Here’s the Christmas Eve edition of Kindle Buffet, and it’s absolutely loaded, just like yesterday.

At the top of today’s picks: both of the mysteries by Michael Weems, a practicing attorney in Houston, Texas, who calls himself a “hobby” author. Michael has self-published both his novels, and they’ve proved wildly popular among Kindle readers. (I think it’s time for Michael to quit his day job and start writing full-time!)

Next on the list are two recent books that “continue” the story of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice — one by Jennifer Becton and the other by Karen Aminadra. Both of these books have been well received, too.

All the books listed here have gone FREE within the past 24 hours (except for the “Kindle Daily Deal” on page 2). Books qualify for “Editor’s Picks” if they have outstanding customer reviews. Warning: Kindle book promotions can end without notice, so before downloading click the link “See Kindle price at Amazon” to verify that the book is still free. (Prices and availability may differ outside USA.)

The Ghosts of Varner Creek

Mystery > Historical > Regional > U.S. South
Author: Michael Weems

The Ghosts of Varner Creek

At 87, Solomon “Sol” Mayfield is taken on an otherworldly journey to discover what really happened to his family.  Sol has been able to see ghosts ever since his mother and sister mysteriously disappeared when he was a child. When he dies in a nursing home in the second chapter of the novel, it’s only the beginning of his story. He’s reunited with his sister, Sarah, who reveals family secrets he was never able to learn while he was alive. The novel flashes back to 1909, when Sol was 12 and Sarah was 13. The day after Sarah’s birthday, Sol wakes up to find that his mother and sister are gone. Many in their small town of Varner Creek, Texas, assume that Sol’s mother, Annie, had finally had enough of his abusive father, Abram; others suspect foul play.

Border Crossings: A Catherine James Thriller

Mystery & Thrillers > Women Sleuths
Author: Michael Weems

Border Crossings: A Catherine James Thriller

When a college student vacationing in Cancun is abducted, her parents turn to a friend to help find her.  After spurning the sleazy advances of an older man in a nightclub in Cancun, spring-breaking college student Taylor Woodall is abducted at gunpoint outside her hotel, and her friend is shot. Her father immediately contacts his old friend Catherine James, a smart, resourceful attorney who has long dealt with sketchy characters south of the border.

After running into a dead end with the local cops, James stumbles across a street kid who may have some pertinent information, but after the two are attacked in a crowded market, she realizes she’s in over her head. She has no choice but to contact Matt, an old boyfriend who is currently working as a gun for hire, training anti-cartel soldiers deep in the jungle. Once Matt is on the scene, the pace of the investigation picks up, but, given his extreme methods, James is forced to confront some prickly moral issues if she’s going to find out exactly what happened to Taylor.

Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Literature & Fiction >  Historical Romance
Author: Jennifer Becton

Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

When Charlotte Lucas married Mr. Collins in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, she believed herself to be fortunate indeed. Her nuptials gained her a comfortable home and financial security. If she acquired these things at the expense of true love, it did not matter one whit. To Charlotte, love in marriage was nothing more than a pleasant coincidence.

As the years of her marriage dragged by, Charlotte began to question her idea of love as she suffered continual embarrassment at her husband’s simpering and fawning manners. When Mr. Collins dies, finally relieving everyone of his tedious conversation, she must work feverishly to secure her income and home.

Charlotte ~ Pride and Prejudice Continues

Literature & Fiction >  Historical Romance
Author: Karen Aminadra

Charlotte ~ Pride and Prejudice Continues

When Charlotte Lucas married Mr Collins, she did not love him but had at least secured her future.
However, what price must she pay for that future? She once said she was not romantic, but how true is that now after almost one year of marriage?

Mr Collins is submissive in the extreme to his patroness, and his constant simpering, fawning and deference to the overbearing and manipulative Lady Catherine de Bourgh is sure to try the patience of a saint, or at least of Charlotte.
As Charlotte becomes part of Hunsford society, she discovers she is not the only one who has been forced to submit to the controlling and often hurtful hand of Lady Catherine.

Breaking TWIG

Historical Fiction > Regional > U.S. South

Author: Deborah Epperson

Breaking TWIG

Set in rural Georgia in the 1960s, BREAKING TWIG is a coming-of-age novel about Becky (Twig) Cooper, a young woman trying to survive the physical and emotional abuse of her mother, Helen, a beautiful, calculating woman who can, with a mere look, send the meanest cur in Sugardale, Georgia running for its life.

Not even Twig’s vivid imagination, keen wit, and dark sense of humor is enough to help her survive the escalating assaults of Helen and a new stepbrother, but help comes from an unexpected source–Frank, her stepfather. Sometimes, having one person who loves and believes in you is all a girl needs to keep hope alive.

Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise: A Novel of Bright’s Pond

Religion & Spirituality > Women’s Fiction > Friendship
Author: Joyce Magnin

Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise: A Novel of Bright's Pond

Newly widowed Charlotte Figg purchases a double-wide trailer sight unseen and moves to the Paradise Trailer Park with her dog Lucky. Unfortunately, neither the trailer nor Paradise are what Charlotte expected. Her trailer is a ramshackle old place in need of major repair, and the people of Paradise are harboring more secrets than Bayer has aspirin. Charlotte’s new friend Rose Tattoo learns that Charlotte played softball and convinces her to rally the women of Paradise into a team. Reluctant at first, Charlotte warms to the notion and is soon coaching the Paradise Angels. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers that the manager of Paradise, Fergus Wrinkel, abuses his wife Suzy. Charlotte sets out to find a way to save Suzy from Fergus and in the process comes to a difficult realization about her own painful marriage.

PRIMAL Origin

Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure > Short Stories
Author: Jack Silkstone

PRIMAL Origin

Two CIA operatives are given the mission to track down an unknown terrorist group. Forced to question the morality of their government, they take matters into their own hands.

The head of counter-terrorism operations in the Emirates is a man trapped between honor and morality. Surrounded by enemies, he must look for new allies to bring justice to the untouchable.

Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse Series #1)

Mystery > Hard-Boiled
Author: J.R. Rain

Dark Horse (Jim Knighthorse Series #1)

When high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn’t take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone’s hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case.

As the investigation continues, Knighthorse’s personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother’s unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice.

My Emily

Parenting & Families > Special Needs > Religion & Spirituality
Author: Matt Patterson

My Emily

Emily wasn’t born perfect – so one might think.

She was born with Down Syndrome and many would jump to the conclusion that she would have very little hope for a life with any significance. Two years later came the diagnosis of leukemia. What little hope remaining turned to no hope whatsoever – or so one might think.

The life of this little girl, with all its perceived imperfections, had great meaning. Her loving nature and courage touched the hearts of everyone she met. She also taught them how to value their own lives – even with their many “imperfections.”

Highland Blessings

Religious Fiction > Historical > Romance
Author: Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Highland Blessings

Bryce MacPhearson, a highland warrior, kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. While Akira’s strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment when he forces her to wed him, hoping to end a half-century-old feud between their clans. While Akira begins to forgive, and Bryce learns to trust, a series of murders leaves a trail of unanswered questions, confusion, and a legacy of hate that once again rises between their families. Clearly, a traitor is in their midst.

The Jackpot

Mystery & Thrillers > Legal
Author: David Kazzie

The Jackpot

It hasn’t been a very good day for attorney Samantha Khouri. She’s been passed over for partner at her law firm, she’s coming down with the flu, and she’s just learned that her parents’ business is teetering on the brink of failure.

But when she discovers that her financially desperate boss has stolen their new client’s gigantic winning lottery ticket, she realizes her day is just getting started.

Now, to return the ticket to its rightful owner, Samantha must stay one step ahead of her nothing-to-lose boss and a homicidal mercenary who’s been hired to hunt down the ticket at all costs.


A Magic Broken

Fantasy > Magic & Wizards
Author: Vox Day

A Magic Broken

A Magic Broken is a tale of ruthlessness, courage and deceit. The novella tells the story of Captain Nicolas du Mere, an exile fleeing the death of his rebel lord, and Lodi, son of Dunmorin, a brave dwarf dedicated to rescuing his fellow dwarves from slavery. Their dangerous paths meet, but in a manner that is anything but predictable.

You’ve Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!

Specialty Travel > Adventure > Cycling
Author: Danny Bent

You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!

Have you ever woken up in the sultry heat of the morning, your hair and beard teeming with maggots, and then had potatoes picked out of your ears?

Have you ever felt the cold barrel of a semi automatic gun against your forehead?

When Danny Bent cycled 15,000 kilometres from the UK to India to raise money for ActionAid, it was a decision that took twenty years and one minute. For twenty years he had wanted to do something to raise money for charity. The one minute was when as their teacher he was put on the spot by his pupils and declared that the means was by bike, and he was going to India.

RUNNING

Romance > Romantic Suspense
Author: Patrice Fitzgerald

RUNNING

THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS GOING TO BE A WOMAN…

Catherine Young, Vice President and newly-anointed Democratic nominee, is surging in the polls. The race is on against opposition candidate Jerusha Hutchins, former stewardess and blonde beauty, who is the darling of the far-right Liberty Party. But with political wunderkind Zane Zarillo running her campaign, Catherine is bound to hold her lead.

Suddenly a medical emergency puts the President in the hospital and forces Catherine to act in his place… a perfect opportunity for her to show her Oval Office stuff. Just when her election looks like a sure thing, Catherine’s romantic fling from decades ago comes to light. Will the American public accept a woman with a past?

Eye of the Moonrat (The Bowl of Souls: Book One)

Fantasy > Epic
Author: Trevor H. Cooley

Eye of the Moonrat (The Bowl of Souls: Book One)

Justan was raised on the outskirts of the Dremaldrian Battle Academy. He watched his father ascend the ranks within the academy to become one of the most respected warriors in the kingdom. The only thing he has ever wanted is to become an academy student and follow the path of his father. Unfortunately, only the best can enter the academy and Justan is a horrible fighter. Everyone tells him that he is more suited to scholarly work than swordplay. In desperation he hurls himself into training, eager to overcome the doubters and walk into the academy triumphant, unaware that secretive powers plot to disrupt his plans.

Who Murdered Garson Talmadge, a Matt Kile Mystery

Mystery > Hard-Boiled
Author: David Bishop

Who Murdered Garson Talmadge, a Matt Kile Mystery

Matt Kile, ex-cop and ex-con, current smart-aleck, and a neighbor of Mr. and Mrs. Talmadge has built himself a comfortable career writing mysteries. Garson Talmadge sold weapons to Saddam Hussein, then moved out of France, came to America and married Clarice, a woman half his age. When Clarice is arrested for murdering her husband, Matt becomes the investigator for her defense attorney, and quickly learns there is a line of suspects stretching from the U.S. into Europe and the Middle East.

All For One

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Police Procedurals
Author: Ryne Douglas Pearson

All For One

Mary Austin is the kind of teacher that parents adore and children wish for. Firm and compassionate, a guiding light in their lives, she would do anything to protect her students.

But that loyalty is tested when the school’s sadistic bully is found dead on campus, and suspicion falls on six children in her class. None willing to talk. To point the finger.

To reveal the killer.

Saving Hope: Men of the Texas Rangers Book 1

Religious Fiction > Romance
Author: Margaret Daley

Saving Hope: Men of the Texas Rangers Book 1

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt’s daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it’s personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

4 Gigs of Trouble

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Author: Stella Baker

4 Gigs of Trouble

Toni Teitelbaum is a former US Marine MP, a curvy six-footer with a fondness for designer clothing and handguns. She is also a high school history teacher, supervising a class visit to Washington. When a student bolts off the path near the Lincoln Memorial, Toni chases him into the foliage, where she finds more than her wayward student. A man has been shot, left for dead in the bushes. He appears homeless and drunk, jabbers craziness and dies in her arms. The police say it is typical street violence. Toni knows better.

A Little Ray Of Sunshine

Women’s Fiction > Contemporary Women
Author: Lani Diane Rich

A Little Ray Of Sunshine

Emmy James is not the kind of girl who believes in angels, or fate. So when a lost soul named Jess gets stranded at the convenience store where EJ works the night shift, and claims to be an angel delivered by Fate to fix EJ’s life, EJ calls her a cab and sends her on her way.

Ah, if only it were that easy to shake an angel off your leg…

In Between: A Katie Parker Production (Act 1) with Bonus Content

Teens > Christian Fiction
Author: Jenny B. Jones

In Between: A Katie Parker Production (Act 1) with Bonus Content

Katie’s rebellious attitude is at odds with her family, school, and classmates. But in the midst of a dark situation, Katie finds light in the most unexpected places.

Includes bonus chapter taken from On the Loose by Jenny B. Jones.

The Wizard of Time (Book 1)

Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author: G.L. Breedon

The Wizard of Time (Book 1)

Thirteen-year-old Gabriel Salvador has dreams about the future and his dreams always come true. When he dreams one night that he will drown, he knows upon waking it is only a matter of time before his dream becomes reality.

Plucked from the timeline of history at the moment of his death, Gabriel becomes an apprentice time mage and part of an elite team of wizards who travel throughout history to fight the War of Time and Magic.

The Brotherhood of Dwarves

Fantasy > Epic
Author: D.A. Adams, Sherrie Shuler, Bonnie Wasson

The Brotherhood of Dwarves

The dwarven saga begins…

Roskin, heir to the throne of a remote, peaceful kingdom of dwarves, craves excitement and adventure. Outside his own kingdom, in search of fortune and glory, he finds a much different world, one divided by racial strife and overrun by war. The orcs to the south want to conquer all dwarves and sell them as slaves. The humans to the east want to control the world’s resources.

Caught in the middle, Roskin finds himself chased by slave traders and soldiers alike as he discovers that friendship is the best fortune of all. Just when he thinks he has triumphed, an act of betrayal sends him into bondage. His only hope of escape is the faltering courage of a disgraced warrior whose best days are behind him…

Duke Of Deception (Wentworth Trilogy)

Romance > Regency
Author: Stephie Smith

Duke Of Deception (Wentworth Trilogy)

A desperate young woman … Lady Louisa Barrick will do anything to save her estate and the village that depends on it, but when she tries to use a rakish privateer in her scheme, things don’t turn out as planned.

A duke masquerading as a privateer … Jonathan Derek Wentworth has a scheme of his own: to track down the ton-based smuggling gang responsible for his father’s death. When he’s caught in a compromising situation with Lady Louisa, he decides it’s better to marry her than to risk being ostracized by the London society whose invitations are vital to his plan. But Louisa refuses to marry him, unless he meets her terms, one of which is a month-long reprieve from consummation.

I Heart Ed Small

Genre Fiction > Coming of Age
Author: Shirley Johnson

I Heart Ed Small

A coming of age story where the lines between growing up and grown up are blurred by love. In the summer of 1968 Baby Hunnicutt’s mama dies and her daddy gives her to her aunt to raise. The only trouble is Aunt Clem works all day and leaves Baby in the hands of her teenage twins. Stoic protector Allen and kind and gentle Jeffrey, along with the help of their best friend, the unwashed and untamed Ed, raise up Baby the best they know how.

Timeline (Auto series)

Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author: David Wailing

Timeline (Auto series)

It’s always risky, meeting a strange man for the first time. But not for Joanna O’Donnell. Not in the year 2022.

Her auto – a digital assistant – has scoured his history, his entire timeline. Working for a detective agency, Joanna knows how to unearth secrets.

Joanna’s auto calculates that her date is 85% compatible with her. At last, she’s found her match!

And then, moments before they meet, Joanna’s auto reports there is a 24% chance this man will kill her.

Making Sense of People: Decoding the Mysteries of Personality (FT Press Science)

Psychology & Counseling > Personality
Author: Samuel Barondes

Making Sense of People: Decoding the Mysteries of Personality (FT Press Science)

Every day, we evaluate the people around us: It’s one of the most important things we ever do. Making Sense of People provides the scientific frameworks and tools we need to improve our intuition, and assess people more consciously, systematically, and effectively.

Leading neuroscientist Samuel H. Barondes explains the research behind each standard personality category: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. He shows readers how to use these traits and assessments to do a better job of deciding who they’ll enjoy spending time with, whom to trust, and whom to keep at a distance.

Apart From Love

Genre Fiction > Family Saga
Author: Uvi Poznansky

Apart From Love

Written with passionate conviction, this story is being told by two of its characters: Ben, a twenty-seven years old student, and Anita, a plain-spoken, spunky, uneducated redhead, freshly married to Lenny, his aging father. Behind his back, Ben and Anita find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. They take turns using an old tape recorder to express their most intimate thoughts, not realizing at first that their voices are being captured by him.

Ruby Lake

Women’s Fiction > Single Women > Humor
Author: Sherrill Willis

Ruby Lake

Sydney Myers has been through several failed relationships in the past year, in addition to several other trauma’s, and is now giving up on finding her knight in dented armor. When her boss sends her to Ruby Lake, a small, rural town in northern Wisconsin, the last thing she was looking for was love at first sight, not to mention a place in the world where she finally fits. Add in her city-savvy best friend, a jealous ex-girlfriend, a famous father, and a coffee shop full of off-the wall characters, and it becomes more challenging for Sydney to manage than a spinning plate competition.

What Would Satan Do?

Humor & Entertainment
Author: Anthony Miller

What Would Satan Do?

Disgusted with God’s plan for Judgment Day, Satan has quit his job and abandoned Hell in favor of a quiet retirement in Washington, D.C. But life on Earth is tricky for an ex-angel with a short fuse and no impulse control. When a parking attendant mysteriously bursts into flames and a weight-challenged woman somehow ends up in low-Earth orbit, Satan finds that he has attracted the attention of several meddlesome federal agencies. Even worse, there are signs that the governor of Texas has somehow gone ahead and started up the end of the world without him.

Armed and Fabulous (Lexi Graves Mysteries)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Author: Camilla Chafer

Armed and Fabulous (Lexi Graves Mysteries)

All Lexi wants to do is get through the day at her boring temp job with Green Hand Insurance. That’s until she discovers the vice president, Martin Dean, in a pool of blood and herself at the center of an investigation into insurance fraud.

Millions of dollars are missing, the chief suspect is dead and her mysterious, sexy, new boss is not what he seems. Recruited by the joint task force working on the case, all Lexi has to do is work out who killed Dean and where the missing millions are.

Rules of Lying (Jane Dough Series)

Comic Fiction
Author: Stephie Smith

Rules of Lying (Jane Dough Series)

Lies, lies, too many lies … Former bestselling author Jane Dough washes her hands of her wacky family’s deceptive ways. But when a disastrous situation with her homeowners’ association threatens Jane’s newfound security, she reverts to family misbehavior and blurts out a lie that she’s advertising for a husband to help her out of her jam. It’s just one little lie to get everyone off her back, so no harm done, right?

Wrong! Someone runs a Husband Wanted ad in Jane’s name, and now she’s stuck with the consequences of her lie, even though she has no intention of getting married.

… See the rest of today’s Editor’s Picks and the Kindle Daily Deal here on page 2