Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller

Series · 12

books · 2013-2022

By Connie Shelton, Ritter Ames, LynDee Walker, and more

Books in series

Front Page Fatality

2013

When two rookie cops are killed in a fiery crash near Richmond, Virginia, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke is sent in to investigate. She assumes it will be routine, a scene like many other accidents she's covered. She's wrong. This was no ordinary accident. And as Nichelle digs deeper into the case, people and evidence begin to disappear. Someone is one step ahead of her, desperate to cover their tracks. A master criminal with a deadly secret, who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden... But as she draws closer to unraveling the mystery of two dead cops, Nichelle realizes she's become the next target. Can she survive this murderous game of cat and mouse long enough to solve the mystery? Or will Nichelle fall prey to a killer?

Buried Leads

2013

A young female reporter uncovers a dark web of political corruption. A discovery so big the conspirators will do anything to keep it a secret. When an Armani-clad body turns up in a shallow forest grave, Nichelle Clarke is the first reporter on the scene. She soon discovers the victim is a tobacco lobbyist with powerful connections. Local politicians are pushing for a quick arrest. Nichelle thinks they seem nervous. Even more so after a second victim is found dead. Nichelle's search for the killer soon uncovers a jaw-dropping trail of malfeasance and debauchery that stretches all the way to Washington, D.C. It's the kind of story that can make a crime reporter's career. But the power players at the center of this conspiracy have everything to lose, and as Nichelle's quest for the truth nears its end, she lands squarely in the crosshairs of the killer. Can her wits alone can get her out alive, or will these secrets stay buried for good?

#2.5

Dateline Memphis

2019

Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke heads home for the holidays...and learns that crime doesn’t take a day off. Nichelle detours to Graceland in search of an Elvis Presley souvenir for her mother. But when a valuable piece of memorabilia goes missing, the historic mansion descends into chaos. With security swooping in and Graceland on lockdown, Nichelle finds herself shut in with staff, security guards, and Elvis superfans, all in the midst of an unfolding crime. Never one to miss an exclusive scoop, Nichelle whips out her notebook and starts reporting. Locked behind the famous Graceland gates, Nichelle must work through a long list of suspects with no time to lose. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in. The house of the King offers many clues, but will Nichelle be able to connect the dots in time to save a piece of history…and herself? Brace yourself for murder mysteries taut with authentic plots that only a former crime reporter could write—pick up your LynDee Walker thriller today.

Small Town Spin

2014

Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke ventures out to a tiny Chesapeake Bay island community, helping a friend search for answers in the wake of unthinkable tragedy. But in small towns like this, some rocks are never meant to be overturned... T.J. had the world in the palm of his hand. He was handsome. Popular in school. Smart. A stellar athlete. The son of superstar pro quarterback Tony Okerson, he seemed destined to follow in his father's footsteps to a career of gridiron glory. That bright, shining dream ends when T.J.'s lifeless body is found on a rocky shoreline near his family's Chesapeake Bay home. Due to his father's past fame, the tragedy ignites a media frenzy in the normally serene island community. Through a mutual friend, the grieving parents turn to reporter Nichelle Clarke for help. Nichelle agrees to write the story herself and attempt to quell the national media circus. But as Nichelle begins to explore the facts surrounding the death, she discovers some shocking details. Something doesn't fit. And while the local sheriff wants to stamp the case a drug overdose and move on, Nichelle becomes convinced that foul play may have been involved. To the townsfolk, Nichelle is an outsider, putting her nose where it doesn't belong. But in her experience, that's exactly where the most damning secrets are kept. And the further she follows the evidence trail, the more Nichelle realizes that this sleepy coastal village is anything but innocent...

Devil in the Deadline

2015

A human sacrifice unlocks a chilling mystery, and leads Nichelle Clarke into a world of unimaginable danger. When Richmond Police find a young woman's bloody remains spread across a candle-lit altar in an abandoned power plant on the banks of the James River, they give crime reporter Nichelle Clarke an all-access pass in exchange for her help. But the information Nichelle gets from the victim's friends only draws her deeper into the mystery. Where did Jasmine come from? How did she end up on the streets of Shockoe Bottom? And why doesn't she have any dental records? The answer trail stops at the front doors of a sprawling compound in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, where Nichelle finds a secretive cult leader and his devoted following. It is a world where lies become truth, and money is the true idol. Money some people would do anything to keep collecting... Even if it means murdering a nosy reporter.

Cover Shot

2015

Cryptic online messages and a murder in a swanky condo complex don't strike crime reporter Nichelle Clarke as related-until a gunman sends a hospital into chaos. When a body is discovered in a high-rise in Richmond, Virginia, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke races to the scene. The victim is a brilliant doctor with an unusual past. But before Nichelle can decide what to make of the murder, the local police radio is filled with a dreaded distress call. There is an active shooter at a nearby hospital. The gunman has taken hostages on a patient floor, and gives the police a single demand. He wants to speak with Nichelle. In person.

#5.5

Midnight Mysteries

2016

Nine Cozy Tales by Nine Bestselling Authors Ritter Ames – “Organized for Masked Motives” (Organized Mysteries series) Kate McKenzie never dreamed when she started her business, Stacked in Your Favor, she’d spend nearly as much time crime solving as organizing. But with Halloween approaching and too many items on the to-do list, she and Meg Berman find themselves in another puzzling dilemma—where every answer leads to another question. Morgana Best – “No Time to Witch” (The Kitchen Witch mystery series) In a historical mystery prequel to the novel MISS SPELLED, Thelma Spelled must discover the mystery around a murder that entangles her and her husband. The paranormal tale reveals more about the magic of the house and early 20th century Australia. Karen Cantwell – “It Takes a Ghost” (tie-in to the Sophie Rhodes mystery series) New detective Brenna Sage can’t solve a series of robberies—until she gains a partner in the guise of Marmaduke Dodsworth. While Marmaduke is better versed in decorum and refinement than forensics and interrogation, he has one decidedly clear advantage: He can walk through walls. Carolyn Haines – “Clacking Bones” (Sarah Booth Delaney series) When Jitty’s husband, Coker, goes missing from the Great Beyond, Sarah Booth Delaney, Tinkie, and all the animals sign on to find out why the spirit is AWOL. Sarah Booth has to dig deep into the past to find the answer to this puzzling mystery. Eleanor Cawood Jones – “Salad Days, Halloween Nights” (author of A Baker’s Dozen) A vegetable-loving chef has cooked his way into trouble when a Halloween treat leads to murder. If he wants a happy future, he must first make sure the police don’t have him down as the main ingredient in a recipe for a prison sentence. Larissa Reinhart – “The Vigilante Vignette” (Cherry Tucker Mystery series) When Cherry pays a mercy call on a neighbor, she’s roped into a quid pro quo deal—if she recovers a stolen family heirloom both somewhat embarrassing and due to be discovered missing very shortly, the neighbor will use family clout to help her with zoning issues. But if she fails, the expression “someone’s got her goat” takes on a whole new meaning. And when she discovers a thievery ring, illegal auctions, and green-eyed emotions after spotting Luke where he’s not expected—it’s another hilarious day in Halo, Georgia. Connie Shelton – “Spellbound Sweets” (Samantha Sweets Magical Cozy Mysteries) It’s Halloween, one of the busiest times of the year for Samantha Sweet and the crew at her pastry shop, Sweet’s Sweets. The gang looks forward to a gala costume party at the neighborhood bookstore, but the evening takes a different turn when a guest is murdered, a rare book vanishes, and Sam finds herself in the midst of another mystery. Maria Grazia Swan – “Weeping Moon” (Lella York Mysteries series) Lella York has a way of getting herself into trouble, even when she’s doing volunteer work. Who's the mysterious storyteller, and what's going on at the senior living center? Will Lella find out before it’s too late? LynDee Walker – “Frightening Features” (Nichelle Clarke Mystery series) Not a patient recovery patient, while Nichelle Clarke waits for an injury to heal all she really wants is a story to write and research—hard news to get her mind occupied. Instead, her boss gives her a fluff piece. Not her idea of fun. But with Nichelle snooping around, it’s not surprising her soft story takes a decidedly hard turn.

Lethal Lifestyles

2018

The groom is the prime suspect in a murder at his own rehearsal dinner. Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke doesn't believe he's the killer—but now it's up to her to find out who is. When Nichelle Clarke is invited to be the maid of honor in her friends' Virginia vineyard wedding, she looks forward to the celebration. The storybook ceremony has been planned to the tiniest detail, and the rehearsal dinner is going off without a hitch. Until a dead body is found in a barrel of award-winning Riesling. But when the dust settles, the corpse is no longer Nichelle's biggest worry. There is a growing list of evidence pointing to her friend the groom as the killer. Nichelle doesn't buy it, but finds herself the lone skeptic. Wading through skeletons of past love and loss, Nichelle sets out to prove the groom's innocence. But the journey forces her to face hard truths about how well she really knows her closest friends. Can Nichelle track down the truth in time to save her friend from life in prison—or worse? Assuming he is innocent, who is the real killer? And more importantly, will they strike again?

#6.5

Fatal Features

2019

A suspenseful tale of crime, conspiracy, and murder—for fans of James Patterson, Catherine Coulter, and Melinda Leigh.Crime reporter Nichelle Clarke prefers chasing headlines to relaxing. Even injured and on doctor-ordered bed rest. When her editor offers her a feature assignment thinking that will silence her requests to return to work early, Nichelle jumps at it. Her editor sends reinforcements to keep Nichelle from overdoing it, venturing to an abandoned renaissance fairground to interview a ghost-hunting reality TV show’s producers and staff. But a fresh dead body and a nearby tragedy leave Nichelle and her friends on their own to figure out who they can trust on the set—and who might be a killer. Can Nichelle uncover the truth before someone she loves becomes the next victim? This suspenseful thriller series has riveted fans of James Patterson, Catherine Coulter, Melinda Leigh, and Robert Dugoni. Brace yourself for murder mysteries taut with authentic plots that only a former crime reporter could write—pick up your LynDee Walker thriller today. This novella includes a sample of Front Page Fatality, the first full-length novel in the Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller series.

Deadly Politics

2019

When a call girl is found dead in a popular governor’s office, investigative reporter Nichelle Clarke must risk everything to uncover the dangerous truth behind the murder. "I did not see the end coming..." Reporter Nichelle Clarke’s dream of covering a presidential speech is dashed when she finds herself intertwined in a high-profile murder investigation. While Nichelle is no stranger to facing dangerous situations in pursuit of the truth, the stakes in this story are higher than ever before. Unsure of who she can trust, Nichelle must unravel a web of secrets behind an elaborate murder plot and dodge legal traps set by corrupt politicians. For if Nichelle can’t uncover the conspiracy in time, an unthinkable disaster will strike the nation. What readers are saying about Deadly Politics ★★★★★ "...masterfully written..." ★★★★★ "One of the best writers I've ever read and this latest proves it." ★★★★★ "Such a fantastic read..I couldn't finish it fast enough, and yet I didn't want it to end!" ★★★★★ "Every once in a while you read a book that is so unbelievably good that you can’t pick up another book for at least a week. Deadly Politics was one of those books for me." A murder mystery series taut with gripping, authentic plots that only a former crime reporter could write. Nichelle Clarke Crime Thrillers can be read in any order. Start here!

Hidden Victims

2020

A letter from a dead man catapults Nichelle Clarke into the biggest story of her career...if she can stay alive long enough to report it. Nichelle Clarke needs a big break. With a new job and a new boss, she’s under pressure to find a story that will send papers flying off the racks—and money flying in the door. When she learns that the widow of a beloved athlete is entangled in the opioid crisis, Nichelle sets out to track her down. But the story takes a turn when her interview prospect becomes a suspect—for murder. Detectives have found a dead body, along with a letter addressed to Nichelle. Determined to uncover the truth, she jumps into the race to find the killer—even as it turns into a police manhunt for the now-missing widow. But this story leads Nichelle deep into a mystery where nothing is what it seems, and the truth behind a brutal murder is just the beginning. A murder mystery series taut with gripping, authentic plots that only a former crime reporter could write. Nichelle Clarke Crime Thrillers can be read in any order. Start here!

Dangerous Intent

A Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller

2022

Missing teenagers and execution-style murders vie for crime reporter Nichelle Clarke’s attention as she chases the stories into a web of intrigue and danger, determined to discover the truth at any cost. Nichelle Clarke owes her boss a big headline. She gets her lucky break when a member of a notorious hate group is found with a bullet in his head, his body dumped in the woods. But then a boy from a local LGBTQ support group goes missing, and Nichelle can’t turn away from an old friend’s plea for help finding him. Police across the state are reluctant to expend dwindling resources on runaways and murdered bigots, leaving Nichelle to take the investigations into her own hands. The number of missing teenagers climbs. Meanwhile, more dead bodies point to a ruthless serial killer with prejudice in his sights. As clues and dead ends pile up in nearly equal numbers and other reporters pick up the trail, the situation quickly spirals out of Nichelle’s control. The killer is a master at covering their tracks, and they won’t stop until they’ve passed deadly judgment on every last bigot in the state. Nichelle will fight her way through communities swallowed by fear to save lives…unless she loses her own in the process. A murder mystery series taut with gripping, authentic plots that only a former crime reporter could write.

Authors

Connie Shelton

Author · 43 books

My love of books started with weekly trips to the library as a child and from the moment I learned to read I can't remember a time that I didn't have at least one book going. For the past 25 years, that list has grown to include what I'm reading and what I'm writing at any given time. I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico. In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach. Series: * Charlie Parker Mystery

Ritter Ames

Author · 14 books

Ritter Ames is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Organized Mysteries series and the Bodies of Art Mysteries series. When she's not writing or brainstorming new mysteries Ritter is usually trying to get her favorite yellow Lab to stay out of the pond, or keep her grouchy black cat from trying to give the dog away on Freecycle. Ritter would love to live on a boat and write from far flung locations around the globe, but the dog would constantly have to be fished from the water, and her husband and cat would just complain endlessly about the dog's smell, so staying on land seems to be the only good option to keep her sanity and not get sidetracked from writing. Ritter tries to blog regularly at http://ritterames.com/ and subscribe there to get the latest news about upcoming releases, and inside scoops on her characters and series. She uses her Pinterest boards at http://www.pinterest.com/ritterames/ to capture great places and ideas she wants to use in both series. Go to her website to subscribe to her newsletter and get the first alert about new books in her series.

LynDee Walker

Author · 19 books

LynDee Walker is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of two crime fiction series featuring strong heroines and "twisty, absorbing" mysteries. Her first Nichelle Clarke crime thriller, FRONT PAGE FATALITY, was nominated for the Agatha Award for best first novel, and her second Faith McClellan novel, LEAVE NO STONE, was named a 2020 Thriller Award finalist. Reviews have praised her work as "well-crafted, compelling, and fast-paced," and "an edge-of-your-seat ride" with "a spider web of twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end." Before she started writing fiction, LynDee was an award-winning journalist who covered everything from ribbon cuttings to high level police corruption, and worked closely with the various law enforcement agencies that she reported on. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the U.S. Aside from books, LynDee loves her family, her readers, travel, and coffee. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is working on her next novel when she's not juggling laundry and children's sports schedules. You can find her online at www.lyndeewalker.com, and connect with her on Facebook at lyndeewalkerbooks or Twitter @LynDeeWalker.

Maria Grazia Swan

Author · 16 books

Maria Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona—but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan? As a young girl, her vivid imagination predestined her to be a writer. She won her first literary award at the age of fourteen while living in Belgium. As a young woman Maria returned to Italy to design for—ooh-la-la—haute couture. Once in the U.S. and after years of concentrating on family, she tackled real estate. These days her time is devoted to her deepest passions: writing and helping people find happiness. Maria loves travel, opera, good books, hiking, and intelligent movies (if she can find one, that is). When asked about her idea of a perfect evening, she favors stimulating conversation, spicy Italian food and perfectly chilled Prosecco—but then, who doesn’t? Maria has written short stories for anthologies, articles for high profile magazines and numerous blogs tackling love and life. She engaged her editorial and non-fiction skills for Mating Dance Rituals for Singles Who Weren't born yesterday. Her romantic suspense novels Love Thy Sister,Bosom Bodies and Italian Summer are available at Amazon.com. Her new series, published by Gemma Halliday is also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, the first book is title Gemini Moon Website: http://www.mariagraziaswan.com Contact Maria: mariagswan@gmail.com -or- touch base with her on Facebook.

Morgana Best

Author · 63 books

USA Today best-selling author Morgana Best survived a childhood of deadly spiders and venomous snakes in the Australian outback. Morgana Best writes cozy mysteries and enjoys thinking of delightful new ways to murder her victims.

Larissa Reinhart

Author · 18 books

A Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa loves to tell funny, sweet stories about sassy Southern women looking for love (and sometimes dead bodies) in all the wrong places, like in her award-winning Cherry Tucker Mystery, Maizie Albright Star Detective, and/or Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series. You might have seen Larissa and her family with their little dog, Biscuit, on HGTV's House Hunters International "Living for the Weekend in Nagoya" episode. They’re back in Georgia where Biscuit has a bigger yard but now has to live with thunderstorms. Check out LarissaReinhart.com to learn more and get a free story while you're visiting. Her books have been chosen as book club picks by Woman's World Magazine and Hot Mystery Reviews. They've also been finalists for Georgia Author of the Year, the Silver Falchion, the Daphne du Maurier Award, The Emily Award, and Dixie Kane Memorial. Her work also appeared in the 2017 Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice winner, Eight Mystery Writers You Should Be Reading Now. Cherry Tucker Mysteries (in order): A CHRISTMAS QUICK SKETCH (prequel) PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW HIJACK IN ABSTRACT DEATH IN PERSPECTIVE THE VIGILANTE VIGNETTE THE BODY IN THE LANDSCAPE A COMPOSITION IN MURDER A VIEW TO A CHILL A MOTHERLODE OF TROUBLE Maizie Albright Star Detective series in order: 15 MINUTES 16 MILLIMETERS NC-17 A VIEW TO A CHILL 17.5 CARTRIDGES IN A PEAR TREE 18 CALIBER 18 1/2 DISGUISES 19 CRIMINALS (coming soon!) 20 CARATS Finley Goodhart Crime Capers in order: PIG’N A POKE (prequel short story for Larissa's subscribers) THE CUPID CAPER

Carolyn Haines

Author · 55 books

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. In 2020, she was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Library Association, the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the "Best Amateur Sleuth" award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.

Karen's novel, Take the Monkeys and Run was a semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (under the original title of Monkeys in My Trees)and has gone on to be a Kindle bestseller on Amazon. She has written three more books in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series: Citizen Insane, Silenced by the Yams, and Saturday Night Cleaver. When she's not writing, Karen loves gardening and spending time with her family. She is currently working on the release of Keep Me Ghosted, the first book in the new Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romance Series, as well as beginning the draft of Kiss Me, Tate, part of the upcoming Barbara Marr spin-off, Love in Rustic Woods Series. Karen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to drop her a line at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com. You can also stay in touch by liking her Facebook Page, Karen Cantwell Author Karen's website: Karen's Website Karen's books and short stories: Take the Monkeys and Run (Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #1) Citizen Insane (Barbara Marr MM #2) Silenced by the Yams (Barbara Marr MM #3) Saturday Night Cleaver (Barbara Marr MM #4) The Chronicles of Marr-nia, Short Stories Starring Barbara Marr It's a Dunder-Bull Wife, A Barbara Marr Holiday Tale A Spirited Season, Holiday Tales with a Paranormal Flair Books to be released in 2013: Keep Me Ghosted (Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romance #1) Kiss Me, Tate (Love in Rustic Woods #1) Piper Nash and the Power Police (YA Fantasy) Dead Man Stalking (Barbara Marr MM #5)