New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser series of crime thrillers—Book 1 in the series
“The toughest, funniest, wisest, private eye in the field these days.”—Houston Chronicle

Spenser earned his degree in the school of hard knocks, so he is ready when a Boston university hires him to recover a rare, stolen manuscript. He is hardly surpised that his only clue is a radical...

Did J. Edgar Hoover die a natural death? Or was he murdered? When a group of high-minded and high-placed intellectuals known as Inver Brass detect a monstrous threat to the country in Hoover’s unethical use of his scandal-ridden private files, they decide to do away with him—quietly, efficiently, with no hint of impropriety. Then bestselling thriller writer Peter Chancellor stumbles onto information that makes his previous books...

Jessica Fletcher has had plenty to worry about over her storied career, but she never had any reason to worry about her longtime publisher, Lane Barfield. So when mounting evidence of financial malfeasance leads to an FBI investigation of Lane, Jessica can't believe what she's reading. When Lane turns up dead, Jessica takes on the task of proving her innocence—she can't fathom someone she's known and trusted for so long cheating her. Sure enough,...

Many agents and editors rely on their experience and instinct and can tell within the first page whether or not a manuscript is worth reading further. Discuss the two rough categories of red flags: narrative or structural problems and surface-level errors that can lead to a make-or-break decision before the second page. You’ll also get invaluable tips on creating a strong opening, including the pivotal first sentence..

"Jessica Fletcher investigates a mysterious manuscript with deadly consequences in the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series Jessica Fletcher has had plenty to worry about over her storied career, both as a bestselling novelist and amateur sleuth. But she never had any reason to worry about her longtime publisher, Lane Barfield, who also happens to be a trusted friend. When mounting evidence of financial malfeasance leads to an FBI investigation...