Quantum Ball: A Tech Action Novel by K.A. Wood

A powerful earthquake cripples Japan, destroying a renowned hi-tech research facility in Saitama, obliterating all data and the only existing prototypes of groundbreaking quantum computers… except for one. In Soledad, California, Tyson McNally, frustrated by corrupt corporate politics, predicts the drawings of two of the largest lottery jackpots in human history—to prove it works for a close friend killed in the devastation. Are his actions morally wrong? It’s easy to justify a loss, but a win, as McNally discovers, comes with overwhelming guilt. Will it change the era of computation forever? Soledad soon becomes the lottery capital of the world, and desperate people want a slice of the action when they start to figure out how the jackpots were won and by whom. Tyson's only hope is the FBI and “the company.” Can they transport him to an undisclosed government facility before it’s too late—before they can make a stand against the past?

History' Prime (Renaissance Paradox Book 1) by K.A. Wood

The year is 2034, and scientific discovery has flatlined. Humanity believes it has reached the limits of knowledge. Advances are nothing more than faster, smaller versions of century-old inventions. Real breakthroughs are a thing of the past-until Dr. Glen Larson, a historian at the Museum of Human History, uncovers a 400-year-old textbook that shouldn't exist. The discovery raises impossible questions. Was Isaac Newton taught calculus, the laws of gravity, and motion? Have the greatest minds in history been guided by a hidden source of knowledge? And who is behind the effort to suppress it? As Glen digs deeper, he finds himself hunted by a powerful secret society determined to keep humanity stagnant. Alongside a circle of friends-including a rogue tech trillionaire-he embarks on a global search for five legendary textbooks rumored to hold the key to human advancement. Their journey unravels a conspiracy stretching back centuries, one that could upend everything we know about science, progress, and the very fabric of history. What if our greatest inventions weren't discovered... but gifted? Which version of history have you been living in?

Osiris Rising by Milos Davidovic

Star Sheriff Jack Kessler thought a posting to Osiris I would mean the quiet life he'd earned; a distant Saturnian colony, a war long behind him. But when a miner dies under suspicious circumstances, the local police and the all-powerful Solar Mining Corporation want it dismissed as an accident. Jack knows better. What begins as a single death unravels into a web of conspiracy: compromised institutions, weaponized belief, and a planetary revolt disguised as progress. As he digs deeper, Jack finds himself protecting a grieving teenage girl, confronting a manipulative corporate regime, and reckoning with the ghosts that still haunt his damaged body and mind. From magnetic MagSled rails looping the city to the ever-present HoloLens connecting every colonist, Osiris Rising immerses you in a vividly imagined future; one where survival, loyalty, and truth collide in unexpected ways, forever grounded in reality and the realm of possible. A story of memory embedded in the body, the failure of institutional morality, and the quiet defiance of found family, Osiris Rising resists genre clichés in favor of moral ambiguity, slow revelation, and the notion that survival itself can be the most radical act. The first installment in The Jack Kessler Chronicles. Perfect for fans of character-driven science fiction, layered mysteries, and richly detailed worlds. ★ For readers of Le Guin, Dick, Corey, and Powers ★ Features detailed world-building, intricate political dynamics, and deep, layered characters ★ Explores power, memory, autonomy—and the cost of doing what's right when the rules no longer apply

The Pale by Jay Fabares Sanders Fabares

When a mysterious corpse is found on the outskirts of Rocket Ridge, a face blind FBI linguist travels to the small Arizona town to resume his search for an elusive killer. Agent Franklin Ink must work with the small town sheriff's department and a Navajo police officer to uncover the truth, all while hiding the fact that he's not acting on behalf of the bureau. Soon, he will find out that he's not the only one keeping secrets. The Pale is a character driven murder mystery which has often been compared to shows like True Detective, Fargo, and Twin Peaks.

A Dragon, a Gargoyle and a Faery Walk Into A Pub by Lisa Barry and Nicole DragonBeck

A paperwork-obsessed dragon and a gargoyle with a snacking problem aren't the most conventional detective team—but they get the job done. In Ireland, by-the-book detective Aiden Moss just wants to finish his report and wrap up the last case. Fun-loving detective Loch Doyle wants to get a good meal and some pints into him, the only thing anyone should be doing on a Friday evening. But that's the thing about bad guys: they're not that considerate. An anonymous phone call drops the detectives straight into the kidnapping of a human under the influence of a magical drug. A single clue sends Aiden and Loch to the best place to get an investigation started —the nearest pub. As the detectives follow leads, they discover the first whispers of a shady vampire empire, whose behavior is giving the rest of the fangy folk a bad name. Time ticks away for the missing girl, and the stakes get higher when more victims show up in a strange coma, their life forces being unexplainably drained. With a wizardly gadget or two, the help of their friends, and a few emergency snack runs, can the detectives crack the case before it turns deadly?

The Chimera Snare: Fragments by S&E Black

For Rayshell and her best friend Trish, senior year of high school is going to hell in a handbasket. The feud between Celestine and Daeva is bleeding into their world. When a mysterious visitor infiltrates her dreams, Rayshell is thrust into a realm of profound, otherworldly secrets. Together, Rayshell and Trish uncover the unbelievable – they are the living vessels for two banished Celestine guardians. Amidst mystical recollections and a wondrous magic system that shatters the veneer of their everyday lives, the two friends embark on a journey against time to connect with the Celestine guardians' allies in hopes of freeing them from their imprisonment. Simultaneously, the shadows cast by Daeva darken. The notorious outlaw, Merisek, has positioned himself to claim dominion over the Order of Existence—a trio of powerful artifacts capable of reshaping reality. Armed with two of these relics, Merisek races against the emergence of the Celestine guardians to claim the third. The stage is set for a showdown that will determine the fate of existence itself. Rayshell and Trish are all that stand between Merisek and his unhinged desire to twist the fabric of reality into his making. As the threads of destiny unravel, the question looms: who will be the author of existence, and what profound truths will be unveiled in the final, decisive act?

Iconoclast: or, the Death and Resurrection of Lazarus Keaton by Dave Walsh

The wealthy took to the stars, leaving the suckers back on Earth paying rent on digital afterlife packages. Lazarus Keaton was his family's great disappointment. Instead of marrying a nice girl and taking over the family business, he's a sexually confused claims adjuster for a company that uploads your consciousness into a digital afterlife. Sent across the globe to oversee the site of a deadly train crash, he's stopped dead in his tracks by the unlikely afterlife package a hairdresser had: sainthood. His questions go unanswered when the Vatican dispatches a menacing Inquisitor to take over. In exchange for his silence about the odd case, his bosses offer him a raise, but he's in too deep to stop. Alongside Silvia, a local detective, they're thrust into the throngs of a wild conspiracy centered on the world's richest man, with all roads leading them off-world to his luxurious space station. After Laz's company declares him dead, there's no turning back. He either uncovers the truth, or meets with a grisly end at the hands of the Inquisitor.

Hypocrisy by A.J. Thibault

When the truth is hidden beneath the ice, some secrets refuse to die. In the world’s most remote outpost—Antarctica—a covert excavation unearths something ancient, intelligent, and alive. CIA asset Charisma, her teenage protégée Leticia, and enigmatic xenoanthropologist Alen Innocent are drawn into a web of deception that spans governments, galaxies, and the very fabric of human consciousness. As shadow factions fight for control of the mysterious Veil of Hypocrisy, the boundaries between truth and illusion collapse. From Milan’s glittering runways to military tunnels buried under polar ice, Hypocrisy blends science fiction, espionage, and moral satire in a gripping tale of identity, power, and survival. As alien technology exposes the lies that bind humanity, Charisma and Alen must decide whether saving the world means revealing its greatest hypocrisy—or becoming part of it. Science-fiction fans will be drawn to this mind-bending, character-driven thriller where the ultimate battle is not between species, but between truth and self-deception.

Death Rattle by Carter Pugh

Accused of murder. Hunted by magic. A city of secrets waiting to unravel. In Death Rattle, murder mystery collides with urban fantasy in a twisty coming-of-age tale where nothing is what it seems. Clarke Carpenter, a 30-year-old nanny and student, craves more than her ordinary life—something magical, something meaningful. But when her roommate is found dead and all signs point to Clarke, her plans for a fresh start crumble fast. As she races to clear her name, Clarke stumbles into a hidden world pulsing just beneath the city streets—a world of fae, shadows, and forgotten power. The truth? It might just be darker than the crime she didn’t commit. Start the Death Book Series today and follow Clarke’s journey through murder, magic, and the messiness of becoming who you were meant to be.

Closure May Never Come by PD Doling

When a romantic holiday ends in tragedy, Rob Wyatt is determined to help his wife, Vikki, recover from her accident. As he fights to restore her to her former self, an ancient evil begins to manipulate their lives. Rob’s growing suspicion leads him to a chilling realisation: that the soul he’s trying to save may no longer be human… --- Perfect for fans of Stephen King's Bag of Bones, Mike Gayle meets H.P. Lovecraft in this genre-spanning, gothic-tinged tale of love, commitment, and paranormal suspense.

Sir... by LJ Langdale

Lydia Johnstone has spent her entire adult life orchestrating every interaction, manipulating every relationship, maintaining absolute dominance in every room she enters. The brilliant masters student in behavioral science knows exactly how to exploit weaknesses, and ensure she's always three steps ahead. It's how she's survived. It's how she's thrived. Then she meets Professor James Matthews. British. Brilliant. Utterly unbreakable. From their first confrontation in his behavioral science seminar, Lydia recognizes something she's never encountered before: a mind that matches hers, a will that cannot be bent, and eyes that see straight through every calculated defense she's constructed. Their collaboration on groundbreaking trauma research should be purely academic. Professional. Bounded by the rigid parameters that define every aspect of Matthews' controlled existence. But as late nights in his office blur into intellectual intimacy, as his methodical approach to understanding human behavior begins to transform how Lydia understands herself, the boundaries between professor and student, researcher and subject, begin to fracture. But this isn't a simple story of a student falling for her professor, nor a professor taking advantage of his student. SIR... is a dark academia romance that explores the psychology of power, the neuroscience of desire, and the profound intimacy that can exist when two people risk everything to be truly seen. It's about trauma and healing, control and surrender, the spaces between strength and vulnerability where genuine connection becomes possible. For readers who crave: Intelligent, psychologically complex characters Authentic D/s dynamics with emotional depth Dark academia settings with genuine intellectual discourse Slow-burn intensity that builds to devastating emotional intimacy Romance that challenges conventional power dynamics Stories where vulnerability is the ultimate act of courage

Arboriah Lux by Kathleen I. Lyons

In a world where social discourse and injustices destroy the world around it, only an Aster-Blood can correct it. In a field of dead flowers and tall grass, Lux awakens to a sky of cool gray and a white sun. As she journeys to the city of Obsiditourma, she's met with danger as well as friendship in those who save her life. As she's plagued by visions of another Aster-Blood -- the twin sister of a dhampir named Esilas, the one who saved her life -- she's called to solve the mysteries surrounding her: her sudden appearance, the death of Esilas' sister, and the imbalance that has caused poverty and discourse in the city of Obsiditourma. Lux must learn vital lessons in order to survive. Keep your nature hidden. Protect those who need it. And trust very few.

the promise before time by n morgan

Before the first dawn, a vow was spoken. Before the stars burned, a promise was broken. Now, as shadows fracture the heavens, two souls are drawn into a war older than memory. One carries the weight of a lineage erased from history. The other hides a truth that could unravel the fabric of existence itself. Bound by love, hunted by destiny, they must decide: Will they honor the promise before time… or surrender to the silence after it? For readers who crave cosmic fantasy, gothic romance, and thriller‑paced tension, The Promise Before Time is a haunting journey through fractured skies, forbidden vows, and the eternal cost of devotion.

Gamer: A futuristic techno-thriller by Belinda Crawford

Login to a gritty techno thriller from the acclaimed author of The Echo. Vlad - gamer, hacker, scourge... Angel of Death. Vlad's parents died in a car accident; she can still feel the flames licking her skin, smell the burning batteries and fire-retardant. Except it wasn't an accident, someone made it happen. She's has spent the last nine years tracking those responsible; planning, plotting. She's almost done. When the last move is over, her opponent will wish they never played with the Angel of Death. Get ready to jack in and play along as Crawford masterfully weaves a complex, action-packed tale of virtual reality and revenge.

ERASED: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Thriller by Sebastian Kilex

"A master at exploring memory, identity, and the boundaries of humanity in a dystopian landscape... cinematic writing, vivid imagery, and relentless drama." The fall should have killed Lucy. Instead, it broke her Skelyx—the implant that controls every human emotion and memory. Now she feels what she was never meant to feel. Remembers what was meant to stay buried. When her friend is abandoned in Cyclopia's wasteland for being "too human," Lucy uncovers a terrifying truth: being broken might be the only way to survive. But uncovering the truth about their world means infiltrating The Oracle, wearing the enemy's face—and making an impossible choice. That choice will determine the fate of two worlds. Is The Oracle already ruling our world?

Fractured Children of Earth by Michael V. Colianna

When a Deaf smuggler and her partner stumble upon a universe-wide conspiracy, getting humanity to understand the threat should be easier than achieving their dreams of having a child. Mary and her co-captain Davi are ready to retire and start a family. While smuggling’s been a profitable business, it’s also been filled with risk and uncertainty. They’re having trouble conceiving, though, so they have to keep going a little longer: The fertility procedures they need don’t come cheap. When a simple job inexplicably goes wrong, Mary gets shot and it throws their plans askew. But it’s not because they won’t get paid or even because the injury means more expensive treatments. It’s because Mary’s attackers are part of a fascist shadow government that’s dangerously close to bringing humanity under its thumb… and Davi recognizes them from the abusive childhood he fled. Mary and Davi want to warn humanity about what they’ve found, but their evidence is flimsy, they’re out of money, and other smugglers are hesitant to risk arrest for such an outlandish story. If they can’t convince anybody to help expose the plot and fight back, there might not be a free universe for anyone to live in—let alone for them to start the family they desperately desire. For fans of the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers, the Expanse series by James S. A. Corey, and the Andor television show.

Game Over by Shelly Jones

Wren Winters and her friends road trip to an annual gaming convention anticipating a fun getaway, not danger and a dead body. It’s been two years since game store owner Wren Winters’ husband died in a mysterious road accident, and she finally feels ready to attend the industry’s biggest gathering. She’s a little spooked because the event was where her husband had sent her a final text claiming he’d discovered something unexpected, but Wren is determined to push aside her doubts, purchase new games for her store and have fun. Instead, she and her gaming group stumble onto a famous cosplayer strangled with her own lanyard, and the police are side-eyeing Wren. Then the threats begin, and Wren uncovers a new lead on her husband’s death. Surely, she can piece together what happened to Marcus at this very convention, despite the danger lurking around every corner. But the clock is ticking to solve the murder before weekend ends, when all the suspects will scatter like pieces swept off a board. Will she be able to trap a murderer before she becomes another victim?

Lagoon: A Short Story by Kurt Barlow

Who doesn’t dream of a vacation along the world’s most beautiful shores? This story dives into how the sea itself can turn into a nightmare. If your train ride feels endless, if you’ve got an hour to kill at the office, or if you just need to unplug after a long day and feel that cold shiver down your spine, Lagoon is here to feed your fear.

Shadows In The Mirror by Abagail Brown

Mistie escaped a past she'd mostly forgotten. No one would go looking for her buried past if she lived up to her dreams. Or so she believed. Smoky tendrils wrapped the horrors she couldn't quite remember. Flickering shadows crept through the mirror to bring her past to her present. Nightmare generational abuse on a scale she never imagined. Never knew she had been part of. Didn't want in her past. Or her future. Secrets are twin sisters. Whether fraternal, or identical, depends on the shadows dancing in the mirror. Like mother, like daughter, Goddess of the moon, Selene watches over us, Leaving Helen to carry on her task. Patricia, Quin, and Eleanor, Must find the missing ones, To bring Selene's dream to pass. The daughters returned - Mistie, and another Patricia, Home together, at last.

Echo by M.J. Douglas

Uncover terrifying secrets about humanity’s past! Experience a mind-bending adventure where The Matrix collides with Ready Player One in this gripping, fast-paced thriller. Meet Trick, a daring gamer, and his loyal second-in-command, Pik, as they dive into Infestation, an alien horror survival game. With Trick's reckless gamble leaving chaos, Pik must navigate the fallout. Join the crew of Echoes as they race to rescue their leader and uncover the secrets behind a mysterious stowaway. Can they conquer the game? Who's pulling the strings in their reality? And what role does Trick play in this high-stakes ordeal? Unravel the mysteries in this thrilling sci-fi gamelit tale!

Transcendence by Matthew Nation

One year after the fall of America, Dylan Meyers finds himself the second most powerful person in New Genesis. In name only. The people love him, and that just might be his end. With an assassin on his trail, he can't trust anyone, not even the ones he loves. With war just around the corner, he's forced to choose between what he wants and what he needs. Either way, many will die. He must overcome his regrets and failures, in order to not just survive, but to win. It's God's Will.

Malevolence by Matthew Nation

America has fallen. From its ashes has risen New Genesis, a theocratic government where the only law that matters is God’s law. Dylan Meyers finds himself kidnapped by the ruler of New Genesis, Evelyn Wolfe, and he is ordered to repent for his sinful ways. Dylan is forced into conversion therapy and pushed to his mental and physical breaking point. He must find a way to save himself before he becomes the very thing he is fighting against.

Token of a Wolf by Cara Blaine

What if the big, bad wolf wasn't actually the villain? What if Little Red found herself allying with him... And even falling for him? Roux Torres just wants answers after her elderly neighbor vanishes without a trace. But when her search draws the attention of a vigilante known only as the Wolf, she’s thrust into a world of blood magic, justice, and buried secrets. The Wolf is a shapeshifter hunting the secret society responsible for abducting his closest ally. Protecting Roux should be a distraction, but when he discovers she might be their next target, watching from the shadows is no longer enough. As stalkers close in and trust turns to fire, Roux and the Wolf must decide which is more dangerous: the hunters in the dark, or the pull between them. Magic. Murder. And a romance that bites back. Token of a Wolf is the first book in the Venandi Venator series, a dark urban romantic fantasy perfect for fans of slow-burn tension, supernatural intrigue, and sharp-tongued heroines who refuse to be saved. Expect danger, desire, and a vigilante romance that howls long after the last page.

CTRL-Z: Welcome to the zombie apocalypse...on repeat by Iain Benson

Welcome to the apocalypse. On repeat. On any given day, millions of people are in London. Now they’ve gone. But they’re still hungry, and these dead don’t walk… they run. At moonrise, London reboots: sirens, smoke, sprinting dead. Parkour-hardened survivor Zane survives by motion, flying from roof to roof, balcony to bus. He wakes every day beside his former friend, forcing a last-second swan dive off Tower Bridge for breakfast. Death isn’t an exit; it’s a restart. Zane hunts for the cause, a way out, five lifetimes of searching. His only clue, a flash across the financial district. Until one day, a bedsheet hanging from the Tower of London sends him to the Sky Garden to meet Nina. He measures days in rooftops and near-misses; she measures them in the things time refuses to delete. Together, they face a crumbling London, unravelling time, and intersecting only once every five days. With Nina at his side, Zane will stop running and start fighting back, Even if it risks time itself. CTRL-Z is a breathless and gory daily apocalypse with gallows humour and zombies. Run. Reset. Repeat. Remember.

A String of Fate in the Darkness by Azzie Drauch

It had been three long years since Lilliana St. James vanished without a trace and Persephone had nearly resigned herself to the heart-wrenching reality that she might never see her best friend again. But, just as her last flicker of hope was about to extinguish, Lilliana was found. Not by any ordinary being, but by the one god Persephone's mother had warned her to avoid at all costs. Hades, the enigmatic God of the Dead. Determined to uncover the truth behind her best friend's disappearance, the Goddess of Spring decides to throw caution to the wind. She seeks out Hades, the one being in all the realms that may be able to help her stop other mortals from going missing. Driven by his own desires to solve the case, Hades proposes a daring plan; Persephone will go undercover as his favored mortal to lure out the culprits behind the kidnappings. But as they dive deeper into the case, the proximity between Persephone and Hades ignites a forbidden attraction. Hades, despite his stoic nature, finds himself captivated by Persephone's strength and determination. The tension between them sizzles as they navigate the dangerous waters of their new found feelings. Every moment they spend undercover bring them closer, the lines between their ruse and reality quickly blurring. But with that closeness comes a target painted on Persephone's back. Will Hades protect her from the rising threat, or will their fate unravel as the darkness threatens to consume them?

Tobais Halson: Werewolf Hunter by John Evans

obias Halson is back, and this time, the city of Philadelphia is the hunting ground for a monstrous serial killer. Tobias must track down an enemy who looks almost completely normal, except werewolves are anything but human, and all while teaching two new apprentice Hunters. Did he mention dealing with an annoying wizard and juggling his love life with Detective Benson?

Tobais Halson: Vampire Hunter by John Evans

Tobias Halson, a young paranormal hunter, is charged with protecting the city of Philadelphia from the undead creatures of the night. A corporate board member is thrown out of an office building showing signs of vampire attack, and Tobias is called in to investigate. But he soon realizes he’s out of his element, lost in a world of white collar politics and water cooler plots. With the innocence of a young woman in danger, it’s a race against time to find the killer, preferably before Tobias ends up the next victim.

Blue Shift Protocol by I.O. Adler

In the coldest reaches of Jupiter’s orbit, the mining vessel Nightingale intercepts an incoming asteroid—hollowed, shaped, and unmistakably touched by human hands. To the crew, it’s an unexpected find raising many questions as they prepare to bring their prize back to Nexus Station. To Trenton Keller, the ship’s mechanic, it’s something else entirely. As the miners work to haul the rock home, clues to the object’s history begin to surface, linking the asteroid to a classified experiment buried in their colony’s past. And when the mission turns deadly, it falls to Trenton to uncover the truth before the artifact claims more lives and threatens to tear the crew apart. Blue Shift Protocolis a chilling blend of hard sci-fi with horror elements set against the unforgiving backdrop of a struggling human colony in Jupiter's orbit. It will appeal to fans of The Expanse, Event Horizon, and The Martian. Dive into the mystery today!

Augmosis: The new technothriller by Steven Tye

AI, AR and the Metaverse. Today's technology has become humanity's saviour, as well as its master. Augmosis an original techno-thriller, set in a world where reality is no longer absolute. Humanity has forgotten the disaster that destroyed the world. Now confined to a network of underground cities, their bland reality has been concealed through augmented reality. Technology integrated into the eyes and ears masks and improves the way each person views their world. Everything, from a person’s appearance to the city's architecture, has been re-sculpted. Virtual projections hide what is beneath and empower each person to project a perfect version of themselves to the world around them. Even telepresence robots: remotely piloted personal avatars, have their appearance masked by their pilot’s projection. But in this seemingly perfect society, several murders lead Detective Hal Briggs, an outcast in his department, from unexplained anomalies to conspiracy, with the unpopular consequences likely to rock the society to its core. At the same time, sculptor Carli Dawes faces a crisis of purpose when she discovers that the Collective seems to be actively pushing back against some of the freedoms she holds dear and that fighting for those freedoms will come at great personal cost. Augmosis is the debut Science Fiction Thriller series by Steven Tye.

ab initio: a novel by Jacob Terracina

Raza Mugabi, a biologist turned software engineer, is not sure why this particular tech startup hired him. His track record is far from stellar. In fact, he’s not certain what the company ultimately even does. Sometimes it’s better to keep your head down and your mouth shut, he figures. At least, until his curiosity gets the better of him. Eight years later, Raza finds himself as a defendant and key technical witness in a high-profile court case. A world-class prosecutor and a woefully inexperienced defense attorney go head-to-head against each other, their clients, and their consciences in an effort to answer the question on everyone’s mind: Is the startup’s invention, legally speaking, human? The arguments leap between the technical, political, ethical, and philosophical consequences of the decision, and as the trial progresses, the many, many secrets of the startup are laid bare in this hilarious cross-genre thrill-ride.

Once We Were Stardust by Gareth Lewis

Who printed the gun isn’t an interesting mystery. Whether they also printed the assassin, however... The technology to print any resource saved the future. Their material needs met, jobs are optional, and life is peaceful. Until that peace is threatened by a series of shootings in a city where guns are illegal – by a killer who might have recycled themselves afterwards. To detective, Ceri, they offer more mystery than most crimes – and excuse her lack of diplomacy with idiots. Distraction from the mundanity of life is less attractive as the danger grows, and by the time she realises the victims were killed because of what they might know, Ceri knows too much. Can she outwit the assassin on her tail, and uncover a secret at the heart of printer technology?

Hotel Murder by Gareth Lewis

A group of strangers win invites to a hotel on a remote island paradise, most of them unaware they’re entertainment for a serial killer reality show live-streamed on the dark web. Judith hoped a holiday with her husband and son would be good for them. But surviving might be as much about facing the truth of their life as it is avoiding killers. Social media influencer, Caty, hoped for content, not a grudge from a former colleague that lands her on an island hell without wi-fi. Also with killers, but at least if there was wi-fi she’d get content out of it. If it’s real, and not a hoax. Isolated from the outside world and unsure who to trust, the vacation becomes a fight for survival, with no guarantee of salvation at the end of it.

Visitor by John Triptych, Michel Lamontagne

The ultimate secrets of the universe awaits those who dare to risk everything. Years have passed since Earth encountered its first known interstellar object: Oumuamua. Now an even larger one has been discovered, following the exact same trajectory as its predecessor. Scientists around the world theorize that this can no longer be passed off as mere coincidence—the new contact must be an artificial construct of some kind. With an ambitious plan to build a spacecraft and attempt a manned landing, a crew is formed. Disgraced astronaut Cassie Voges hopes to get selected for one last chance at redemption. Maverick billionaire Toby Merckx wants to beat his rivals to the extraordinary secrets he believes the object may unlock. And its controversial discoverer, Charles Hudson, seeks to escape his past and be remembered for something better. What they find will change humanity forever. Combining hard-edged, scientific realism with thrilling action and the mysteries of the unknown, this epic novel is suitable for fans of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Rendezvous with Rama.

The Clearing by Dani Ripley

Imagine dying in a mass shooting, only to wake up on the other side right next to the person who put you there… When Alice Wheaton meets her untimely end in a mass shooting along with five other strangers, she's shocked to awaken moments later in a beautiful meadow surrounded by a lush green forest. One by one, the other victims wake nearby, and as they gather, they're horrified to discover one of them is the very teenaged killer who put them there in the first place. And worse—they must now agree to engage in a quest together in order to wrap up the loose ends of their lives. Former cop and FBI profiler Roz Cooper is hired to consult on the case that's stunned the residents of Crescent Moon Bay along with the entire country. Digging into the killer's history, Roz uncovers an even older mystery of a woman gone missing nearly a decade before, and it soon becomes clear that her disappearance is deeply intertwined with both the shooter and the shooting. Even though it's not what she was hired for, Roz finds herself drawn to uncovering answers about the missing woman—to the point of dangerous obsession. Will she risk everything she loves in order to solve the mystery of what really happened to Inez Blackbird White? And how it all relates to Inez's teenage son murdering six innocent people eight years later?

Where Dark Things Rise by Andrew K. Clark

Sixteen-year-old Mina is frustrated by Daddy’s drinking, her mom’s fanatical religious beliefs, and growing up poor in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Most of her teachers assume she won’t amount to much despite her 4.0 GPA, and the country club guys think she’s easy prey. But they don’t know Mina’s dark secret: She can control a magical force of supernatural creatures known as the Shadow Faces. Mina doesn’t want powers. All she wants to do is escape the trailer park for a leafy college campus far away. But when her crush, Gabe, is stalked by a shapeshifting preacher/wolf, Mina learns to use her powers to protect him. Mina soon discovers the same preacher is trafficking teens for a mystical brothel and has kidnapped her best friend, Erin, after a failed attempt at conversion therapy. Can Mina use the Shadow Faces to save Erin and the other kids without losing her chance at a normal life?

The Black Carnival by Harlequin Grim

The year is 1886 in New Sarum, England, and Atherton Graves only knows a life surrounded by corpses. Amidst a rash of child deaths, he alone suspects they are the product of murder. At least, that’s what the ghosts in his mortuary tell him. But there’s hardly time to hunt the killer; Atherton has just sold a cadaver to a spiritualist at the notorious Black Carnival, and the town gang known as the Disciples is not going to take that lightly. Caught between a serial killer, a circus bursting with foul characters, and his spiraling madness amongst the restless dead, Atherton will undoubtedly become the villain of his own story. The question remains: who, if any, will be unscathed by the rampant destruction he’s invited?

You Would Have Done It Too by Heather Chambers

You know things are bad when you wished your only concern was sleepwalking off a balcony straight into a killer’s knife. Felix's college life is already a mess— failing classes, hiding his gay crush on his best friend, and keeping his bullies from discovering he dances with pizza boxes in his sleep. But now, those same bullies are dropping like flies, and contrary to campus opinion and the damning blood in his bathroom, Felix didn't do it. As the body count rises, someone seems to be shadowing his every move. If he says the wrong thing, trusts the wrong person, he might not be the only one who won't make it to graduation. Is someone framing him to make him their last victim, or are they trying to protect him from something even worse? Discover the chilling twists in You Would Have Done It Too—where survival means questioning everyone, including yourself

Time Hack: A Near-Future Science Fiction Mystery Novel by Marianne Pickles

The award-winning sequel to Artificial Selection. What if you could have more hours in the day? ArkTech’s forty-year anniversary is almost here, but Charlotte Vance has bigger things on her mind. She’s determined to protect her home and her best friend, Ben. That means stopping ArkTech’s curious AI from glitching – once and for all. When Ben wants to know why a young man is braving a violent storm, Charlotte follows a trail that leads to a strange new technology. It trades in the most valuable currency of all: time. But Charlotte soon finds herself in a race against the clock. A missing person case pulls her deeper into the mystery – and towards a chilling possibility… Could Ben’s time be running out? A glitching AI, a streetwise investigator, and a conspiracy theorist step into a temporal anomaly… but will this punchline be Ben's last? Time Hack is fun, gripping, and thought-provoking – a clever and insightful mystery for anyone who’s ever wished they had more time. What Readers Are Saying… “This is going to sound like hyperbole, but I assure you it's not: this is one of my favorite books I've read. Ever.” “A really fun but still intellectually satisfying sci-fi book about an AI-human best friend relationship and navigating a post climate crisis world.” “The story is witty and thought-provoking, funny but poignant, with sky-high stakes.” “An easy read, humorous and gripping. Even if you don't like sci-fi, you would enjoy this book.” “Loved it. Masterful storytelling and world-building, with profound societal questions. J Michael Straczynski, Terry Pratchett and Margaret Atwood all come to mind.”

Ashen Light by Ian Young

His coworkers are idiots, his boss is a by-the-books hardass, and the company he works for is the largest in the world, which couldn’t care less about him. Beck is a Human Resources Investigator, and while other investigators are solving high-profile crimes for Synthetic Corporation, he deals with malfunctioning automata. But when a murder case falls into his lap, Beck sees a rare opportunity to prove himself to his boss and former colleague Katherine Hegra, even if it means betraying her and the entire HR department. Yet as Beck digs deeper into the case and into the inner workings of SynthCorp, he finds himself confronting secrets about the company and his own past—secrets that might affect not only his career, but the fate of humanity itself… Forgotten memories, synthetic foods, interstellar spacecraft, radio transmissions from Venus—Beck must deal with all of these in the new novel by Ian Young.

A Violent Man by Ed Robins

“All I wanted was to put my past behind me, but another little girl is dead and my ex has accused my not-quite-boss of being a serial killer. The rub is I already put that psycho to death with my own hands. Or could be I killed an innocent man. “I’ve spent a lifetime hiding behind sarcasm when I could; violence when it was available. Drinking and bleeding away a whole lotta bad. Gonna have to confront it all, including how I lost the love of my life, in order to find a murdering psychopath stalking the corridors of the Starship Australis. And, maybe, I’ll find out just what kinda man I really am.” Inspired by the hardboiled grit of Mickey Spillane and the concision of Elmore Leonard, A Violent Man is a sci-fi / mystery mash-up devised in the best traditions of the dime store paperback. It is the third in the Starship Australis Mysteries series, itself part of the 10 Cent Universe – a genre-bending macrocosm. This story contains adult language, content and themes.

Murders in the Gray by Ed Robins

“All I wanted was to make time with the sensuous Jesse Alderman, but cantankerous Jazz had been accused of murder. Just some girl I’d met once. Still, sometimes you know an innocent face when you see one. Too bad no one will listen to me – not even my best friend. “But when the consort of a royal is murdered under similar circumstances, suddenly everyone is all ears. Now the Earls who run the Starship Australis expect me to sort the damned thing out! And I’ve managed to piss off a group of vigilantes who seem to have only one thing in mind: making me dead." Inspired by the hardboiled grit of Mickey Spillane and the brevity of Elmore Leonard, Murders in the Gray is a sci-fi / mystery mash-up devised in the best traditions of the dime store paperback. It is the second in the Starship Australis Mysteries series, itself part of the 10 Cent Universe – a genre-bending macrocosm. This story contains adult language, content and themes.

The Mardi Gras Murders by Mark Peters

Set against the vibrant and volatile backdrop of Sydney's Mardi Gras, The Mardi Gras Murders follows Detective Sergeant Helen Wheeler — "Hell on Wheels" to her squad — and her young partner, Detective Constable Rick Cooper, a rising star with secrets of his own. When a street kid turns up battered and terrified, the pair uncover a network of exploitation and violence that stretches from Darlinghurst's neon-lit alleys to the city's corridors of power. But as the city prepares for its biggest celebration of pride and defiance, old ghosts return — and Rick's private life threatens to collide with his professional one. A gripping, character-driven mystery about courage, prejudice, and belonging, The Mardi Gras Murders blends crime, compassion, and the heart of Sydney itself. Perfect for fans of Katherine Howell, Marele Day, and Michael Connelly — and anyone who loves a good detective story with a queer heart.

A Magick Tale: The Hunters' Journey by David W Vincent

When Prine Hunters Earnan and Ranya take in a mundane missing person case involving the son of Sentinel's Watch's mayor, the pair of life-long friends soon discover it's anything but. Now dealing with an Ethereal's curse, Witch and Familiar must take on the hunt of their lives. Without the support of The Coven, they begin to question everything that they've been taught about their world. As Earnan is faced with the ultimate choice, will he overcome the fears of his past and become the man Ranya always knew him to be? After Witnessing first-hand that not all creatures are monsters, will Ranya be able to see beyond her teachings and shed the precious beliefs that she holds as unshakable truths? With new discoveries laid. Are, can the Hunters find the strength within themselves, and each other, to survive the storm that's forming on the horizon?

May I Exist? Pending Review by Asium Hesidros & Erika Kukkar

May I Exist? Pending Review is a dystopian elegy for a society strangled by aristocratic control and bureaucratic obedience. In a state governed by an aristocratic council of oligarchs, power is a birthright, and life is a ledger. The elite rule from above, unquestioned and untouched, while the working class toils in silence below, stripped of private property and personal freedom. Here, permission replaces autonomy. Every act, from taking a tram to boiling water is taxed in Credits, the regime’s unforgiving currency. Existence itself is a transaction. The system runs on bureaucracy so intricate it chokes. Housing is privately owned by corporate landlords contracted by the state. Wristbands blink orders, and penalties are posed. May I Exist? Pending Review is a haunting portrait of a society ruled by aristocratic democracy and totalitarian bureaucracy, a story not just of class descent, but of the silent war between endurance and falling prey.

Hazelnuts and Homicide by N.E. Carlisle

When a food and fiction dinner ends in disaster, bookstore owner Bonne Annee finds herself in a recipe for murder. In the quirky coastal town of Hazelton, Oregon, Annee's literary supper clubs combine novels, recipes, and community spirit—until one tragic evening turns her latest event into a crime scene. Determined to clear her name, she dives into a tangled web of tampered ingredients, small-town secrets, and holiday rivalries that could ruin more than her business. With her loyal Bernedoodle Oscar and a cast of warmhearted friends, Annee must solve the mystery before Hazelton’s first Christmas market—and her reputation—are completely cooked. Hazelnuts and Homicide is a heartwarming holiday cozy mystery filled with culinary intrigue, friendship, and small-town charm—perfect for fans of culinary cozies, amateur sleuths, and bookshop mysteries with recipes. Murder’s on the menu at Hazelton’s coziest bookshop.

Halfborn by Soleil Daniels

It should have been simple. Easy. She had done it a thousand times. A flick of the pocketknife. A slice from the blade. A trickle of hot blood on her tongue. Filling her mouth. That is how it should have been. Instinctually, it was both . . . Oh, so simple as she pounced on the man across the room from her . . . and unbelievably easy as her teeth sliced into the side of his neck. But it was different. Animalistic. And that bite would change Coral’s life . . . Forever. Note: Halfborn is for mature readers only. It contains violent and sexual content. These are not vamps for the kiddos. They bite, kill, and do very adult and monstrous things.

Chivalry Will Get You Dead by Ed Robins

“All I wanted was to drink until I couldn’t remember Madelyn anymore, but a former detective can’t ignore a murdered dame in his compartment. Why would someone kill such a beauty and why’d they choose me to take the fall? "It'll be generations before the Starship Australis reaches Tau Ceti, but I only have days to clear my own name. To find the killer, I'll have to dive into the ship's seedy underworld of prostitutes, dealers, assassins and one seriously pissed off crime boss. Then, once it's over, maybe I can make time with my gorgeous bartender, or at least get back to drinking enough to forget what a mess my life’s become.” Inspired by the hardboiled grit of Mickey Spillane and the concision of Elmore Leonard, Chivalry Will Get You Dead is a sci-fi / mystery mash-up devised in the best traditions of the dime store paperback. It is the first in the Murder on the Starship Australis series, itself part of the 10 Cent Universe – a genre-bending macrocosm. This book contains adult language, themes and content.

Practical Potions and Professional Courtesy by Wren Jones

Sella's life is finally coming together. Her cozy coastal town, Marra, has embraced the quirky charm of her shop and her sarcastic feline familiar. She's been busy fine-tuning her enchanted coffee blends, brewing up cups filled with "compassion" and "inspiration," all while navigating her blossoming romance with Cali—the ghost who never seems to let being dead steal her smile. As Sella starts to savor the quiet life, a last-minute venue change brings a bustling festival to their sleepy streets, turning her serene days upside down and flooding the town with eccentric tourists. Among them? A society of shifters. And her old rival, another kitchen witch, who’s determined to open a competing shop and put Sella out of business. Things heat up when the festival's famous Golden Ladle goes missing, sending Marra spiraling into gossip and suspicion. Now, it’s up to Sella and Cali to uncover the mystery before the town’s reputation is tarnished forever. Everyone’s a suspect. And in need of their own special blend.

The Assassin's Alliance by Libby Webber

She won’t stop until she gets what was stolen from her—her freedom. Her future. Her legacy. Her vengeance. Maureen McCall thought she was free, convinced a faked death, a new name, and a life in the shadows would keep her out of the black ops world for good. She was wrong. When the Underworld comes looking for answers and her aunt is murdered, Maureen is pulled back into the deadly world she fought to escape. Now, under the watchful eye of the Legacy—a secret society of assassins sworn to protect the country—she must spy on the family that cast her out. But her new home isn’t safe either. Elijah Wayward, the son of the Senior Assassin, sees her as a threat. And when Maureen uncovers his plans to dismantle the Legacy and rebuild it into a pay-for-hire empire, she becomes his number one target. Torture, heartbreak, and impossible choices follow as she fights to stop him before there’s nothing left to save. But she can’t do it alone. The Legacy was built on sacrifice, but to outmatch Elijah, she’ll need something forged in vengeance—an Alliance. If she can survive long enough to see it rise. This prequel will bing you back to where the Alliance started, and what caused such a rift in the Legacy to break it into three sects of assassins. Action-packed meets emotional depth in this book, you will not want to miss out.

The Assassin's Storm by Libby Webber

Mourn the dead. Bury the guilty. Take the fucking crown. Opening the Legacy Inc vault was supposed to solve all of their problems, but the hit list is still live, StormLink is down, and Mason just declared war on the Syndicate. To stay alive, Kat must work in the shadows to find Mike Barnes--the last known programmer to work on StormLink. But her enemies have other ideas, baiting her out of hiding by capturing Shay from her West Indies compound and snatching her sister—who is still on the brink of death. Kat races against her enemies, her ghosts, and her own self-doubt to lead and save the people she loves. But reclaiming her title as Senior Assassin has become more than a personal vendetta—it’s now a fight for survival.