Humorous Thriller

Dorothy Scarborough was an academic and author who had a particular interest in the supernatural. The following collection, first published in 1921, features stories that have a strong comical or satirical focus.

Kill the Competition is a frothy, funny romantic mystery! There's only one sure way to get to the top: Kill the competition….Four women who carpool to their jobs in midtown Atlanta learn that competition can be murder, y'all!

Tophet County's Midnight Carnival has it all: a mesmerizing (literally) Phæras Wheel, the racy delights of Sphinxter's All-Archonic Peep Show, and the lip-smacking lure of "things which never should have been fried." It's the perfect prelude to the witch's romantic night with her boyfriend, Chad . . . until a creepy fortune teller makes dire predictions with an enchanted deck of Garbage Pail Kids cards, an otherworldly pyromaniac sets the moon on fire, and a shipload of pasta-faced beasties from Lovecraft's backlist lands on the Dunwich Park softball field.

Twenty years ago, the Metcalf sisters witnessed a murder and formed a pact of silence. Now they're estranged and scattered because they all fell in love with the same man. When the sisters converge at their childhood home, old wounds are laid open against the backdrop of liquidating their parents' antiques business. And when the playboy who broke up their family shows up, things go from bad to worse!

Bad news comes in . . . fours? For romance author and former pool shark Jessie Hewitt it does. She hasn't written a decent sex scene in months, she hasn't shot a decent game of eight ball all year, and don't even ask about her supposed love life. And just when Jessie thinks things can't get any worse, a body lands on her car. Uber-hunky and altogether infuriating cop Wilson Rye suggests she concentrate on solving her other problems and leave the murder investigation to the experts. But does Jessie agree? Take a guess.

Barker Mifflin never leaves home without his go bag, his army boots, and his trusty flyswatter. As the town of Nevermind’s resident eleven-year-old survivalist, Barker knows catastrophe can strike anytime, anywhere. But now that school is out for the summer, he might be able to let his guard down. After all, he and his friends all got jobs picking strawberries at McFadden Farm. What could possibly go wrong?

The height of corporate espionage has been achieved! Follow Jude and Janel and their two androids as they deal with an aggressive competitor, The Operator, across the stars. Fun, exciting, and hilarious. The Operator is classic Richard Meroving at his best. Buckle up!

Guy believed he’d found the answer to overcoming that bleak dysfunctional fatalism they all felt. Bottling up emotions isn’t good, he reasoned. So, he would do what ordinary people did and he would set up an emotional support group. It was only when the newest member joined the group that things started to happen. The tables were turning and the assassins found themselves being targeted. This wasn’t good, but at least it gave an opportunity to get away from the hotel that served the worst tea imaginable.

A CEO, a nurse, and a housekeeper: The one thing they have in common is murder victim April Wilkins. When cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding April’s death, she uncovers a world of deceit and high stakes...stakes high enough that the killer decides to target Tiffany next. Meanwhile, Tiffany learns about her friend Stone's past, Tiffany’s mother insists on introducing yet another persistent, bad date, and Nanna tries to "help" out on the case....

Everyone thinks Samantha Wells died of natural causes. Everyone except Tiffany and Ian, whom Samantha called the night before, complaining about death threats. Could this really have been the perfect murder? Tiffany must juggle her pushy parents, "helpful" Nanna, and blossoming love-life, all while trying to track down wacky suspects and enjoy a cupcake or two for energy.

Who could’ve hated Janice Wilkerson enough to kill her? She didn’t have many friends, and everyone who knew her admits that they never liked her much. But what other secrets are Janice’s acquaintances hiding? Meanwhile, Tiffany's friend, Ian, is forced to disguise himself as a woman, and Nanna insists she should help with the investigation....

When a much-despised politician is murdered, Tiffany Black and her friend, Ian, must uncover the truth about his death. But when the investigation keeps turning up dead ends, Nanna, who's visiting Las Vegas for a few days, insists on "helping" Tiffany and Ian, with surprising results. Meanwhile, Tiffany keeps searching for clues about Stone's past, and finally uncovers an important connection.

Who killed the young lawyer - the angry playboy, cash-strapped partners, or secretive boss? Tiffany Black must uncover the killer before she's next! Meanwhile, Nanna and Ian enter a dance competition for which they're both clearly unsuited. Tiffany's parents finally meet her boyfriend, but not before her mother introduces her to a "charming" young man....

When cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black and her friend, Ian, are asked to investigate a nightclub owner's "accidental" death, they quickly find themselves embroiled in Vegas' night life. After Tiffany and Ian stumble onto what could be a cover-up, they must hurry to find the real killer - before it’s too late.

When Tiffany's friend, Stone, decides that he needs to disappear, Tiffany tries to track him down. In her attempt to find Stone, Tiffany runs into a self-proclaimed diva, Lana Fierst, who also happens to be a judge on a reality-TV show. Lana claims that her life is in danger - and when Tiffany and Ian agree to help her out, they soon find their lives endangered, too. Meanwhile, Karma's grandchildren drop by for a visit, and Tiffany decides to throw caution to the wind and learn to bake her own cupcakes.

Cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black is determined to leave her job at the casino for good. She's one small step away from acquiring her private investigator license and has her eye on the prize. Accepting her first real case - investigating the murder of casino-mogul Ethan Becker - should be exciting. Instead, things spiral out of control, and Tiffany finds herself in over her head as she confronts secretive suspects, corrupt casino henchmen, and a bodyguard with a mysterious past.

When cupcake-loving croupier and private investigator Tiffany Black witnesses a handsome, green-eyed man making a getaway after an art heist, she finds her normally chaotic life becoming even more complicated. Tiffany flits between two cases: investigating the missing Van Gogh, and the murder of a Hollywood starlet with a secret life. When her investigation takes an intriguing turn and a man with mesmerizing green eyes comes into her life, Tiffany starts to wonder if this man might be the missing link between both crimes....

When cupcake-loving croupier and private investigator Tiffany Black meets an adorable lost kitten, she never imagines it will lead her straight to a murder investigation. But when she is asked to investigate the death of architect-turned-poker-addict Max Langton, she stumbles upon a group of unpleasant neighbors, who also happen to be potential murderers. Meanwhile, Tiffany struggles to balance her love life when her friend, Stone, asks her for a small favor - a tiny task that leads Tiffany to doubt Stone’s past.

When Tiffany's friend, Ian, insists on entering a zombie-themed reality-TV show, the duo stumble onto an unexpected murder. Before they know it, they're embroiled in the investigation and uncovering all kinds of secrets - and being followed by a mysterious assailant. Ian and Tiffany must track down the killer before it's too late! All while dealing with Tiffany's wacky family, and having a few cupcakes for good luck!

Nanna is a sweet, little old lady - or so she'd like you to believe. Too bad the cops investigating Adam Bitzer’s death don’t buy it for a second. And worse, they think she’s the one responsible for Adam’s death.... Just when Tiffany was ready to take a break from being a private investigator, she's pushed back into the thick of things. Can TIffany prove Nanna's innocence in time?