Bøker av Carolyn Arnold

Moonlight dances across her bare skin, and a shooting star flies across the sky. And while the young woman's eyes are open and facing upward, they no longer see anything... Detective Madison Knight is about to get married when detectives from a neighboring city storm the wedding and arrest her fiancé, Troy Matthews. He's being charged for the murder of his childhood friend Dylan Graham, recently shot to death in his home. But the motive dates back to a fateful night from twenty-four years ago when seventeen-year-old Emily Kane was raped and strangled at a beach party. Police claim that Dylan had plans to expose Troy for the crime even though another friend was convicted for it and sent to prison for twenty-four years. With that friend recently released, Madison suspects that he may be framing Troy to take the fall, some sort of vengeance for not saving him from going to prison. But when he also turns up murdered, Troy again becomes the prime suspect. With evidence mounting against him, Madison is determined to prove her fiancé is innocent, but what troubles her the most is that all of Troy's friends from that time are being picked off one by one. That means Troy might be the killer's next target, but it's not just his life on the line when she discovers the twisted killer is stalking her. This addictive heart-pounding crime thriller is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan, and Leslie Wolfe. Readers love Madison Knight! "Madison Knight is a true renaissance woman-sharp, talented, and unbeatable."-K.J. Howe, bestselling author of Skyjack "Madison is particularly headstrong and gung ho, and this makes for exciting fiction..." -Literary Flits "Madison Knight is a tough detective, who will let nothing stand in her way to find the guilty." -The Reading Café "Madison Knight is an intriguing protagonist. She's independent, strong, capable, intelligent, and overall, a very realistic character." -I Heart Reading "Madison's character is extremely well-written and realistic. She encompasses what all women should strive to become-an independent thinker, strong-willed, dedicated, and hardworking." -Lynchburg Mama "Madison is an excellently crafted persona who isn't flawless or ideal. She makes mistakes, she regrets making those mistakes, and tries her best to correct them." -Fanna

She wakes surrounded by an inky black darkness and can barely breathe. A sack is covering her head, and her hands are tied behind her back. She desperately tries to struggle free as she hears footsteps walking toward her. She silently starts to cry as a chilling voice whispers "It's time to pay for what you did..." When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the murder scene of a young gas station clerk just before dawn, she assumes it must be a robbery gone tragically wrong. But when she discovers nothing has been stolen, she knows the motive must be far more personal. Watching the security footage, Amanda is shocked to witness the cold-blooded killer not only shoot the clerk dead but abduct a customer. And her heart stops when she recognizes the customer as her former colleague, Katherine Graves. As Amanda breaks the news to Katherine's heartbroken Aunt May, she vows to do whatever it takes to bring her niece home alive. Desperate for a lead, Amanda and her partner, Trent, search Katherine's home. Soon, they discover that despite no longer being with the police department, Katherine has a long list of very dangerous enemies. Enemies who have been sending her anonymous letters promising revenge. The more Amanda digs into Katherine's past, the longer her list of suspects becomes. But when May is sent a ransom demand and a picture of Katherine close to death, Amanda knows time is running out. With only hours left to find Katherine alive, Amanda is prepared to risk everything to keep her promise to May, even her own life... A completely pulse-pounding and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: "OMG YES. This was an amazing book... I couldn't put it down... Best book I read this year." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿

The glow from the fireplace throws an eerie light over the woman's carefully arranged body, her lifeless eyes reflecting the flames that slowly burn the evidence of who did this to her... When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the brutal murder scene of successful local author Felicity Kelley, her blood runs cold. Because Amanda not only knew the victim, but was the last person Felicity called moments before she was murdered. Plagued with guilt that she never answered, Amanda is left wondering whether she could have prevented the murder, and vows to catch the killer, no matter what. Desperately searching the crime scene for clues, Amanda is shocked when she discovers a Queen of Hearts playing card, suggesting the murder could be an imitation of a scene from Felicity's bestselling crime novel. Terrified that she is dealing with a crazed fan who could strike again, Amanda's worst fears are confirmed when another innocent woman is viciously murdered, with the same chilling calling card left behind. But when Amanda connects the murders with a cold case from fifteen years ago, a case that Felicity appears to have been researching for her next novel, she is forced to question if the killer's motive is even more sinister than she first suspected. But the closer Amanda gets to unearthing this motive, the closer she gets to becoming the next victim...A completely pulse-pounding and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: "OMG YES. This was an amazing book... I couldn't put it down... Best book I read this year." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿"If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "I already can't wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning... The mystery is full of action and twists. I absolutely did not see that ending coming." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿

Music from the busy dancefloor echoes into the deserted room where the Prom Queen lies deadly still. A tiara rests on her soft blonde curls, but her face is frozen with fear, and her painted red lips are forever sealed shut in a silenced scream... When Detective Amanda Steele's niece, Ava, begs her to look for a missing schoolfriend, she immediately agrees to take on the case. Eighteen-year-old Reese left home three nights ago after fighting with her mother and hasn't been seen since. But when the teenager's body is discovered brutally murdered, poised dramatically at the prom venue, Amanda is devastated she didn't save the girl in time. Haunted by the scene, Amanda dives headfirst into the case. Chasing every lead, she is horrified when she discovers a potential key witness strangled in her own home. It soon becomes clear that the killer will stop at nothing to silence anyone who might reveal their identity. So when Ava mentions she saw someone acting strangely at the prom venue that night, Amanda's heart stops. And when Amanda's worst nightmare comes true, and her beloved niece is taken, she knows that every second counts to uncover this twisted killer's identity and bring Ava home safely. But can she crack the secrets of this killer's deadly game before it's too late? A completely pulse-pounding and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: "OMG YES. This was an amazing book... I couldn't put it down... Best book I read this year." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿"My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿"If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿"I already can't wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning... The mystery is full of action and twists. I absolutely did not see that ending coming." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿

Sara Cain isn't your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and... sleuth by night? Just as long as there's enough coffee to keep her going... When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer's block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara's mother-and she expects Sara to prove the woman's innocence. A tall order, as the case isn't officially hers and belongs to a rival detective. But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover-and off the clock-in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It's not all bad, though, as she's taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they've ever been split, and they're not amateurs at finding killers. Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk. A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.

Faint sunlight dapples the two figures lying on the ground. The mother cradles her daughter close to her side, a stuffed toy elephant next to them. Leaves from the tall trees fall onto their faces, but neither moves to brush them off. When a dog walker in a local Virginia park finds the bodies of a mother and daughter, Detective Amanda Steele is first on the scene. Her own daughter has a toy just like the girl's elephant and seeing the child like this is her worst nightmare come true. Heartbroken, she vows to get justice. They quickly get an ID-Jill Archer and six-year-old Charlotte were reported missing last week, but interviewing Jill's husband, Roy, Amanda's gut tells her he is hiding something. When the autopsy reveals a terrible pattern of bruises, she's certain that a domestic argument escalated out of control, and tiny Charlotte got caught in the crossfire. But just as Amanda is about to arrest Roy, another grave is found, containing another mother and daughter. Desperate for a lead, she goes to every place the women could have been targeted, and learns from a concerned ER nurse about Leanne Reilly and her young daughter, Gracie, who haven't been heard from in a week. Amanda hopes that Leanne has simply left her deadbeat husband, but she's gripped by the fear that they are the killer's latest victims. Now every second counts for Amanda to find the family and stop a little girl's nightmare before it ends in tragedy... A totally compulsive and gripping crime thriller. The next unputdownable read for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: "OMG YES. This was an amazing book... I couldn't put it down... Best book I read this year." Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿"My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!" Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿"If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!" Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿"I already can't wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning... The mystery is full of action and twists. I absolutely did not see that ending coming." Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿

The moon shines through the open window, bathing the woman in pale light. Blood-red wine from a shattered glass soaks into the cream blanket beside her, and her dull eyes stare vacantly at the framed photograph in her hand. When beautiful wife and mother Alicia Gordon is found dead in a remote woodland cabin, Detective Amanda Steele is shocked to discover that she knows the husband. Amanda hasn't spoken to Tony since she lost the love of her own life seven years ago, and seeing tragedy tearing her old friend's family apart brings back so many painful memories. Alicia was alone when she died, but she was so young, and Amanda can't help feeling suspicious. Then she discovers that Alicia's sleep medication had been tampered with, slowly poisoning her over several days. Amanda wants to trust that the sorrow on Tony's face is real, but the more she digs into his marriage, the more it seems that he had opportunity, and motive... Interviewing one of Alicia's old colleagues, Amanda is shaken to her core when the woman suddenly collapses in her arms, dying in seconds from a lethal dose of the same poison that killed Alicia. But what could link this woman to Tony? With her partner blaming Amanda for not arresting Tony immediately, she needs to prove that he isn't the killer, or accept that the second woman's death could be on her hands. She's running out of time and leads when she discovers threatening messages sent to both victims. It's the final clue to unmasking the most twisted killer Amanda has ever come up against, and to stop them she'll have to risk everything... A heart-pounding crime thriller perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: "OMG YES. This was an amazing book... I couldn't put it down... Best book I read this year." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "What a great book! I read it in one day and had so many twists and turns I never saw the ending coming!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!" Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "I already can't wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning... The mystery is full of action and twists. I absolutely did not see that ending coming." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "I ended up devouring the entire book in just one sitting... I was completely pulled into this one and found myself completely unable to put this down." Little Miss Book Lover 87 ¿¿¿¿¿ "Wow! Could not put this down. So many twists and surprises." Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!" NetGalley reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿ "I LOVED this book... That ending, phew I didn't see that coming at all!!!" NetGalley reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿

Detective Madison Knight should have ignored her phone when it rang on Christmas Eve. Now she is spending her holiday dealing with her least favorite thing: a bloody murder scene. Claire Reeves had it all--looks, sex appeal, and business savvy. But it seems that one of those things has caught up with her. Now, Madison and her partner are digging through the victim's personal life, but the more they dig, the more people they find who had motive to kill her. All the while, Madison is battling with a touch of the holiday blues, and the man she's dating isn't making things any easier. With the status of their relationship up in the air, it's affecting her focus on the investigation. And if that wasn't enough, tack on being the only female detective in the Major Crimes division and reporting to a sergeant who thinks less of her because she is a woman. Not that he'd say so in as many words. But despite the odds, Madison is determined to prove herself by finding Claire's killer and, more importantly, making sure justice is served.

Hot flashes in my forties? Expected. Waking up psychic? Not in my wildest dreams. My name is Erin Stone. I'm forty-three with a daughter away at college and a successful career as a communications officer with the 911 dispatch center for the Toronto Police Service. My life had just returned to a new normal after my divorce and everything was going along smoothly. Then BOOM! Turns out the universe had other plans for me. I dreamed of a plane crash-only it wasn't just a dream. The crash happened in real life. Eighty-three dead. A vision, plain and simple. Not exactly. My family certainly wouldn't understand. And me...psychic? I'd dabbled in new-age spirituality in the past but never plunged into the deep end. Now I'm in over my head. Why was I given this vision, and does it hold clues as to what caused the crash? My best friend, Trish, is convinced it does, and a handsome stranger with the National Transportation Safety Board is willing to partner with me to solve the mystery. But if I'm going to embrace the vision as telling of newfound psychic abilities, I will need to keep my paranormal gift a secret from my daughter, brother, and aunt. Little good that might do them though. Someone out there has their own secrets and is willing to go to great lengths to protect them. Now the very gift I was given has put the lives of my loved ones at risk. Will my psychic abilities be strong enough to save them? This work of paranormal women's fiction features a strong-willed heroine in her forties with enough baggage to check some, along with a heavy dose of magic and a splash of romance. Readers love Midlife Psychic: "What a heart-pounding good story. I was totally drawn in and couldn't put the book down." ~ Goodreads Review, ¿¿¿¿¿ "Had me on the edge of my seat with mystery, giggling with a hint of romance, and completely invested and engulfed in the storyline." ~ Leels Loves Books, ¿¿¿¿¿ "Your attention is grabbed right from the outset, and you won't want to stop turning the pages." ~ The Faerie Review, ¿¿¿¿¿ "A wonderful suspense-filled thriller with a little paranormal twist." ~ Goodreads Review, ¿¿¿¿ "I did like the paranormal story line, especially the tense, wild climax." ~ The Reading Café, ¿¿¿¿¿

The first rays of sun filter through the tall trees, casting a faint light on the girl lying at the water's edge. Her tears have frozen on her pale face, a black orchid rests against her cold white skin. When hikers find the body of a beautiful young girl on the banks of the Potomac River, Detective Amanda Steele is shaken and confused. What is the significance of the delicate flower resting on the girl's torso? A sign of affection, or a twisted killer's calling card? The girl is Chloe Somner, a local nineteen-year-old ecology student well-known to the park rangers and loved by all her classmates. Searching Chloe's home, Amanda can't work out who could have tempted her to the water in the early hours of the morning, but a long night hunting through cold cases gives her a possible lead: twenty years ago another local girl was murdered, a red rose left on her body. But why would this killer strike again now? Focused on the past, the last thing Amanda expects is the news that Chloe's roommate has been found dead, another black orchid left. Terrified that more innocent victims will follow, can Amanda uncover the significance of the flowers and stop this cold-hearted killer before he returns for the next orchid girl? A totally compulsive crime thriller! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine. Readers love the Detective Amanda Steele series: ';OMG YES. This was an amazing book I couldn't put it down Best book I read this year.' Goodreads reviewer ';My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!' Goodreads reviewer ';I ended up devouring the entire book in just one sitting I was completely pulled into this one and found myself completely unable to put this down.' Little Miss Book Lover 87 ';If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!' Goodreads reviewer ';What a great book! I read it in one day and had so many twists and turns I never saw the ending coming!' Goodreads reviewer ';Wow! Could not put this down. So many twists and surprises.' Goodreads reviewer ';I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!' NetGalley reviewer ';I LOVED this book An engrossing page-turner and that ending, phew I didn't see that coming at all!!! Can't wait for the next in the series.' NetGalley reviewer ';I already can't wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning The mystery is full of action and twists. I absolutely did not see that ending coming

It's 4 a.m. when her mom shakes her awake. ';Get up baby, we're going to play hide and seek.' The little girl presses back into the dark space, holding her breath as she hears the shots ring out. She knows she's next When the bodies of a local family are discovered on a quiet street in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele takes charge of the case. Brett and Angela Parker were shot three times each, leaving no hope of survival, and their tidy suburban home has been ransacked. But there is no sign of their beloved six-year-old, Zoe. Zoe is the same age as Amanda's daughter was when she died, and Amanda can't bear the thought of another little girl in danger. She's organizing a search for the child, when she notices something strange about the ottoman at the foot of the Parkers' bed. She opens it to find Zoe, mute and traumatized, but alive. With Zoe completely uncommunicative, Amanda must find another way to untangle what destroyed this seemingly perfect family. It's clear that the killer is searching for something the Parkers had, and until she has this monster behind bars, Amanda fears that he may return for Zoe. When she learns that Brett Parker cut short the family's recent lakeside vacation, she wonders why. What happened at that lake house, and did it ultimately get them killed? Amanda heads out to Lake Chesdin on the feeling it might be key to the case, and when she finds a cell phone in the murky waters next to the Parker cabin, she knows she's made a breakthrough. But then terrible news reaches her from Dumfries; Zoe has been taken from her school playground. Someone wants to silence the Parker family for good, can Amanda catch them before the little girl she's desperate to protect pays the price? A completely gripping and addictive crime thriller that will keep fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni entertained into the early hours. Readers love Carolyn Arnold:';OMG YES. This was an amazing book I couldn't put it down Best book I read this year.' Goodreads reviewer ';My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!' Goodreads reviewer ';I ended up devouring the entire book in just one sitting I was completely pulled into this one and found myself completely unable to put this down.' Little Miss Book Lover 87 ';If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing!' Goodreads reviewer ';What a great book! I read it in one day and had so many twists and turns I never saw the ending coming!' Goodreads reviewer ';Wow! Could not put this down. So many twists and surprises

Grab a badge and a gun and strap in for an absolutely gripping ride that's "full of suspense from the beginning to the end..." (Readers Abode) She could feel him watching her... Though every time she turned to look, there was no one there. The rest of the world thought she was going crazy-until it was too late. When Laura Saunders is found strangled in her home with a man's necktie, Detective Madison Knight is assigned the case. Her sergeant at the Stiles Police Department wants her to conclude it was an isolated incident and move on with the investigation, but Madison's not the type to cave under pressure. She's haunted by certain unexplainable clues at the crime scene, including the presence of a mysterious photograph. Madison believes the picture may somehow tie into the murder, but before she can dig into it, another woman's body is discovered in a local park. Heather Nguyen was also murdered with the same brand of necktie that had been used on Laura. On the surface, there doesn't seem to be anything beyond the way they were killed that connects the women. But as Madison delves into the lives of the victims, she unravels a web of deceit and betrayal and lays bare decades of deadly family secrets. Edging closer to the truth, Madison's quite sure at least one more woman is slated to die. But can Madison piece together all the clues in time to save her? A gripping crime thriller full of heart-pounding twists. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, J.D. Robb, and Lisa Regan.Readers love Ties That Bind: "Arnold has written one of the best female cops that I've ever read... Madison is just one of those characters that will stay with you." -Harlie's Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A good detective story with lots of twists and turns and an unexpected ending." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"This is one heck of a mystery!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Brace yourself for the ending! I didn't see that one coming." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I loved Madison Knight and her sassy dialogue." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I found myself unable to stop reading this book." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A must-read for the mystery fan." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"So many twists and turns I never saw the ending coming!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A solid police procedure mystery." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"If you like true suspense, this is a book to read." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Like watching an award-winning police drama in my mind." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Intriguing, suspenseful, and full of surprises!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Well-written and researched on police procedures." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"It was very difficult to set this book aside to do something else." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"From the moment I began reading this book, I was hooked." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Detective Amanda Steele stops just inside the doorway, recognizing the victim's face instantly. He seems so vulnerable in death; soft, human, even harmless. But she can never forget the evil he has inflicted. Her heart is hammering as she remembers her precious daughter, with her red curls and infectious laugh, and how she was lowered into that little grave It's been five years since Detective Amanda Steele's life was derailed in the path of an oncoming drunk driver. The small community of Dumfries, Virginia, may have moved on from the tragic deaths of her husband and daughter, but Amanda cannot. When the driver who killed her family is found murdered in a motel room, she can't keep away from the case. Fighting her sergeant to be allowed to work an investigation with such a personal connection to her, Amanda is in a race to prove that she can uncover the truth. But the more she digs into the past of the man who destroyed her future, the more shocking discoveries she makes. And when Amanda finds the link between a silver bracelet in his possession and the brutal unsolved murder of a young exotic dancer, she realizes she's caught up in something darker than she ever imagined and suspects that more girls could be in danger. But as Amanda edges toward the truth, she gets closer to a secret as personal as it is deadly. Amanda has stumbled upon a dangerous killer, and she must face some terrible truths in order to catch this killer and save his next victim as she couldn't save her own daughter A gripping, page-turning thriller full of mystery and suspense. Perfect for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni. Readers love Carolyn Arnold: ';OMG YES. This was an amazing book I couldn't put it down Best book I read this year.' Goodreads reviewer ';My heart is still beating fast! Wow!! By far, one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time! The characters were great and no one would ever guess the ending! This story knocks it out of the ballpark!!' Goodreads reviewer ';Wow! Could not put this down. So many twists and surprises. Highly recommend!' Goodreads reviewer ';If there was a way to give more than 5 stars, I would! This book is amazing! It's fast paced and will have you turning pages ever faster! Never a dull moment! Extremely well written as well as thought out!' Goodreads reviewer ';What a great book! I read it in one day and had so many twists and turns I never saw the ending coming!' Goodreads reviewer ';I have NEVER had my heart pumping as it does in this series.' Goodreads reviewer ';Wow! This book hooked me from the very beginning and didn't let go