Previously published as Jessa Archer. Black bear, black bear, what did you see? When a gunshot disturbs her morning, journalist Ruth Townsend is certain it's the neighbor she's already warned twice about hunting on her property. She takes off through the woods to confront him but stumbles upon more than she bargained for—a bear trap, complete with a dead bear. Even though the sheriff and others advise her not to make waves, Ruth isn't inclined to let it go, especially after she finds an injured and abandoned cub in her shed. Will Ruth track down the bear's killer or find herself caught in his trap?

BURIED LEDES AND BURIED SECRETS When Ruth Townsend's job and marriage both end abruptly, she heads home to the mountains for a fresh start. Nine months later, she has a new hobby, good friends, and a potential new romance—but only two dozen subscribers to the weekly newspaper she's intent on reviving. What she needs is a good mystery...but nothing ever happens in sleepy little Thistlewood. Then Edith Morton is found dead at the bottom of her staircase. Her son and the sheriff both assume that the old woman jumped, but a shattered teacup and eerie passages from Edith's diary about a dark-haired boy lead Ruth to believe there's more to the story. Was Edith simply a victim of dementia, or did someone push her over the edge? Ruth is too curious not to keep digging, but her investigation is unearthing secrets someone spent decades trying to hide. Can Ruth find out who killed Edith Morton before she or someone she loves becomes the next obituary in the Thistlewood Star? (Previously published as Jessa Archer.)

A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ART? When the rusted-out remains of a vehicle with a unique vanity plate are hauled out of the Freedom River, journalist Ruth Townsend and her best friend, Wren Lawson, think they've finally learned the truth about the disappearance of their high school friend, Tanya Blackburn. The rest of Thistlewood may have believed that Tanya simply packed up and headed for the bright lights of Nashville, but the story never made sense to Ruth and Wren, and the mystery has haunted both of them for more than three decades. A set of paintings left for Ruth at the estate sale of a former teacher seem to contain clues about what really happened to Tanya in the summer of 1987. But when Ruth unboxes the collection, she discovers that Wren may be keeping a few secrets of her own. (Previously published as Jessa Archer.)

Previously published as Jessa Archer. NOW YOU SEE HER...NOW YOU DON'T When Ruth Townsend discovers Tessa Martin's body in an abandoned factory, sprawled across a Ouija board, she does the responsible thing and calls 911. But by the time Sheriff Blevins arrives, the girl's body has vanished. Blevins is convinced that Tessa is playing an elaborate hoax. But Ruth and her daughter, Cassie, know better. They both saw the body. ​ Ruth is certain the sheriff is hiding something, and it all seems connected to the odd cult holding a revival up in the mountains. With her best friend Wren by her side, she decides to investigate. Will Ruth and Wren figure out what happened to Tessa Martin, or will the killer slither away?

LIGHTS, CAMERA,...MURDER? Thistlewood is all decked out as a picture-perfect Christmas village and the ideal backdrop for a holiday movie. The entire town is abuzz with excitement until one of the actors, Oscar-winner Audrey Shaw, turns up dead in her trailer on the set. Ms. Shaw's star faded decades ago, and her failure to show up for filming has put the production several days behind, at a time when the cast and crew would prefer to be home with their families. Rumor has it that Shaw was hitting the bottle again, as well. The local sheriff, the mayor, and the film's producer all insist that Shaw's death was accidental. Ruth and Cassie are certain it was murder, but can they prove it—and locate the town Santa's missing reindeer—before the suspects pack up and head home to California on Christmas Eve?

A girls’ weekend in Nashville takes an unexpected turn when Ruth’s ex-husband vanishes, leaving behind a suicide note and the body of his business partner. It’s clear that Joe was involved in something highly illegal, but Ruth has a hard time believing he was capable of murder and Cassie refuses to accept that he’s dead. Ruth, Wren, and Cassie return to Thistlewood, and turn their attention to the local (and far less lethal) mystery of who stole a prize-winning quilt from the women’s club. But murder seems to have followed them home from Nashville, and piecing together the patchwork of clues her ex-husband left behind could put Ruth and everyone she loves in danger.