Deadly assassins Allegra and Ace have been trying in vain to kill each other for years. With a mutual enemy threatening their mafias, they find themselves in an unexpected alliance, and soon discover killing each other isn't the only temptation they need to resist... ****** Allegra Grey is poised to be the next great American mafia leader, and she's more than living up to the name. A skilled assassin, there's only one target who's ever gotten away from her-suave, sinfully handsome Ace De Luca, heir to the Italian mafia and the Greys' biggest rival. When both mafias are faced with a dangerous threat, they're forced to work together to protect their families, and unexpected sparks fly. Allegra definitely isn't one to sleep with the enemy, especially an arrogant womanizer like Ace. But there's an undeniable electricity between them and Allegra's not sure it's all hatred. Ace may be bad news, but Allegra's never been afraid of a little danger. As the fire they're playing with grows to a scorching blaze, one thing is clear: trying to kill each other may have been difficult, but resisting this intense chemistry will be impossible. [[Word count: 100,000 - 150,000]] Cover designed by Regina Dionela Content/trigger warning: Contains mature themes, violence and gore

Dear Reader, The following work was found sealed in the library of a castle, belonging to an ancient noble family, in the Champagne region to the east of Paris. The dates of the events contained within are attributed to sometime in the 18th century. It appears that any other record of the Marquis featured within, and the estate that he kept, have since been expunged from historical record. It is as if there was an omertà (conspiracy of silence) which sought to erase him entirely from collective memory - one that might have succeeded if not for the astonishing recovery of these letters. It has been my duty to act as caretaker to this work since I agreed to its restoration. I have found, regrettably, that my colleagues have failed to grasp the momentous importance of these letters and their wider significance. There is, I admit, some question of authenticity that requires consideration. For my part, I have forcible reasons to believe that these letters are genuine. I have submitted the work to a broader audience, however, for precisely this object; I have hope that, by breaking outside the narrow remit of literary academia, I may yet find a willing readership committed to studying these letters as seriously as I have. As the Judge might once have heard it, so the Reader shall hear it now. Unfortunately, I must also include a notice of warning: the letters of Charlotte B--- speak of diabolical horrors and the direst human cruelty. I believe that, were these letters recognised, they would take the place as the first of the modern écritures maudits (damned writings), above de Sade or Corbière. Hence, I recognise that such subject matter is certainly not for everyone. Should you decide to turn to more pleasant reading, I certainly could not blame you. The world can be a sombre and unforgiving place without having to reflect on its grimmest parts. The choice to continue, Reader, is entirely your own. Yours faithfully, Dr. Samuel J. Collins

While investigating the chilling deaths of three teenage girls in the remote town of Briarwood, Detective Evan O'Riley is drawn into the unsolved mysteries of a notorious 1960s serial killer. Three sixteen-year-old girls have plunged from the roof of their school. The question lingers: did they jump, or were they pushed? Tasked with uncovering the truth, Evan O'Riley---seasoned by years of crime-solving in Riverton---arrives in Briarwood, determined to discover whether he's facing triple homicide or a heartbreaking suicide. As he delves into the case, Evan uncovers unsettling whispers about the town's infamous SAD Killer, whose string of brutal murders left Briarwood haunted---and whose identity was never discovered. Fifty years later, the ghosts of the past resurface as Evan combs through long-buried evidence, tracks down survivors, and seeks out old investigators tied to the original crimes. Driven to find answers for both the present and the past, Evan is relentless in his pursuit of justice. But as old secrets come to light and the investigation intensifies, Evan realizes the SAD Killer's legacy isn't as distant as he believed---the danger may be closer than anyone imagines.