"You...you murdered her!" Pascale remained silent as the prosecutor repeated he accusation. To defend herself demanded revealing a family secret—a pact of silence that had been kept for eight long years. She couldn't do it ... she couldn't betray Remi! After all, he belonged to one of the most respected families in Paris. When she had been hired by the Sevriers, she had regarded them as highly as anyone did. She had not expected to find evil lurking just below the surface. Nor had she expected to find love ... a love entangled with terror and heartbreak. And now she was on trial for murder!

"Your husband will never find you..." In the desolate mountain fortress, Marion Maresco tried to piece together the shattered remnants of her life. But her precious calm was soon swallowed up in a maelstrom of intrigue and trickery, which swarmed through the ancient walls of Castel Terralba. Not the least of her problems was the fiercely handsome Marquis, Don Carlo de Terralba, who did not suspect the real reason for Marioun's sudden appearance in remote Sardinia. Fearing detection, Marion attempted to escape another situation that had become unbearable to her. But no one escaped the Marquis!

"My darling, I know you'll understand..." But Anne didn't understand when her fiancé suggested that she become his mistress, not his wife. Stunned, she left him and steeled her heart against love's pain forever. But her carefully constructed world was shattered years later by the mere sound of his alluring voice. Fearing her heart might yet answer his call, she fled from him... into a nightmare! Entangled in a web of intrigue and danger, she was swept across Austria, Greece and Turkey. Her survival depended upon the elusive, dangerous man she was now afraid to love.

"There's something I have to tell you..." For weeks the tiny fishing village had been aflame with rumors about the mysterious stranger who walked the beaches every day. Why had he come? What was he after? Only Marie had broken through the reserve he had wrapped around himself like protective armor. "It's a long story," he said quietly. "A story I didn't want to tell anyone, especially you." When he had finished, Marie could not hold back her tears. She wept for him, and for the townsfolk.

"Whose side are you on?" Yvette was desperate. She was in Bulgaria on her honeymoon. Her husband had disappeared. She didn't know anyone. She didn't speak the language. Convinced that Roussev, the tour guide, knew a great deal more than he had told her, she had finally cornered this alluring elusive man. She demanded the truth. She got more than she had bargained for. When Roussev was finished there were tears of rage in Yvette's eyes. He had accused her husband of something too terrible to imagine.

"Who sent you to spy on me?" Jeanne's eyes widened in astonishment as her employer's face turned livid. "I demand an answer, some names," he raged. "I know you're out to destroy me." Stunned by his accusation, Jeanne felt her fear of this man growing. They were alone in his office. It was late at night. Bruno Grandmont was acting like a madman. She cringed before him. The incredible possibility dawned on her. Perhaps the most famous lawyer in Paris was a madman.

She wanted love. Not heartache... or worse! Helen Lefeuvre returned to her hometown of Clermont with the hope of kindling a flame in the heart of Vincent Chazelles. For ten years, she had been nourishing her love for this attractive man. Now she meant to turn this youthful infatuation into a solid future. But Vincent had other ideas on the matter. Bitter and detached after the death of his beloved wife, he preferred to remain aloof from all social contact. Only his two sons were important to him. In her efforts to meet Vincent again, Helen found herself enmeshed in a web of intrigue, where smuggling and treachery were not the worst of her problems. There was also a case of murder.

Suddenly I knew who the killer was... There he sat, across the table from me, without a shadow of expression on his face. There was no doubt that he had every reason to hate Christabel: her self-serving schemes had ruined him. But was that hatred so overpowering it had to lead to cold-blooded murder? Then, as I stared unbelievingly at him, I felt a deeper, even greater suffering. I couldn't bear the pain if he was guilty. For I loved him with all my heart!

Despair clutched at her ... Nicole was speechless! Paul had told her calmly that he was going to marry Linda Doria, adding, "And I can't fit you into my next film." After their astounding success at the Cannes Festival he no longer needed her. He hadn't loved her: he had used her! Nicole fled to Rome and threw herself into her career. But when Paul's arrogance ended in failure she answered his pleas for help, only to find herself victimized by an insanely jealous woman. And this time, flight was impossible.

Wasted by starvation, scarred by torture... Frederic stood there. Some unknown force had brought him to Vezaley. A victim of amnesia, the only clues to his elusive past were remnants of a dream—the image of a Gothic church and a name ... Anne. Anne cringed at the sight of him. For three years she had tried to erase every trace of him from her life. his presence unleashed a flood of bitter memories. But the painful scars covering Frederic's body convinced Anne's friend, Dr. Lambert, that Frederic was the victim of a vicious crime—and hidden in his subconscious lurked a truth too horrible to be relived

The small town was in an uproar... An invisible hand was uncovering terrible secrets. Anonymous calls for justice appeared like magic, each one signed—The Sea Gull. Elise Topard had witnessed a crime. She had never told a sole; but The Sea Gull knew. The Sea Gull also knew the Francoise had long cherished an impossible love. She received a note, leading her to a rendezvous in a Paris church. There she met the man whose links with her past both frightened and intrigued her. But one powerful man stood to lose everything. He had to stop The Sea Gull or be destroyed!

"Your fiancé has gone. No one knows where..." It was impossible. There had to be some mistake. Dina had talked to Philippe only two days before flying to Tripoli. And now he was missing. Something was seriously wrong. Dina was filled with rising panic. She had been warned of the dangers and intrigues facing foreigners in rapidly changing Libya, but what could she do other than simply wait and hope? But she was not to remain alone for long. For a voice from the past reentered her life, sweeping away everything in its path. Forever!

Her pain ... would it never be dulled? Gaelle tried desperately to forget Frank when he deserted her for Elsa. But even Claude s warmth and tenderness failed to erase the lingering influence of the man she had once loved so desperately. So when Claude suggested a solitary holiday cruise to think things over, Gaelle quickly agreed. How was she to know that her ex-fiancé and his scheming wife were also on the cruise? It was an extraordinary coincidence but it was only the beginning of a bizarre chain of events. Events that were to wreak change in everyone's life!

She could pretend to be Marc's wife... She awoke in the hospital, unable to remember the accident. The nurse told her gently, "Your cousin Marion was killed in the car crash." Disbelief shot through her. "But I'm Marion!" she wanted to scream. They thought she was her identical cousin, Catherine Val, the famous movie star. And everything pointed to it: Catherine's clothes in the room, her wedding band on Marion's finger. It made no sense. Except...Catherine must be dead. Sorrow choked her, but an incredible hope dawned. If she played along with their mistake, she would be Marc's wife! Fate beckoned so temptingly...but fate was playing a deadly game.

"Stay away from him—he's a strange one!" If only Martine had listened! Richard Duncan was indeed a mysterious man, living a bitter life in the Scottish Highlands. — The townsfolk spoke about him in whispers, not daring to voice the truth—the truth about his fiancée's death. For they believed that the laird himself had murdered the woman he'd loved. Now Martine was trapped by this man—bewitched by his magnetic black gaze. All her struggles to escape were in vain. She was irresistibly drawn to a man who loved no one but the ghost of the woman who had died—the woman they said he'd killed.

Her husband had been gone eight long months The nightmare of his absence was growing. Danielle was at her wit's end. She was running out of hope... and of money. Then the mysterious phone calls began. Later she thought she glimpsed her husband, grim and unshaven, on a crowded Paris street. But she'd just received his postcard from the Middle East that very morning.... Soon she was swept into a web of terror and death. One man, strong and commanding-sometimes threatening—held the key to the mystery... and to her heart.

Echoing footsteps threatened behind her. Julie froze. The underground garage was as silent as a tomb—silent except for the frightening sound of her blood pounding through her veins. Suddenly a man leapt from the shadows. A gun was pointed at her breast. A hand reached out to tear the briefcase from her grasp. Terror seared through Julie. She turned and ran blindly into the shadows as a shot exploded to shatter the ominous quiet. Then, suddenly, she was grabbed, pushed behind a pillar and held close to a strong, muscled chest. "Don't make a sound," she was warned, "or we're both dead!"

How had she dared to love this man? The two men stood motionless on the deserted beach. A threatening gun was aimed and ready. High up on the sand dunes, Simone watched in horror. Suddenly a shot cracked through the silence. Simone screamed and quickly turned her back, not daring to look. The man shed been foolish enough to love had already killed one person. Had he just claimed his second victim?

Invitation to a game of death Angela happily accepted a job as secretary to tycoon Dimitri Yakoel. But as soon as she joined her wealthy employer at Twin Oaks, the old mansion in the Adirondack Mountains, she felt strange chills of foreboding. Yakoel's sole heir was a young Vietnamese war orphan, and Angela sensed the web of greed and hate being spun around the child by the other occupants of Twin Oaks. Suddenly, to her horror, she discovered that someone in the house was bent on murder-and that she had been forced to become the unknown killer's accomplice....

A DESPERATE SEARCH THREW THEM TOGETHER… JENNIFER GASPED IN AMAZEMENT… For standing in the corridor of the train, not two paces away, was Richard—the one man she’d come to detest! “What…what are you doing here?” she stammered. “I’m here to save you from yourself, you brainless idiot!” he snarled, silencing further protests with an angry wave of his hand. For Jennifer had undertaken a mission that could lead her into a dangerous trap, and Richard wasn’t about to let that happen. The train raced on through the night—its destination Venice, but for Richard and Jennifer, a journey into terror!

Paulette was awakened by her own screams "It's only a nightmare;" she told herself, shaking with unfathomable terror. "A recurring nightmare:" She slipped into her robe and stepped out onto the balcony. The soft Majorcan night enveloped her, and she saw again Ramon as he was in her dream, his eyes gazing into hers, his proud features haunting her. And then the image broke and faded, as she remembered the deadly end of the dream. Fate seemed to be drawing her forward. But to where? She sensed something terrible was going to happen, and she could do nothing to stop it. Nothing!

She was plunged into a web of lies "You're not the first one he's loved...and you won't be the last!" Elise was warned when she married Count Julien de Montjour. Hungry for tenderness, she determined nothing would come between them. But then the beautiful Rita Harrison entered their bright Mediterranean world. Could the terrible events that followed be more than mere coincidence? First, her beloved uncle died in mysterious circumstances. Then Julien vanished. Rita's emerald green eyes were destroying Elise's world....

Greece and Turkey were arming for war. That news spelled disaster for Caroline Manett. It meant that no civilians could leave the Greek island of Lemnos until the Cyprus crisis had been resolved. Now she had no way of escaping the unwelcome presence of the heartless man who had betrayed her eight years ago. No way of keeping from him the secret she had been protecting all that time. Worse, it meant she was at the mercy of her treacherous heart. The passions he stirred deep within her threatened to explode once more. But now she was married to another man....

One of them was the murderer! — Nicole was torn between two men: Guy, young and handsome, her romantic ideal; Andre, older and domineering, a man she was drawn, to despite his insensitivity—and his ongoing affair with another woman. — But this was not a matter of simply following the dictates of her heart. A rich landowner had been murdered and both Andre and Guy had much to gain by his death. Thrown into an intrigue of lies and deception, how could Nicole make her choice? For one of her suitors had to be the vicious schemer who had killed once and might kill again.

The ad was intriguing, even mysterious... When Elisabeth accepted an assignment to impersonate a playgirl heiress, she anticipated a carefree summer in the country. But soon she discovered she was merely a pawn in a sinister game. What part did Jerome Delcroix play in this deadly masquerade? With all her heart, Elisabeth wanted to trust this handsome man, to pour out all her fears in the shelter of his strong arms. But she dared not. Because somebody wanted her dead.... And that somebody was just waiting for her to make one fatal mistake.

What was behind the stranger's disguise? The man standing in front of Sarah Watson was obviously poor. His tie was ugly and his suit shiny from wear. The following night Sarah was astonished to find him at an expensive nightclub, dressed like an aristocratic playboy. This man was not what he seemed to be! One thing was certain: he was undeniably attractive. But Sarah was determined to resist his charm. Then, all too late, she realized she was in love with a stranger - a man with no identity....

Marta Velarde, es una periodista, viuda a su vez de un periodista al que se supone muerto en un accidente de automóvil. Llega al aeropuerto de Lisboa, a donde la lleva la misión de continuar la biografía -empezada por su esposo- de un famoso científico. Al descender del avión, acompañada de un viajero con el que ha trabado ocasional amistad, este cae abatido por una bala justamente al lado de Marta.

Jessamore was a place of dark ugly secrets Taken against her will to live in the gloomy castle in Cornwall, Amanda soon discovered that everyone had something to hide. At Jessamore the truth was often distorted and laced with intrigue. Lights glowed in sealed-up towers, the calm sea concealed a deadly menace, and a summons to a lovers' rendezvous was an invitation to death. Amanda clung desperately to the people she had faith in, but one by one they betrayed her. And when she fell in love, she discovered not even her own heart could be trusted....

The man in disguise had to be unmasked. When Laurel Villaret decided to carry on a dead friend's quest for an unpunished war criminal, no one opposed her more violently than her husband, Paul. "He probably died years ago, darling," Paul said. "And if he's alive, he's dangerous. You'll be risking your life!" But Laurel was determined. Using clues found in the diary of the dead woman, she followed a treacherous trail through Portugal and southern France. Here search ended there when the suspects numbered three men—an eccentric doctor, a wealthy businessman . . . and her own husband.

The day had begun like any other... But before it had ended, Catherine found herself plunged into a tangle of lies and deceptions, of intrigue ... and love. She had encountered a bizarre situation that threatened to turn her life upside down. Whom could she trust? The handsome doctor who seemed able to plumb the depths of her very soul, or the unpredictable, disturbing Martin Bellec, a man whose motives were impossible to gauge? And although Catherine could not have known, her choice was a matter of life and death!

She was a bride in name only.... Francesca had married Lionel Wolf only for the money needed to save her father's life. She thought of him as a sinister tyrant she could neither love nor respect. When Lionel took her to his remote estate on the Isle of Jersey, she met his family and felt their icy hostility. They loathed him and they hated Francesca because she was his wife. Then Lionel was murdered! And Francesca was the only suspect.

In a merger tailor-made for the tabloids, tycoon Ryder Bramson sought Macy Ashley's hand in marriage. But his true goal was to buy her father's company—and thereby wrest control of his own conglomerate from his illegitimate brothers. To ensnare Macy in his web of intrigue, Ryder first offered the beautiful businesswoman a job in his start-up. Yet slipping the ring on her finger proved more difficult.Being a brash billionaire's corporate pawn wasn't independent-minded Macy's style. On the other hand, being the focus of this irresistible man's passion just might win her over to his scheme....

"He's absolutely mad and he's robbing us blind!" Nadine didn't understand Lorrainds ominous warning about Alain, the man she loved. She couldn't believe Alain was insane—or that he was a thief. Was Lorraine lying for some reason of her own? And Alain's cousin Robert seemed so kind and gentle even when he warned her against Alain. Was he trying to help ... or was he lying, too? Only Alain had the answers to her questions. Only he could convince her that he truly loved her, and that he wasn't a madman.

The gunshot rang out from Frank's office. Karen's breath caught as she saw Frank standing over a crumpled body, a smoking pistol in his hand. "Y-you’ve killed him!" she cried, backing away in horror. Panicking, she raced to the Fire Exit door, suddenly terrified of this man she had married. "Karen Wait!" he called to her. She ran down the stairs but then stopped midway, sickened with fear. Crouching against the cold walls she listened for footsteps. Nothing! Had her husband gone to a lower floor to meet her there and kill her? Or was he waiting for her at the top, a deadly gun in his hand...?

Beware! You will die in seven days!" — Delphine was startled when her beloved father revealed the terrible prophecy he'd received in Lebanon. But he told the story with such humor that she was easily reassured. — Scarcely a week later he was dead. — In the grief-torn days that followed, Delphine became more and more convinced that his death was not merely the result of a tragic accident She had to go to Lebanon to find out, to retrace his last days. It was the most dangerous decision she had ever made...

They were trapped in the brooding mansion The storm raged around Cap Noir, making Inez a prisoner in the huge house. All links with the outside world were destroyed. Then a mysterious stranger, close to death, was found on the beach, and Inez had to fight a grim battle for his life. The stranger recovered but his memory was gone. Still, Inez began to feel love for him, even though his identity was a mystery. They shared their love until one day a cold and beautiful woman arrived at the house. She said she was his wife.

Was she possessed by some kind of demon? The tension around the elaborate dinner table was unbearable. No one spoke. The only sound was the intermittent tinkle of a spoon or fork. Isabelle started when her grandmother harshly broke the silence. "There's a score to settle, child. It's up to you." "Yes, grandmother. Don t worry. I'll take care of everything, I promise," Isabelle said, staring mesmerized into her grandmothers eyes, pale and hard as diamonds. She had a mission to carry out.

The gun was pointed at Natalie's chest. "You're lying," the woman's voice menaced, as she motioned her accomplice to release Natalie. Then she lifted the pistol and took careful aim. Natalie froze against the wall, confused and terrified. It was impossible to convince them she knew nothing. There was no place to run. Yet, if she didn't, the bullet couldn't miss at that range. Paralyzed by fear, Natalie closed her eyes, waiting for the gun's blast. They were going to kill her, and she didn't even know why!

Note: The ISBN for this edition, 9780373730599, has been reused by the publisher for a different book.

The fake accident worked perfectly! Rachel couldn't believe her luck. Smashing her car into a tree had gained her access to the isolated mansion of the celebrated novelist Paul Lawrence. Now she would be able to discover the details of his personal life that she needed to write her exclusive article. But luck was playing a deadly game, and Rachel uncovered more than she bargained for. Paul's family was locked in a bitter conflict that drew her into its vortex. And the outcome was murder...

The moonless night concealed violence Bettina went out onto her balcony to savor the cool night air under the starry Moroccan sky. She could hear waves breaking on the shore. But her breath caught as she glanced down the rugged cliff to the sea. A man was climbing the rocks below. Curiosity held her motionless as she waited to see what the intruder would do. Suddenly, the peaceful silence was shattered by a gunshot. Terrified, Betinna ran back into her room. Something mysterious was taking place at the Casbah. Something very dangerous...

Was there a way out - or was she trapped? The castle was silent and dark. Marianne crept along the hallway, searching for the stairs. Suddenly she noticed a shaft of light coming from under a door. She turned the handle and stepped into the room. Immediately a figure lunged at her. She screamed and a rough hand was clapped over her mouth. All too late she realized her mistake - she'd stumbled into Robert de Larsanay's private domain!

Librarian note: The ISBN for this edition, 0373730632, has been reused by the publisher for a different book. All she had worked for was in jeopardy. Christine knew she was on dangerous ground when she accepted a luncheon invitation from Natalie, her client's ex-fiancée. But the opportunity to learn what had happened on the day of the crime seemed irresistible. Natalie was disarmingly friendly, throwing Christine off her guard. So, accepting the drink Natalie offered her, Christine hardly noticed the bitter aftertaste of the exotic mixture. But as the room blurred before her eyes she realized the drink had been drugged and she was powerless to halt its effects .... She had walked into a deadly trap!

Her beloved Mark had come back to her. It didn't matter that he was now a cripple—Yvette still loved him and intended to marry him. Then the mysterious Phillip Alban came into her life, and she found herself caught up in a whirlpool of suspicion and fear. For Phillip seemed to hate Mark; while Mark desperately avoided Phillip at every turn. Torn between them, Yvette fought to discover the secret that threatened to destroy her love ... and her life....

The ruins were a blazing inferno The fire spread alarmingly fast. Suddenly, Marianne realized that she and Geoffrey, the two heirs to the enormous Darringford estate, had been lured inside the old monastery. Then someone had deliberately set it afire...someone who wated them out of the way. Geoffrey strained to open the massive door of the old bell tower, but it wouldn't budge. They were trapped! They could expect only a slow, agonizing death!

"Get your hands off me," she cried, pulling away. Her flashlight beam played eerily across Patrick's strong features, making him look threatening as he loomed over her at the cliff's edge. "I demand to know what's going on, " he growled, his voice menacing. "I want to know what you're up to. " He gripped her arm even harder. Caroline instinctively stepped back from him. Suddenly she felt the ground give way beneath her. The scream died on her lips as she began to slide down the cliff....

Vivian was trapped in an empty life. She wanted out—out of a cruel, meaningless marriage. But minutes before she planned to leave, she was kidnapped. When she awoke on a tropical island, she was mystified. And no one would tell her why she was there. The mystery only deepened when she came face to face with her handsome jailer, a man of violent extremes—vicious and tender, brutal and loving. The paradise setting was perfect, but nothing made sense!

Should he marry a stranger for money? The lawyer spoke persuasively to Alan. "By marrying this girl, you'll not only be doing a good deed, you'll be helping yourself. You'll be well paid, of course.... " Alan hesitated at the macabre proposition. A young woman lay dying. To inherit her godfather's money she had to marry at once, so that the money could go to her needy relatives upon her death. What did he have to lose? "Very well," Alan said at last. "I accept your offer. " And with those words he was plunged into a situation that was to threaten everything dear to him ... including his life!

She was determined to hide her identity Claire de Montebourg was running, running from a terrible truth she did not want to believe. But when her car slithered dangerously across a country road during the storm, a flat tire threatened to ruin all her plans. Then a pair of blinding headlights flashed out of the gloom, and a young man who introduced himself as Dave Heron entered her life. "How far are you going, Miss, er—" "Francine. Francine Severac," she lied. A look of disbelief spread across his face and panic rose in her. Had she been recognized? Was the charade already over?

Marco's eyes shone with fierce intensity. "I told Haskell we were engaged," he drawled. "You told him what?" Denise cried. Furious, she wanted to slap the sneer off his handsome face. She had no intention of marrying him. He was pompous and cruel and she knew she'd never love him. But what was the use of denying the rumor? No one would believe her - least of all Dan Haskell - the one man she truly loved!

Gary and Val both spun and saw their former chauffeur standing in the doorway, a gun in his hand. Leveling the weapon at Gary, the thief took Val roughly by the arm and pulled her toward him. "One step out that door and the police will be after you," Gary warned. "Not if I kill you first," came the threatening reply. Val felt her knees turn to putty, and she closed her eyes. Then her heart stopped for an instant as a shot echoed through the room.

She had been warned that he was dangerous. Diane decided to tell Martin the truth. "I'm engaged to Leo Marchand," she said. "His parents own Wildacres." She didn’t dare add that they were all armed on the neighboring estate, because of the rumor of a thief at large. Was Martin that thief, and did he plan to rob Wildacres next? She knew almost nothing about this mysterious man. But when his arms tightened around her and his mouth came down on hers, she didn't care who he was or what he had done. Until she realized that she was in danger....

She sat up in stark terror ... as she remembered Claude’s words: "A lethal poison that leaves no trace ... the victim dies after a few hours." Claude’s sister had died that way. Lisa had to know if the vial that held the ancient poison was still in Claude’s study. Silently she crept down the stairs and into the room. A few moments later her worst suspicions were confirmed—the vial was gone. It was more than possible that her fiancé had poisoned at least one person—and that she would be the next victim!

A dream turned into a nightmare of terror Going to Paris seemed a wonderful chance for Jan Harcourt. But from the moment she arrived she was entwined in terror. First there was Damien Moale, the man who claimed to love her. Then there were the secret meetings he had...and her grim realization that Damien was dealing in crime. Finally there was the night Jan was drugged, and woke to find herself staring into the eyes of a man from her past...a man she'd never stopped loving. Would he help her to escape this web of intrigue? Or was he involved, too?

An island paradise... a setting for murder!

Fear drove her on - a life was at stake! Breathlessly Beth stumbled through the rainy night toward the rendezvous point. This was her last chance to lift the shroud of secrecy from her husband's disappearance, and the cold voice on the phone had warned her not to be late. Ahead of her sat the ghostly shape of an abandoned car. Suddenly both headlights flared on, blinding her. Hands seized her and a scarf was stuffed into her mouth as a gag. Terrified, she felt herself being lifted off the ground. She was being kidnapped!

House of a thousand terrifying secrets Grim and forbidding, Rochefort loomed above the road like a robber baron's stronghold. To Jacqueline, the outsider, the family's problems were at first a welcome distraction from her own troubles. But soon she found herself falling helplessly in love with the heir to Rochefort - even whle she hated him for his callous treatment of his lovely, charming wife. Torn between love and conscience, Jacqueline tried to leave the chateau. Only then did she learn that, once involved in Rochefort's secrets, there was no chance of escape.

"Don't move!" the intruder growled. Kim choked back a wave of fear as she saw the gun in the man's hand. Her mind raced with questions—what was this stranger doing on their boat in the middle of the night? What could he be looking for? Then he lunged at her. She tried to turn, to run—but he grabbed her and pulled her to him. "No!" Kim cried out in terror as his callused hand closed over her mouth. She twisted and turned, frantic for air, but she was helpless against his strength. She could only hope her husband had heard her one desperate cry....

Her heart began to beat wildly For a few terrifying moments the whole scene swam dizzily before Melissa's eyes. The man seated at the table across the street was Richard, her ex-fiancé. And with him was Inez, the woman with whom he'd had a secret affair. Seconds later, Richard glanced up and caught her eye. Recognition shocked both of them into action. While Richard shoved aside the chair blocking his path and heading straight toward her, Melissa spun around with a gasp and dashed into the crowd. She had to get away from him - before he made her love him again!

Two men vied for her love Mathias was the corporate man, the man who rubbed shoulders with the rich and showered her with diamonds. Michael was the deep one, the one Catherine could talk to. He had rigid principles, however—he didn't approve of the polo crowd she ran around with or the late hours she kept. Catherine was torn apart by the agonizing choice they gave her... until an unexpected love reached out from the past and turned her world upside down.

"There's been a terrible accident!" Lee watched in horror as four field workers carried her unconscious husband into the house. Fernando's face was covered with blood, his clothes filthy and torn. One riding boot was mangled beyond recognition. She stared at it uncomprehendingly, until, out of the buzz of voices around her, she heard the explanation: "His foot was caught in the stirrup when his horse bolted. He was dragged across the field before we could stop them..." She stood frozen in the doorway, a single thought coursing through her mind: Maybe he would die. Then, at last, she would be free...

Could she be losing her mind? The corpse and car looked real enough in the beam of her headlights. Twisted metal, broken glass, and blood everywhere; the horrific details were indelibly printed in Rosemary's mind. But now her friends were telling her she hadn't seen an accident at all—they were trying to convince her shed imagined it! Frantic to prove she was right, Rosemary rushed back to the scene, but only an empty road met her gaze. Someone was playing a dangerous game. The question was why. .. and who would be the next victim?

Laura wanted a totally new life. When her boss told her about a fabulous new job in America, with an incredible salary, Laura jumped at the chance! She said goodbye to Paris and her friends without a qualm. But only hours after she arrived in New York, Laura's elation had turned to despair. Her job contract was worthless—the company that had hired her didn't exist! And the man who had interviewed her in Paris had played a nasty trick. She didn't know what to do. Nor did she suspect this was only the beginning of the nightmare....

Her memory had been totally erased Two women were in the car when it crashed. Only one survived: Eve Arlandy, rich young socialite. Four months in a hospital and thousands of dollars were spent rebuilding her face and body. But no one could restore her memory. Uncertainly she accepted the identity given her and was soon caught in a merry-go-round of treachery and deceit. But when her past came flooding back, she knew there had been a terrible mistake. She was not Eve. Yet it was too late, for the real Eve had made a dangerous enemy. Could she play a dead woman's game without knowing the rules?

Was her husband a murderer? Alix had come to Castle von Brandt as an anxious, loving bride, proud to be married to Conrad. But suddenly terrible doubts assailed her. She had heard an appalling rumor—that Conrad was still fascinated by his widowed sister-in-law ... that his brother's death was no accident. Then Alix discovered the two of them passionately embracing... Desperately she tried to unravel the facts, but as she probed, Conrad only became colder, more hostile. What secret was he protecting? And to what lengths would he got to conceal the truth?

Susan could feel the poison taking effect She bent over in pain, her arms folded across her stomach. The nausea was getting worse. Her head was pounding and she had to concentrate to hear what her captor was saying. "It's very simple, Susan. I don't want you around! I was sure the first couple of incidents would scare you off, but they didn't. So I had to resort to more drastic measures, didn't I?" The room began to spin and Susan closed her eyes. She had to stay conscious—she had to! It was a matter of life and death, for no one knew where she was, no one would hear her if she screamed....

A terrible memory haunted her... Evelyn gazed in wide-eyed horror at the broken and crumpled body of her father. She was four years old when he was killed.... No one had dared to investigate his death. Seventeen years later she returned to Corsica. Now she had a chance to buy the copper mine where her fathers dream of wealth had been viciously shattered. But Evelyn was unprepared for the storm of emotions her visit provoked—and for the opposition she risked. She swore to expose whatever the mine concealed. No price was too high to exact the truth ... until her plan enticed the killer's return!

The facts were utterly bizarre Daylight faded as Helen sat alone in her bedroom. She had never believed in ghosts...until her arrival at Engnacht Castle. She considered recent events. Were they truly psychic disturbances or the result of an overactive imagination? Or evidence of an even more frightening reality? Then a shadow stole across the window. A man's face leered in at her. But as blind fear gripped her, the face vanished. Behind her the door slowly opened. A hand closed over her mouth, stifling her rising scream of terror....

Diana froze in terror as the gunman took aim Slowly, deliberately, he leveled the revolver at Paul. The blood drained from Diana's face, but she was powerless to help the man she loved. "Once I'm rid of you, Paul, I have nothing to fear—nothing at all," the man ranted. He cocked the trigger. "Just in case you have any wild ideas about going to the police." Diana suddenly screamed and lunged across the room. For a split second the gunman was distracted and Paul sprang at him. The sound of a shot shattered the air and Diana crumpled to the floor.

Was there anyone she could trust? Vania was warned of danger when she arrived in South Africa to search for her missing brother, Alan, a reporter investigating a drug ring. She met Gary Bertrand, another journalist, who said he would help her. But could she trust a man who constantly put on an act? Wealthy Kurt Hoffman, on the other hand, was always there when she needed him—but why did he ask so many questions? One of them was not what he seemed to be—but which one? If she didn't trust the right man, her brother's life would be at stake!

Charlotte stood accused of a horrible crime... Arrested on suspicion of murder, Charlotte fought hard to prove her innocence—and won. Yet she realized bitterly that a nurse who had been publicly accused of murdering her patient was unlikely to find employment ... until the police could expose the real killer. When the opportunity arose to work at a remote lodge, she leaped at the chance. There she could recover from the humiliation of her recent ordeal. Then the murder attempts began again. But this time Charlotte was the target.

Sweat formed on my brow and the palms of my hands as I drove along the winding coastal road. I tried to check the car's speed, but it raced on of it's own volition. In a flash, I knew what had happened. Someone had fixed the brakes! In only minutes the car would fly out over the water and I would plunge to my death. Terrified, I gripped the steering wheel, shutting my eyes against the approaching moment. And I prayed. Then, unable to contain my fright any longer, I screamed...and screamed...

Strange things were going on at the abbey Rachel had begun to suspect that life there was not as placid as it appeared on the surface. One night she was awakened by odd noises—and the next morning discovered a set of footprints in the snow, leading to a hidden door in the abbey wall. Someone had found a way to slip in unobserved. But why should he want to? What was he hoping to find? Then Rachel stumbled across a secret in the old stone tower and found out an alarming fact—that she herself had become part of a horrifying drama....

Melanie stared in horror at the note. The scribbled words said that Irene was leaving—that she wouldn't be coming back! Melanie felt a sharp pang of guilt. She hadn't treated her stepmother well, it was true. But was that reason enough for her to run away? Why would a quiet, serene woman like Irene disappear—unless there was something haunting her from her past? Whatever the reason, Melanie knew she would have to find Irene and bring her back...even if it meant asking her archenemy—her stepbrother, Paul—to help.

Each moment spent with him spelled danger... Catherine was stunned. Patrick had just refused to deny her worst suspicions about him. She was a fool to have believed he was an auto dealer—the man was a thief! "Give me some time, Catherine," he begged. "I can explain—" A gunshot, echoing across the park, suddenly cut off his words. "Get down," Patrick ordered, pulling her to the ground. Sickened, Catherine watched him draw a gun from his pocket. The man she loved wasn't simply a thief—he was armed and ready to kill.

She was tormented by violent threats Samantha s life changed drastically after she met Brett and fell hopelessly in love with him. But her happiness was short-lived. She had become a victim of bizarre events that filled her with terror—events she suspected were linked to Brett. Could he really be involved in a dangerous narcotics ring? But then why was she being terrorized? Two explanations emerged: his enemies considered her a threat—or else Brett himself had decided she knew too much.

Her dying words hinted at evil When her Great-Aunt Rachel died, Heather inherited the old woman's house. But it wasn't until she went to live in it that she found the letter her aunt had never mailed. "They come in the night," the letter said. "Strange noises that come from nowhere, like whispers." Icy fear shot through Heather. She had heard those same peculiar noises. Had Aunt Rachel's death been caused by sheer terror? Did somebody... or something... want the house to itself?

A year of love...a year of terror. Lisa Talbot had come to Austria to help her brother recover from a heart attack, but Europe proved more than she had bargained for. At first all went smoothly in the quaint house nestled deep in the Austrian Alps. Then out of the storm and night came Luc, bringing terror and heartache into her life. The handsome stranger could remember nothing of his past. But when the shadows lifted, Lisa was horrified. Luc's first memory was of the night he had murdered his wife!

She defied an ancient curse—and risked death. Olivia was drawn to her grandmother's ancestral home, despite her cousin Robin's warning about the curse of Pengellen. The legend demanded the violent death of a family member every other generation—and in this case, that meant herself. But her emotions were torn when Robin coldly asked her to marry him. She loved him desperately—and knew he didn't return her passion. What had prompted him to propose? Olivia wavered. His first two wives were dead ... had they died naturally?

His death radically changed her life... Patricia was assailed by doubts after her father died. He'd been concerned for her welfare and had made her promise to marry Frederick, whom shed been dating for a short while. Yet she couldn't be sure of her affection for him. Had she made a rash decision? To her astonishment—and dismay—she found herself falling in love with another man. How could she tell her fiancé—or break her vow to her father? But the final decision wasn't hers. Her wedding had been carefully planned—by someone who couldn't afford her marrying anyone except Frederick....

The man she loved was linked to disaster... Dawn was amazed to discover someone living in the deserted abbey she was exploring. Still, she accepted his explanation that he was an artist who needed the solitude. When he offered to paint her portrait she was delighted. She felt instinctively drawn to him, and a friendship soon blossomed. But a few weeks later he vanished without a word. Dawn was baffled. Why had he left so suddenly? Determined to find out, she quickly found herself embroiled in a cunning scheme—unaware that death was the penalty for meddling.

This time she knew it was no accident Patricia gazed out at the lake longingly, shifting slightly in her wheelchair. She would have dearly loved to swim ... if only she hadn't been injured in that car accident! Frustrated, she wheeled closer to the edge of the dock. Her heart skipped a beat as the chair suddenly lurched. She quickly reached down for the brake, but it didn't catch. Had the brake been tampered with? A sickening sensation swept through her as she was flung out over the water. She looked up for an instant to see the heavy metal chair catapulting over her head....

The night hid danger—and an enemy who waited Diana heard the stealthy noises behind her as she crept back to the house. She stopped abruptly, her skin tingling in alarm. She was being stalked.... Panic flashed through her, but she resolutely quelled it. Could she match her predator's silent cunning? Heart pounding, she slipped into the black gloom of a pine grove. Suddenly she stumbled, crying aloud. Her blood froze with the realization she'd given her presence away. There was no escaping the blow as it crashed down on her head.

The perfect answer became a nightmare! Staying at her uncle's botanical gardens in Florida was more than a vacation for Christa. Her uncle needed help, she loved working with plants, and there was Ryan, a childhood sweetheart.... The greenhouses were framed by old Spanish ruins, the perfect setting for romance—but in reality the family was torn by jealousy and greed. For amid the exotic blooms of the gardens a deadly secret was hidden—a secret that led to theft, betrayal, then murder....

Were the vicious notes a taunt—or blackmail? Robin escaped her tormentors and fled to England, aided by a stranger—on the condition that she pretend to be his wife. Later she discovered the real reason for his unusual offer. One small lie to his powerful uncle had mushroomed, and now he stood to lose his ancestral home.... Soon she was caught in a dangerous intrigue. When she received a second threatening note, she knew their charade was about to be exposed. Would that revelation be the tip-off for her own downfall?

Portugal's torrid sun fanned hidden passions. Jocelyn Carmichael was unhappy at her sister-in-law's estate. Her father had sent her there, hoping she'd forget her dream of becoming a musician, but Jocelyn had no intention of giving up her career. She hoped to meet a famous virtuoso in Lisbon. When her neighbor, Grant d'Argal, miraculously arranged the introduction, she was overcome with gratitude. Then Grant's dark, exotic looks captured Jocelyn's heart. He warned her Portugal's customs were different from her American family's, but she only scoffed. Until she found herself in the middle of an ancient blood feud ... with Grant accused of murder!

She was sickened by the ugly truth. Rumors abounded that two women had paid a steep price for loving handsome and talented playwright Adrien Reed. One woman was dead- the other crippled. But Julia thought she was different. Certain that Adrien loved her, she scoffed at the gosip...until one rainy night when she narrowly escaped a fatal car crash. Shaken, she forced herself to deal with facts. Yet the more she probed, the more terrified she became. The brakes of her car had been tampered with... Had Adrien meant her to be his next victim?

One slip and the penalty was death. Brad's duties as first officer of the luxury yacht The Fine Madness promised to be exciting. The guests were wealthy and fun loving ... and his new job included playing escort to the captain's beautiful young niece. But as and Interpol agent his real task was to gather evidence of the crew's narcotics operation. He was careful to guard his cover—until he met the captivating Lisa, an employee aboard the yacht. He knew she'd lied about her identity, yet instinctively he trusted her. had he made his first—and last—mistake?

Her sudden wealth inspired treachery Ramona was surprised to learn after her uncle died that she'd inherited a fortune. She would have to travel to Majorca to collect it, a prospect that excited her. Majorca was lovely and she hadn't seen her aunt or cousins, coinheritors of her uncle's estate, for many years. But once there, she was plunged into a swirl of deceit. Her relatives were insanely greedy... and actively scheming to kill her! Desperate, she longed to trust the estate manager—the man she'd come to love so passionately. Yet how could she be certain he, too, wasn't conspiring against her?

Passion concealed a cold-hearted scheme Edith Bailly, a shrewd businesswoman, and her beautiful niece, Valerie, happily accepted a wealthy client's invitation. As guests at his magnificent country home, their stay promised to be delightful. But Edith's real aim was to secure a lucrative financial deal. Their host, Alexis, had other plans.... Valerie soon found herself ardently courted by Alexis, who was determined to marry her. Yet the more information she gleaned about him, the more alarmed she became. Alexis always got what he wanted... and his methods were uniquely brutal.

She had returned to a house of strangers. Seventeen year's ago Angela's mother had fled Casa Amati—her husband's ancestral estate in Lombardy—taking her small daughter to safety in California. Now Angela had returned in answer to a call for help from the father she barely remembered. She found him old before his time with a burden he secretly carried. And she found two other men—Tony, who had loved her as a child but looked at her now with new eyes, and Matt, who offered his strength but loved another. Angela was interested in them both. And both of them were interested in Casa Amati, which would belong to her on her father's death...

Paul's face was as stormy as the night. "Is it true that you're going to marry Louis?" he demanded. Connie could feel her color rising. "He's asked me, yes. But it's really none of your business." "You little fool!" Paul gripped her shoulders. "Don't you know what you're getting into?" Connie was damned if she was going to let him run her life. She opened her mouth to retort, but her words were choked by his stinging kiss. "Next time you choose a man unwisely," he commanded as he released her, "make sure he is a man!"

A tragic accident changed everything. When Janet's parents died following a horrendous car crash, she was utterly grief-stricken. The fact that she'd inherited her father's enormous fortune was of small comfort. Despite her sorrow, she was determined to carry out his dying whish: that she marry Edward, the son of one of his employees. Now she bitterly regretted her decision. The longer she lived with this strange, silent man, the more she mistrusted him. Why had he married her? And why had he made her a prisoner—in her own home?

She couldn't believe he would harm anyone... Brooke Williamson returned to her beloved California to photograph the coastline for a book of poems. Or so her story went. In reality, it was the trouble at Seafog—the house on the cliffs—that drew her back. Four years earlier she had left Scott Stewart there, knowing their love would never win against the hatred his family bore her. But now a woman had died on Seafog's cliffs, and Scott was accused of murder. No one believed the distraught child who accused him. Even Brooke refused to listen ... until she had no choice.

Caroline's husband has been in an accident. As he recovers she knows something is wrong. It is as if Bryce is a different person.

Love defied an ancient curse... His lies hurt...but the truth hurt more Fran was devastated when Terry abruptly left Ireland. It had been so easy to fall in love with him—and so hard to understand why he'd suddenly disappeared without any explanation. Now the pain and joy at their unexpected reunion threatened to overwhelm her. "Why did you leave Dublin without telling me?" she demanded. "I love you",Terry began in an anguished voice, "but I cant tell you why I left. Still, I'd like you to consider me your friend". "Your friend?" she repeated, stunned. How could he love her—and be so willing to pretend otherwise?

Despair drove her to seek a stranger's help. To Rachel, Aston Castle had always been home, full of warmth and happiness. Yet when she returned there for a visit, she was shocked by the changes. Her widowed father, a wealthy nobleman, had unexpectedly married a lovely penniless woman—a woman, Rachel soon discovered, who was scheming to kill her father! Desperate, Rachel turned to Paul, the mysterious young doctor who'd arrived in town ... only to find he was fascinated by her coldly calculating stepmother. But the reason for his obsession was even more shattering...

Love posed a strange threat. Diane was shocked when she returned to her small hometown. An evil rumor that the village was cursed had spread like wildfire—a rumor that was readily accepted after three men were mysteriously murdered. Every day more and more people fled ... and their land was quickly bought up by the Countess Marchand. Diane was sure the woman was somehow responsible for the panic, yet she couldn't prove it ... until she met the countess' disarmingly handsome nephew, a man who desperately wanted Diane's love—and her silence.

Death pitched her into a nightmare of despair Anne was grief-stricken after her husband, David, crashed to his death in a car accident. Their marriage had been happy, though David was a man of strange moods...and painful secrets, she discovered. For suddenly another woman was claiming to be his widow, too! Furious, Anne vowed to clear David's name and prove that she'd been his rightful wife. But the more she delved into his past, the more caught she became in a frightening maze of deceit and danger.

No one wanted to live there Cecilia arrived at Chesterton Manor eager to start her new job as tour guide. Work was scarce, and she thought herself lucky-even more so because she was deeply drawn to her employer, the handsome Sir Evan Cedric-Browne. But her mood soon changed. Something was desperately wrong at the manor. And Cecilia swore to find out why the servants had fled, despite Evan's promise that she was "safe." The one thing she didn't foresee was that she herself would fall prey to the mysterious forces pervading the manor....

Love and jealousy twined in a deadly game. Mystique Books- Intriguing novels, acclaimed throughout the world as the reading choice of everyone who enjoys the excitement of travel, the danger and the mystery of love.

Despair forced her to take bold action Grace Montclair boarded the train, shocked by her recent discovery. The man she'd fallen head over heels in love with hadn't mentioned that he was married. Now her only desire was to escape the memory of his impossible promises. Her chance came when the train suddenly crashed, an accident that claimed several victims. A lovely young woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Grace was counted among the dead...and believed by officials to be Grace herself. She quicly assumed the dead woman's identity, but soon found her problems hadn't disappeared - they had doubled!

The dancers whirled in mounting frenzy Serena's heart pounded as the insistent drumbeat of a primitive ritual filled the air. She had come to this remote South American village in a desperate attempt to find her brother. She had to make sure he was still alive... Fascinated, she stared at the dancing villagers. Sun speared off the shiny painted surfaces of their grotesque masks as they twirled in the blistering heat. Suddenly she saw a familiar face among the throng. Could it be...? She pushed her way through the human barricade crushing and squeezing against her. She had to get to him...

A glamorous city...where terror awaited. Natalie's decision to work in Monte Carlo for the summer thrust her into a strange glittering world. There she met Ramona, a millionaire's daughter—and a woman dangerously obsessed with gambling. Impulsively she tried to help when Ramona confided a terrible secret: she was being blackmailed. Natalie was sure they could outwit the scoundrel. But soon she, too, was drawn into a whirl of deceit that spun her faster and faster toward ruin.

Two years ago Rudolph Brink had shattered Janey's life and broken her heart into the bargain before deserting her. To do him justice,he had not known that she had had his child - and now that he did know he was insisting that they should marry. But although he was prepared to go so far to make amends, it was to be a marriage in name only, and meanwhile his old love, Sybil Rampling, seemed to be as much a part of his life as ever. And certainly he seemed neither to realise or to care that Janey still loved him. What hope had she of ever finding happiness with him?

She had come to Spain to heal old wounds. When Lauren came to El Pariso to escape her painful past, she met Carlos Chavez, whose own past was marred by tragedy. His wife had died in a freak car accident for which Carlos blamed himself, even though he, too, had almost did in it. He seemed to be recovering with Lauren's help ... until suddenly his small son was kidnapped. In her panic and growing love for Carlos, Lauren feared this new tragedy would push him over the edge. Not only the child's life, but the father's precarious hold on happiness—and now Lauren's future—hung in the balance.