Contemporary Thriller

In his three novellas, In Short Measures, Strong Conspirators, and Sally Forth, Michael Ruhlman delves deeply into the nuanced complexity of romantic and sexual love - and the inevitable evolution of the heart over the span of years and decades. Each novella asks questions about the nature of love in terms of loyalty and fidelity - what are one's obligations toward one's spouse, one's family, and one's heart?

Former Marine and new Sheriff’s Deputy Cade Evigan is hanging onto his damaged soul - and his personal code - by a thread. His current mission? Weed out a violent motorcycle crew from a small mountain town. The problem? Katrina Killian, a woman standing firmly on the other side of the law, smack in the middle of the gang he’s there to destroy. She may get under his skin, but the sultry biker has criminal written all over her. So why can’t he see her like any other convict?

The first book in a breathtaking new romantic suspense series that will appeal to fans of New York Times best-sellers Maya Banks, Lisa Gardner, and Lisa Jackson.

Vicki Nelson, formerly of Toronto’s homicide unit and now a private detective, witnesses the first of many vicious attacks that begin plaguing the city of Toronto. As death follows unspeakable death, Vicki, in an attempt to stop these forces of dark magic, is forced to renew her relationship with her former partner, Mike Celluci - along with another, unexpected ally…. Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII, has learned over the course of his life how to blend with humans; how to deny the call for blood in his veins.

Tess has been determined to get revenge for her father, ever since he was falsely accused of misusing company funds and unceremoniously let go from Diamond Enterprises. Applying to be Executive Assistant to the elusive, elderly head of the company, Mr. King, seems the ideal way to get inside the firm and clear his name. But the job interview is not what she expects. Arriving at the company HQ, she is escorted to a helicopter, blindfolded and flown to a secret location. She meets a man whose voice is disguised, but introduces himself as Mr. King and says the job advertisement was a ruse.

For feline PI Joe Grey and his companion, Dulcie, life is a bittersweet mix of endings and beginnings. While they joyfully await their first litter, they are also sad for their friend, the old yellow cat Misto, whose time on Earth is drawing to an end. But Misto tells them an exciting future awaits: Among the litter will be a little calico from the distant past who will be born with ancient markings and the adventurous spirit of Joe Grey.

Nat Jennings nearly died the night her family was murdered - and spent the next three years wishing she had. Now, she is returning to the sleepy bayou town of Bellerose, Louisiana, driven by cryptic messages only she can hear - messages pleading for her help. After serving six years for a crime he didn't commit, Nick Bastille is back in Bellerose, mourning his precious son, who drowned while Nick was away at prison, unable to protect him. But when Nat approaches him with a shocking revelation, his denial slowly turns to a desire for revenge.

Returning to Seattle from London following her last paranormal adventure, Harper is greeted with surprising news: The man who "killed” her has been murdered. His ghost could hold the key to valuable information about her father’s ghostly imprisonment and her own murky past, making Harper desperate to find him. Tracking this ghost down, however, puts Harper on a path fraught with supernatural dangers in addition to some corporeal ones....

It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own deaths. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago.

The world is too loud, too bright, too everything. Until I meet him. His touch sends me to a place I’ve never been. I want more of him, bloodstained hands and all. What happens when the one person I need is the utterly ruthless boss of the Irish mob?

When a mysterious job offer brings Carrie Myerson back to the town where her father was set up for a federal crime, she returns - to face a past more dangerous than she ever imagined. And a love more passionate than she ever dreamed. Drug crimes, kidnappings, set-ups and betrayal all unfold as Carrie and her ex-boyfriend, local police officer Mark Paulson, untangle the complicated web of deceit at the heart of her past.

To enter Five Peaks Magical Academy, you must have a familiar. Abigail hoped for a bird - maybe an owl, like that of her best friend - or a cuddly cat, or perhaps a loyal hound. She even would have been happy with a particularly smart toad. Instead, she got you.

Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoonworthy assets to a whole new arena. Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off.

Investigative reporter Dennis West joined forces with the men of the Sisterhood to help fight corruption and greed on behalf of underdogs everywhere. Now he and his band of brothers are on a mission to help an old friend in danger: Toby Mason was a whip-smart college nerd - nothing like the buff dancer at the Supper Club who's reached out to Dennis. The owners of the Supper Club adult-entertainment franchise have expanded their empire through tours, contests, and calendars.

Luke Boone doesn't know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in, but he wants in on it - the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he's finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set - one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it's not exactly legal, Luke's never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of a gorgeous socialite named Rain.

A powerful hit man, Gideon is the master of the game in a jet-setting world dominated by money, women, and violence. Living off the grid, making love on the run, he makes his living as a contract killer by enacting the revenge of the brokenhearted...for a price.

Matt and Elena Thompson present the picture of perfection. But their enviable life isn't all it seems. Their marriage is on the rocks, and financial disaster looms. Then Matt is killed in a hunting accident, and the questions and accusations begin to mount. Attorney Liz Acosta, newly arrived in the mountains of north Georgia after graduating from law school, plans to get some job experience on her resume before returning home to seek a position with a big-time firm.

To survive in the Los Muertos Cartel, you have to stay useful, especially when you're a woman. So I made sure I couldn't be replaced. Now my name is whispered about in the shadows—La Brujita de Los Muertos. Too bad I forgot that lies and deceit are the lifeblood of this toxic paradise. I should have seen the betrayal coming. My hands were always destined to be drenched in the blood of guilty men.

Staying overnight in a luxury hotel, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde overhears a high-profile murder involving a U.S. senator. Special Agent Jack Pallas is assigned to the investigation - the same Jack Pallas who still blames her for nearly ruining his career three years ago. Now the pair will have to put their rocky past behind them, focus on the case at hand - and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension.

I was the party crasher. He was the Devil. Three months ago, I suffered a moment of insanity and had a one-night stand without even knowing who the man was. It was hot and unforgettable. I tried to forget him, but there are moments I swear I can still smell his aftershave. Little did I know he's the head of the Bratva. Alexei Koslov. My family's worst enemy. There's a thin line between love and hate, and I'm straddling it.