Ricardo Torres has spent most of his twenties chasing the bohemian lifestyle, right down to the paintbrush that seems permanently attached to his hand. In his quest to capture the damage wrought to his beloved Lake Fúquene on a canvas, Rico once again finds himself lakeside. However, he soon discovers that the lake has been hiding a secret beneath its waves. With the water all but gone, a stolen Botero sculpture emerges from the cracking, muddy lakebed. Shortly after the police are called, Detective Sonia Mendoza arrives on the scene, eager to warm up this cold case. But as soon as Ricardo and Sonia are back at the police station in Bogotá, they learn that the lake was hiding one more secret. Now this unlikely pair must team up to solve a mystery neither of them anticipated. [[[ONC 2021 Longlister]]] [Based on Prompt #5]

In the quiet town of Northwood Pines, symbols began to appear-carved into the skin of the dead. As victims fall, Ethan steps into the shadows of city that hides more than it reveals. With every clue, a darker truth surfaces: a killer among them, masked in plain sight, experimenting on lives as if they were science projects. A web of lies, betrayal, and chilling brilliance-where every ally could be the enemy,and every step forward might be a trap. (Snippet) Mark's eyes narrowed. "That means Andrew never submitted the evidence." ............... ............... Mr. Marcus' voice hardened. "I thought you were a good man, like your father. But it seems I was wrong. You're not only a suspect but also aiding another criminal." Read on to discover whether Ethan could prove his innocence and uncover the mastermind behind the deadly trail of symbols. *********** Copyright © [2025] [PRATYUSH PRATEEK MISHRA] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means without the author's prior consent or written permission. *********** AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first book, and I've poured my heart into it. I've tried my best,but if you come across any errors or feel there's room for improvement, I'd truly appreciate your feedback. Your suggestions will help me grow and do better in my future books. Thank you for reading! (AVG LENGTH OF EACH CHAPTER :10,000 WORDS) *********** GRATITUDE NOTE: A heartfelt thank you to my dear friends-your constant support, encouragement, and belief in me meant the world. Whether it was helping me brainstorm, reading drafts, or simply cheering me on, you've been a huge part of this journey. This book wouldn't be complete without you. *********** CONTENT WARNING: This story contains detailed descriptions of murder, torture, hacking,and other elements related to crime. Some scenes may be disturbing,or triggering for certain readers.Reader discretion is advised.

Alicja is turning 21, and yet she has still not felt even a tingle, or a twitch or anything. She should have received the dragon mark by now. But, nothing. It wasn't cut in stone, but few ever did after their 21st birthday. Victor's father was killed. He wants the killer. And if the murderer chose to hide on the Earth side of the veil, then he would go there as well.

Running from hell isnʼt easy. Especially when someoneʼs dragging you back down into it. Belligerent, brash and always in shades of black, Freya is hardly a lady. Hidden away by her father, sheʼs lived a normal life despite being born into the dark waters of New Yorkʼs underworld. Heʼs cold, cruel and calculating, with a proclivity for destruction. Feared by even Made Men, Torren is the boss of the stateʼs most leachorous crime syndicate. Freya hates his crudity and possessiveness, but she canʼt deny the way her breath hitches at his rough touch, the deep timbre of his voice, and his dark, heated gaze. Torren hates her disobedience, her recklessness, and her chaos. To him, sheʼs only something to be tamed. And after he slips a ring on her hand, snatching away her future, she makes only one vow---to become his biggest torment.

How do you solve a murder when every single suspect has a time machine? Time-travelling police officer Erik Midgard has a problem. He has seen his own future. His fate is set. There is no way out. There is nothing he can do to escape it. He is going to die. But in the meantime, he has a murder to solve. On the moons of Mars, 900 years into the future, the wealthiest men and women in the solar system are arriving for the biggest night in the social calendar. The invitations are exclusively for people rich enough to own their own time machines. It is meant to be the greatest party in history. No one is supposed to die there. But when the guest of honour is found dead after the last dance, Erik and his partner Mirabi find themselves facing the greatest challenge of their careers. Trapped in a luxurious mansion and surrounded by millionaires, lovers, enemies, assassins, terrorists, robot doubles, hidden grudges, secret agendas and a criminal genius plotting his masterpiece, Erik and Mirabi must solve the case before its consequences can explode across the solar system. But as they sift through the evidence and the details of the crime start to appear, Erik finds himself beginning to wonder. Is his destiny truly written in stone? Or could there be a way for him to change it? A Wattpad Featured Book Selected by the BBC for their official Doctor Who reading list.