Naomi Simmons grabbed her one chance to escape the overwhelming demands of her selfish family by marrying devout older man Jacob Purcell. But it only landed her with a controlling, unfaithful husband who delights in hurling insults at her and their troubled now-teenage daughter, Ethel Mae. So, Naomi is amazed and touched when Homer Clark sees her for the vibrant, intelligent woman she truly is. Believing the handsome, worldly widower is her love of a lifetime, Naomi plans to leave with Homer and start fresh in the big city . . .Then Jacob suffers a debilitating stroke, and Naomi can't bring herself to abandon him. Unfortunately, Homer refuses to listen—or understand.  Relieved when he leaves town and disappears, Naomi dedicates herself to the now-grateful Jacob’s care. And she feels truly delighted and blessed when Ethel Mae finally gets her life on track away from home—and comes back with good news . . .But Ethel Mae’s surprise will shock Naomi to her core and threaten everything and everyone she holds most precious. With no one who can help her—or believe her—Naomi battles increasingly insidious mind games even as her world starts falling apart. Can she defeat what appears to be a twisted scheme against her?  Or will she be forced into a devastating showdown that will leave no one undamaged—or standing?

A marriage on the rocks, a missing friend, and a tangle of shocking lies converge at a peaceful North Carolina lakefront cottage in this irresistibly twisty new psychological thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shanora Williams – perfect for readers of Liv Constantine, Tarryn Fisher, Kellye Garrett, and Caroline Kepnes.Investigative reporter Rose Howard is exhausted from trying to manage her seemingly perfect life. With her marriage to the man she thought was her one true love collapsing, she desperately needs for one thing to go right.While striving for a promotion to senior reporter, her efforts are interrupted when she learns her former best friend and travel vlogger, Eve Castillo, isn't responding to attempts to contact her at the North Carolina cottage she's reviewing. Rose knows Eve can be flaky and irresponsible. And after Eve breaks the ultimate ethical friendship code and crosses boundaries to the point of no return, Rose wants nothing to do with her. Still, Rose heads to the tranquil small town of Sage Hill . . .Rose soon discovers that Eve has vanished without her purse and passport—even after booking a trip abroad. The personable cabin owners’ accounts of Eve's stay just don’t add up . . . and most of the town's initially hospitable inhabitants become increasingly less helpful . . .Rose's instincts tell her the solution lies somewhere in Eve's—and Sage Hill's—past. To get answers, she’ll have to ask inconvenient questions, stumble onto shocking truths, and face vicious attempts on her life. But some truths are best left alone. And secrets Rose never saw coming could easily sink her, and her future, without atrace . . .

Six talented but dangerously toxic personalities in the entertainment hotbed of Atlanta push their psychologist to her own vulnerable limits – and maybe beyond – in this enthralling, knife-edged thriller from NAACP Image Award-winning author Omar Tyree.Dr. Victoria Benning knows it’s unethical to discuss the therapy sessions of her clients, but the drama of their unpredictable lives tests her professional role like never before . . .There’s the brutally honest, gorgeous rap artist who uses sex to elevate her career . . . the hot young film director and master manipulator with a fetish for opportunistic women . . . the frustrated screenwriter, part-time driver, and full-time complainer who desperately needs a break . . . the music producer who prays for a blood sacrifice in order to succeed . . . the venture capitalist from a slave-ownership family, who now suffers from a spell of White guilt. . . . And finally, the hopeless dreamer who struggles to keep her mouth and mind at peace—while harassing the tolerant doctor she hopes will ultimately help her.Working tirelessly, Dr. Benning observes a treacherous common denominator that plagues all six clients: a desperate impulse to grasp control of everything and everyone in their lives—no matter the cost. It’s a struggle with which she’s all too familiar. Determined to head off tragedy, she comes up with a brilliant game plan to make their collective talents work in everyone’s favor. . . . But soon, inexplicable events turn fatal, as the doctor finds her plan, her career, and her personal life spiraling into madness—and hopelessly out of control.

Nancy Drew meets P-Valley as an Atlanta reporter investigates the gruesome ritualistic murder of a dancer at the female-owned strip club where she herself worked years before. Acclaimed author L. Divine makes her adult debut in this thrilling, sexy new series for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, Kirstin Chen’s Counterfeit, and All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris.When Keke starts looking into secretive stripper Monaka's grisly death, she’s instantly caught between her past and her present. Through The Honey Pot club owner "Honey Mama" Thiboudeaux, Keke found refuge from the streets, earned much money from her stage persona "Brandy," and got a chance at a new life all her own. Her bombshell exposé about the club launched her reporting career. But it caused a bitter, seemingly irrevocable split between her, the only family she's ever known—and Drew, the one man Keke won't admit she's never gotten over . . .At Honey Mama request's, Keke goes undercover as Brandy to find the truth before political pressures shut the progressive club down for good. But Keke has to watch more than her back when she finds Monaka had an unshakable, dangerously elusive stalker, an illicit club sideline—and vicious conflicts with rival dancers. Even more explosive, Keke's persistence is putting her at odds with Drew, now a police detective working this case . . . and the secrets she herself can no longer hide.Now with the clock fast ticking down, Keke must tantalize the killer with the one lure he—or she—can't resist. But using fantasy as a trap could put more than her pursuit of justice on the line--it risks ending her career and life for good . . .

Set over one summer in the charming seaside resort of Cape May, New Jersey, amid the planning of a lavish wedding three longtime friends find that past secrets, new loves, and hard choices test their bond like never before. Perfect for fans of Brenda Jackson, Rhonda McKnight, and Susan Mallery.Fast friends since forever, Lu, Kenya, and Natalia share a special love for the historical beach town of Cape May. For Lu, it was a welcome escape from the corporate arena into a simpler life—owning a B&B with her soon-to-be-husband, Zach. . . . Kenya fell for Cape May's tranquil shores and believed she and her high school sweetheart would be there together forever. . . . And family vineyard owner Natalia feels it’s the perfect place to complete her happy marriage with the baby—or babies—she desperately longs for . . .But as the trio plans Lu's lavish wedding, the bride-to-be is stunned when the estranged father she thought was dead shows up to make amends—and throws her every certainty about family and love into heartbreaking doubt. Meanwhile, widowed Kenya is drawn to a kind, attractive stranger, even as she wonders if passion is enough to risk her future on. And when Natalia uncovers an unthinkable betrayal, the secrets she and her friends have kept from each other will explode across the long summer nights . . .Moving and relatable, here is a captivating story of true sisterhood, and the ties that challenge us—and help us heal.

From the deaf baseball legend and MLB Ambassador for Inclusion, a powerful anthem of ability diversity and overcoming the odds for readers of Nyle DiMarco’s Deaf Utopia and sports memoirs such as Imperfect by Jim Abbott, Des Linden’s Choosing to Run, and Limitless by Mallory Weggemann. FOREWORD BY NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME MEMBER CAL RIPKEN, JR.On a September night in Montreal in 1993, Curtis Pride got his first Major League hit, prompting a long, emotional standing ovation from the crowd of 45,757 fans. Profoundly deaf since birth, Pride couldn’t hear their thunderous applause. But as the cheers grew louder and more insistent, he realized he was feeling those vibrations within his chest—an undeniable acknowledgment of an extraordinary achievement.Pride went on to play in 420 more major-league games over eleven different seasons with the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and New York Yankees. He was then hired as head baseball coach at Gallaudet, the world’s leading university for deaf and hard of hearing students and was also named Major League Baseball’s Ambassador for Inclusion. Pride has received countless national and local awards for his achievements and his service in inspiring and educating others.With candor, warmth, and humor, Pride writes from the heart in I Felt the Cheers. From the first time he played T‑ball at age six and got a couple of hits, he dreamed of playing in the major leagues. No matter how unlikely it seemed, or how much skepticism he faced from teammates or coaches, Pride stayed resolute. Far from it being a disadvantage, he came to see that his deafness could sometimes be a secret weapon, forcing him to use senses that other players take for granted.Curtis’s personal journey is unique, but his message is a powerful, universal one, sure to resonate deeply with everyone who has faced difficult challenges. I Felt the Cheers is living proof that dreams can come true, no matter how impossible they seem.

In this fast-paced, suspense-fueled novel, Arizona’s most decorated detective finds a spectacular second chance at love—but when he starts digging into the most lethal case of his career, his future takes a shocking turn . . .After the tragic unsolved murder of his beloved wife, Detective Ronald King never thought there’d be more to his life than work. But from the second he meets his city's captivating new mayor, Tabitha Knight, he’s drawn in by her lively political savvy, her warm, generous nature—and her determination to make the city work for everyone. Once he finishes investigating the toughest narcotics case he's ever faced, he’ll marry the woman he's grown to love—and support her as she makes a bound-to-be successful bid for governor . . .But Ronald hits one frustrating dead end after another trying to track down the killer of the state's most powerful and dangerous drug lord. He's uncovering a chilling lack of evidence. And he’s stunned by clues pointing back to Tabitha's high-living nephew. Even worse, he can't seem to make her own mysterious past add up.As crime surges, Ronald starts putting all the pieces together. But he’ll soon have to confront allies turned enemies, treacherous secrets and lies, and a blindsiding truth that will throw everything he’s believed into question—and could leave him with no way out . . .