This feature essentially looks at titles that are being released in eBook format without an accompanying hardback or paperback. Sometimes it’s a release ahead of those formats, sometimes it’s a release after and sometimes it’s only being released in eBook format. At the minute I have one reliable (free) source (not Amazon, which doesn’t work for this). So lets give it a go and see whether this idea has legs!
Just a reminder as I don’t see any advance copies, my choices are based on the cover, blurb, gut instinct and what takes my fancy at the time. Essentially that’s how I decide on my own purchases.
(NB This post features Affiliate links from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)
Index
Crime, Thriller and Mystery (includes Historical Crime/Mysteries)
Historical (I tend to take this as pre 1960’s ie not in my lifetime!)
Crime, Thriller & Mystery
Then She Vanished by Carla Kovach
It’s dark as the young woman leaves work. Crossing the empty car park alone, she thinks about the warmth of her little house. But she doesn’t make it home that night. Or ever again…
Thirty years ago, Ruth Pritchard’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Elissa, went missing. Police were called, neighbours were interviewed, and even Ruth’s own husband was investigated, but the case went unsolved. Elissa disappeared forever.
Now, Ruth watches the local news and hears about another girl gone from the same streets where her beloved daughter was last seen, and her heart races. A distinctive red scarf was found at a crime scene, and she recognises it instantly. It belonged to Elissa.
After Ruth alerts the police, they rush to speak to her, but nobody answers the door. Her small home stands eerily quiet. Just like her daughter before her, Ruth has vanished into thin air.
Friends say that Ruth suspected someone close to home took Elissa. Others say she never trusted her husband again after he was questioned by police. Did she finally discover the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance? And will her friends and family ever see her again?
The Library Game by Gigi Pandian
Tempest Raj couldn’t be happier that the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Known for enchanting architectural features like sliding bookshelves and secret passageways, the company is now taking on a dream project: transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history’s greatest fictional detectives.
Though the work is far from done, Gray House Library’s new owner is eager to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room. But when a rehearsal ends with an actor murdered and the body vanishes, Tempest is witness to a seemingly impossible crime. Fueled by her grandfather’s Scottish and Indian meals, Tempest and the rest of the crew must figure out who is making beloved classic mystery plots come to life in a deadly game.
Multiple award winning author Gigi Pandian masterfully weaves wit and warmth in the Secret Staircase Mysteries. Readers will delight in the surprises Secret Staircase Construction uncovers behind the next locked door.
The Chess Master by MK Farrar
Two teenagers are snatched from the gritty streets of East London, but only one is being looked for…the one they didn’t mean to take.
When the rebellious daughter of a high-profile politician sneaks out and doesn’t return, DI Erica Swift is ordered to find her.
She’s seen enough runaways to know most come back on their own, but something about this case feels off. And when she discovers another teen went missing the same night—one no one seems to care about—her instincts go into overdrive.
The deeper she digs, the murkier the truth becomes.
Is the politician hiding something?
A bloodstained clue propels her deeper into a twisted game. The teens didn’t just vanish—they were taken.
Someone out there is moving the pieces.
Is Erica about to become a pawn?
A Dead Man on Staffin Beach by JM Dalgliesh
That which does not kill you… only makes them try harder…
When the body of a celebrity author, recently returned to the Isle of Skye seemingly to live out his remaining days, is found on Staffin Beach, D.I. Duncan McAdam is left with a mystery to solve.
The circumstances of his last days along with his death prove to be a mystery. How did this man meet his end on the sands of An Corran Beach at dawn? The case generates a great deal of interest in the media, putting a spotlight on Duncan and his team. Little does Duncan know how many people have been keeping secrets on the island. Secrets that some thought – and many hoped – would never come into the light.
As Duncan uncovers a darker side to his beloved Misty Isle, he finds the investigation coming closer to home. The life on Skye he escaped from all those years ago may not have been quite what he thought it was. As the investigation develops, Duncan begins to question not only who he can trust but also to what extent his own experiences have been manipulated by the deeds of the past.
What is it that happened on The Rock all those years ago that no one dares to speak of?
A Dance With the Devil by Jaye Bailey
You can never escape your past…
When a brilliant university student seemingly vanishes without a trace, DCI Luke Wiley and DS Hana Sawatsky are called in to investigate. At first they question why the Serious Crime Unit has been assigned the case, but as they dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s disappearance, they realise that something sinister is at play.
As the mystery surrounding the death of Luke’s wife becomes clearer, Luke and Hana struggle to keep it a secret, which draws a devious killer out of the shadows. It’s a race against time in the hunt for the missing student and as the detectives close in and the two cases collide, Luke realises that they are not the only ones doing the hunting. Will time run out for the missing girl and will Luke finally come face to face with his wife’s killer?
General/Contemporary Fiction
Leap of Faith by Kate Hewitt
When Abby Bryant’s husband Josh tells her he wants to move to West Virginia and homestead, she’s incredulous… as well as worried. Josh has had some pretty out-there ideas before, but this one takes the cake! They have a perfectly nice life in suburban New Jersey, even if it’s as busy and frenetic as everyone else’s. And while Josh is his typically eager self, ready to start hammering nails, planting corn, and whatever else he’s meant to do according to those YouTube videos he’s watched, Abby is a lot more cautious. Binge-watching Alone doesn’t mean you’re ready to go off-grid, and they like their life in the suburbs… don’t they?
But then their kids get involved… sixteen-year-old Bethany, fourteen-year-old William, eleven-year-old Jack, and six-year-old Rose are all more on board than Abby could have ever expected, even if little Rose really just wants a cat. Abby starts to suspect she’s the only one dragging her feet… but for how long? When their suburban life starts to come off the rails in all sorts of ways, Abby realizes something has to change. But is homesteading really the answer, especially when they’re such untested newbies? Josh certainly seems to think so. With the help of her family, can Abby take that leap of faith?
City Girls Forever by Patricia Scanlan
The City Girls are back! And as City Girl, Devlin Delaney’s iconic gym and spa, prepares to mark a big anniversary, Devlin and her best friends Caroline and Maggie are looking forward to a fabulous party where they can all put their problems behind them and celebrate. Devlin’s past has returned to haunt her, with a shocking revelation. But she’s strong and her beloved Luke has her back. Caroline is facing up to issues she’s long suppressed, with the help of a man who’s becoming more than a friend. Will happiness finally be hers? Maggie’s family is driving her mad. Her ex, Terry, and their daughter don’t get on, and she’s made an alarming discovery about her elderly mother’s financial affairs. She wants to run far, away. Sparks are going to fly, and some people are going to get a lot more than they bargained for!
Once a City Girl, a City Girl Forever. Nothing will stop their celebration . . . or will it?
Historical
The Orphans by Fiona McIntosh
Two lost souls. One fateful meeting. A love story twenty years in the making.
In the harsh desert country of South Australia in 1914, ten-year-old Tom Catchlove’s world is torn apart by a family tragedy. At the funeral home, he meets eight-year-old Fleur Appleby, whose kindness during his darkest hour leaves an indelible mark. Twenty years later, their paths unexpectedly cross again at a dance hall in Port Adelaide.
Fleur, now a talented mortician working alongside her widowed father, dreams of opening doors for women in the male-dominated funeral industry. But she must battle with her manipulative stepmother who schemes to marry Fleur off to a coffin-maker’s son and seize control of the family business. When Tom emerges from the isolation of the desert to find work at the port woolstores, Tom and Fleur’s paths cross again – only to become entangled in a murder investigation where they can trust no one but each other.
Romance
Never the Best by Maya Alden
She was never just a bet. She was always the best.
I’m Rhett Vanderbilt, and it’s time to make things right.
When I was seventeen, I made a terrible mistake. What started as a reckless, heartless bet spiraled into something far worse. Pearl Beaumont was awkward, sweet, and hopelessly trusting—and I took advantage of every bit of it. By the time I was done, I’d left her with a broken heart and a ruined reputation.
She left Savannah not long after, and now, fifteen years later, she’s back. A lot has changed. I’m not the same selfish kid I once was. I’m determined to right my wrongs.
What I don’t expect is to find myself working alongside Pearl—or to see the woman she’s become. Confident, driven, and completely uninterested in my apologies—or me. She’s nothing like the girl I once knew. Somehow, we manage to rebuild a fragile friendship; and the more time I spend with her, the more I find myself drawn to her.
But then my fiancée decides to dig up the past, dragging Pearl’s name through the mud all over again. It’s then that I finally understand the depth of the pain I caused—the toll it took on this kind, remarkable woman.
Ending my engagement is the easy part. Proving to Pearl that she was always the one? Earning her trust? That’s going to be the fight of my life.
Early Thirties by Josh Duboff
Sometimes friendship can be its own love story.
Victor and Zoey are getting old, well old-er, and it’s beginning to be a real problem.
Best friends for a decade, they have seen each other through bad dates and office drama, late nights and hungover brunches, during their years together in New York City.
As their wild twenties come to a close, though, the dynamic between the two is shifting. Coming off a tough breakup, Victor dedicates his energies toward building a career writing celebrity profiles for one of the last glossy magazines left, while Zoey navigates the terrain at her nascent fashion startup, questioning her future with her fiancé. The friends and acquaintances in their orbit—authors, influencers, “It girls”—are also searching for a sense of belonging, amidst anxieties and self-doubt.
But when tragedy befalls Victor, his once unbreakable bond with Zoey really starts to crack. They find themselves ignoring their ongoing text thread and pushing away what might be the most meaningful relationship of their lives. An immersive, hilarious, and heartbreaking story, this is a debut novel about best friendship, finding yourself, and realizing growing up has as much to do with the person you were as it does with the person you are desperately trying to become.
All for Her Forgiveness by DA Lemoyne
What if the man you love was also your enemy?
Hades Kostanidis. Merciless. Billionaire. Passionate. A man driven by vengeance, determined to make those who destroyed the one he cares about pay for it.
I don’t remember him, but I know he’s out for revenge. Yet, I have a secret that will change our lives forever.
Arrogant, handsome, powerful, rich, obsessed, vengeful – these are common adjectives for all four Kostanidis brothers.
Hades, a Greek tycoon from one of the world’s most powerful banking families, also carries the protective gene in his DNA.
He never goes back on his word, and fulfilling a promise tops his code of honor.
Kennedy Juliet O’Neal is a young woman who has known the darker side of life from an early age. Raised by a cruel woman, she doesn’t believe in fairy tales until a man who seduces her at first sight crosses her path.
The passion between the suffering young woman and the billionaire is instantaneous and uncontrollable. However, the couple is surrounded by evil, by monsters disguised as friends, who will do anything to separate them forever.
Love, with its inexorable strength, has its own way of orchestrating the pieces in life’s game. Without knowing it, a bond will form between the two that, coupled with the force of their feelings, no evil can destroy.
Alexander by EL Stevens
Alexander Palomino is a man defined by the ghosts of his past, of which there are many: his parents, his daughter, his wife…, and Jess.
He’s a man defined by the promises he’s made. To never be like his abusive father, to never love again, never trust again, and to sever their ties for good.
In the wake of their heart-wrenching end, Alex’s rash decision throws lives into chaos, including his own. It has him questioning all his beliefs, all the promises he’s made, and all the walls he’s built.
But the ghosts are there. Always there. Haunting him, haunting them.
Can Alex find freedom from the chains of his past…or, is he doomed to let history repeat itself?
A Little Broken by Kelsie Rae
I should’ve known Tatum Taylor was nothing but a pretty little liar when I caught her trying to sneak into my concert.
After I let her into the arena, then saw her in the crowd, I couldn’t help but invite her onto the stage and take a birthday shot with her.
We spent one night together before I asked for her number and she warned me to keep my distance.
She’s engaged, after all.
Or so I thought, until we run into each other again.
Now she’s my pretty little maid, and the pain in my backside until my band goes back on tour.
Then again, I guess there are worse ways to spend my time than by burrowing under Tatum’s skin the same way she burrowed under mine before leaving me high and dry.
Pretty little liar, are you ready to play by my rules now?
My Silver Lining by Laura Pavlov
Lulu Sonnet is the bane of my existence.
She’s caused me more physical pain than any man should ever endure.
From an accidental throat punch to a near death by shovel—
Don’t even get me started on that vicious pool ball accident where she almost robbed me of my family jewels.
She’s a hot little heathen, and what’s worse?
She’s staying in my brother’s rental house while I’m temporarily living in the guest house.
And now she needs a favor.
A fake boyfriend.
I’ll dote on her for a few weeks, she’ll return the favor so my boss’s daughter will stop nagging me, and then we’ll part ways.
It seems simple enough.
Until we end up in the same shower.
And then the same bed.
The lines are blurring.
She’s beautiful and fierce and sexy all at the same time.
But Lulu isn’t staying in Rosewood River forever.
The place I call home is just a pitstop for her.
But suddenly everything I thought I wanted is no longer important to me.
My fake girlfriend has turned my world upside down.
And now nothing feels right without her.
A Match Made in Seabury by Beth Rain
This is Seabury – where everyone knows everyone, the average tourist hasn’t got a clue it even exists, and that’s just how the locals like it!
Connie Brown hasn’t been able to take her eyes off this tall hunk of a man ever since he first set foot in New York Froth. There’s talk around town that he’s a Polar explorer… but that can’t be right… can it?
Not that it matters. Connie isn’t in Seabury looking for a fling with a rugged stranger. As for love? Forget it. She just needs to keep her head down and figure out how she’s going to untangle the mess she left behind in her “real” life.
Ewan Pepper is still cold. The Seabury sunshine might be bright, but he’s having a hard time thawing from the Arctic chill.
He’s not sure he’s got another expedition left in him. Frostbitten fingertips don’t lend themselves to knitting… and that’s all he really wants to do! Well… that and stare at the beautiful waitress whose smile is like liquid sunshine. If only he could summon the courage to ask her name!
When a wayward ball of yarn breaks the ice, will Connie and Ewan find warmth and comfort in their shared love of all things woolly? Or will the
Ill Will by Elle Rivers
Ever since she stole a house from her brother Calvin, things have been tough for Amy Willard. Her job at her parents’ company barely pays enough to live on and her chronic condition keeps her buried in medical debt; she’s barely hanging on to her gram’s historic house that she loves dearly.
Once Calvin takes over the family company and fires her, she’s sure that he’s gotten the revenge he’s always wanted. In a desperate attempt to save herself and her home, she begins job hunting.
When she shows up to her first interview, the CEO is none other than Levi Hensen, the only man who has ever hated her brother—and the only man who has broken her heart. Despite her hostility, he offers her a position that will make all her financial problems go away. The role?
His wife.
Amy knows this offer is only intended to hurt Calvin. After all, what better way to get back at your enemy than to marry his sister? She’ll simply take the financial security and won’t get caught up in his nice smile or persistent kindness.
But as lines blur, Levi starts feeling more like a husband and less like a man bent on revenge. As time goes on, Amy begins to wonder if he might actually love her—or if she’s still on the receiving end of his ill will toward her brother.
The Wrong Play by CR Jane
I knew Jace Thatcher was the wrong play the second he set his sights on me.
He’s the school’s star wide receiver. The campus golden boy. The kind of man who takes what he wants and never lets go.
And what he wants…is me.
But I’m not a game to be won.
I have secrets. Scars. A past that’s still chasing me. And the last thing I need is a cocky football player with an obsessive streak and a dangerous smile trying to claim me like I’m his.
Only Jace doesn’t take no for an answer.
Not when he’s decided I belong to him.
Not when my past comes knocking.
Not even when I try to run.
Because Jace Thatcher plays to win.
And falling for him? Might be the worst play of my life.
*Note: Jace Thatcher is a morally grey antihero who is obsessed with his girl and will do anything to keep her. This is a darker football romance.
So that’s all for this week.
Happy Reading!
