Exceptional Merit

 Thrillers > Crime
Author: George Norris

FREE
Exceptional Merit

Lieutenant James Keegan is a highly decorated police officer assigned to the N.Y.P.D.’s Joint Terrorist Task Force. Keegan has solved many high profile cases during his eighteen years with the N.Y.P.D., including an imminent terrorist attack which earned him a personal thank you from the President of the United States. All is not what it appears, however, with Lieutenant Keegan. James Keegan has a double life in which he has been involved with the Irish Republican Army for almost as long as he has the N.Y.P.D.

Set in 1995, Exceptional Merit will take you from the quiet back streets of Northern Ireland to the gritty streets of New York City, from an I.R.A. training camp, to the most inner workings of the N.Y.P.D. Keegan’s two lives come crashing together on New York’s largest stage, in front of a live televised audience, where Keegan must decide where his loyalty lies; to a job that he loves and the people of the city of New York he has taken an oath to serve and protect or to the cause of freedom for Northern Ireland which he has believed in his entire life.

The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – books 1 and 2 (illustrated)

 Mystery > Classics > Collections & Anthologies
Author: Arthur Conan Doyle, Sidney Paget

FREE
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - books 1 and 2 (illustrated)

This volume, authorized by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate, contains all 4 full-length novels and all 56 short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. At over a thousand pages, the weighty tome is a perfect gift for budding amateur sleuths, and it is an ideal companion for a long stay on a desert island (or a leisurely trip through the English countryside). As the reader wades past the tense introductions of A Study in Scarlet and moves towards such classic tales as The Hound of the Baskervilles, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” and “The Final Problem,” she is sure to draw her own conclusions about Holmes’s veiled past and his quirky relationship with his “Boswell,” Watson.

The Unseen Face

 Thrillers > Psychological
Author: Joannes Rhino, Rachael Isaacson

FREE
The Unseen Face

James Maddox must face the demons of his past and question everything he thought was real; even his own memory.

James was used to living without emotion after losing his Emilia unexpectedly; he gave up on happiness the day she died. His plans for their future, of marriage and kids, died right along with her. He preferred feeling numb, rather than feeling the pain of losing his dreams. That all changed the day he received an anonymous letter in the mail with just three words: I am innocent.

James began dreaming of Emilia that same night. However, his dream quickly becomes his nightmare as she haunts his sleep, demanding he knows the truth, that he faces the unseen. And what is hidden threatens to change James’ life forever.

Comprehension Speed Reading: Learn Techniques to Read Faster and Comprehend More

Self-Help > Study Skills
Author: David A. Daniels

FREE
Comprehension Speed Reading: Learn Techniques to Read Faster and Comprehend More (Personal Advantage Self-Improvement Series Book 1)

Ever wished you read faster? Do you wish you could remember more of what you read? You’re not alone, and Dave Daniels has written this book with you in mind. It’s time to stop reading the same passages again and again. No longer do you need to ‘hear the voice in your head’ in order to read and understand the words on the page. You and your brain are ready to consume more content as well as recall what you’ve read. It’s time to read it once and make it Stick!

Daniels’ guide will not simply introduce you to the techniques used in speed reading, but will do so with the objective of helping you comprehend what you’ve read; making this skill a useful one! Beyond learning the ‘how-to’s of reading faster, you’ll also learn about the obstacles that are holding you back and how to overcome them.

Malevolent (Lieutenant Kane series Book 1)

 Mystery > Police Procedurals
Author: E.H. Reinhard

FREE
Malevolent (Lieutenant Kane series Book 1)

Tampa homicide lieutenant Carl Kane has a tough job. His day to day consists of decomposing dead bodies and removing murderers from the general public. But when two women’s bodies are found under similar circumstances, it quickly turns into more than your average case. The killer is clearly looking to make a name for himself, and his plans for these women go far beyond death.

When the media runs with the story, the killer’s moment in the spotlight arrives.

It’s up to Lieutenant Kane to bring the man the press has dubbed the Psycho Surgeon to justice. However, being the lead on the case has its drawbacks—like becoming the focus of the killer yourself.

Just For The Summer: Chasing Carolina Novella 0.5 (Chasing Carolina Series)

 Romantic Comedy
Author: Danielle Jamie, Sommer Stein, Kayla Robichaux, Eric McKinney

FREE
Just For The Summer: Chasing Carolina Novella 0.5 (Chasing Carolina Series)

Chase Kenzington loves two things: fast cars and women. At twenty-two, he has the entire world at his feet. With his father being Hank Kenzington, who is one of the best drivers in the Sprint Cup Series and his grandfather, Arnold Kenzington, a legend in Nascar, he’s used to getting whatever he wants when he wants it.

When he and his friends decide to spend the summer at his father’s beach house in Myrtle Beach, he expects to spend it throwing parties on the beach and finding hot girls to hook up with. The last thing on his mind is finding a girl who’ll make him re-think everything.

Ashlynn Myers, along with a few sorority sisters, is heading to Myrtle Beach for four weeks of fun in the sun. The last thing she expects is to meet a guy while on vacation who will make her fall fast and hard before she even knows what hit her.

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew (Xist Classics)

 Children’s Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics
Author: Margaret Sidney

Regularly $0.99, Today $0.10
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew (Xist Classics)

“Five Little Peppers and How They Grew” is the first of a classic children’s chapter book series by Margaret Sidney. The story is about a widow named Ms. Pepper and her five loving children. They are very poor but have a wonderful time together. The book shows that you don’t have to have a lot of money to have love.

The series begins with the Peppers in their native state and develops with their rescue by a wealthy gentleman who takes an interest in the family.

The Pepper books were the inspiration for a brief series of feature films produced by Columbia Pictures in 1939 and 1940. The four films were vehicles for Columbia’s juvenile star Edith Fellows, who played Polly. The rest of the kids were Charles Peck as Ben, Tommy Bond of Our Gang as Joey, Robert Boyce “Bobby” Larson as Davie, and Dorothy Ann Seese as Phronsie.

Double Strike (A Davis Way Crime Caper Book 3)

  Mystery > Cozy
Author: Gretchen Archer

Regularly $4.99, Today $0.99
Double Strike (A Davis Way Crime Caper Book 3)

Bellissimo Resort and Casino Super Spy Davis Way knows three things: Cooking isn’t a prerequisite for a happy marriage, don’t trust men who look like David Hasselhoff, and money doesn’t grow on Christmas trees. None of which help when a storm hits the Gulf a week before the most anticipated event in Bellissimo history: the Strike It Rich Sweepstakes. Securing the guests, staff, and property might take a stray bullet. Or two.

Bellissimo Resort and Casino Super Spy Davis Way has three problems: She’s desperate to change her marital status, she has a new boss who speaks in hashtags, and Bianca Sanders has confiscated her clothes. All of which bring on a headache hot enough to spark a fire. Solving her problems means stealing a car. From a dingbat lawyer.

Splitsville.com (An Olivia Davis Paranormal Mini-Mystery Book 1)

 Mystery > Cozy
Author: Tonya Kappes

Regularly $3.99, Today $0.99
Splitsville.com (An Olivia Davis Paranormal Mini-Mystery Book 1)

Splitsville.com is more than Olivia Davis ever dreamed of when she launched the online break up service where she does the dirty work under the alias of Jenn. No one can find out she’s the mastermind of her internet sensation, especially when they threaten her for breaking their hearts.

More importantly, Olivia can’t keep a job. The problem is, she has a ‘gift’. Or what she considers a curse- reading auras. When a bunch of auras collide, Olivia isn’t able to function. So having an online business works out great.

But when two of her clients turn up dead and puts her company at risk, she’s the first one on the trail. With Splitsville.com future on the line, it’s time to use her ‘gift’ to figure out who the killer is and who’s trying to set her up.

Crackers & Dips: More than 50 Handmade Snacks

 Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking
Author: Ivy Manning, Jen Altman

Regularly $15.99, Today $1.99
Crackers & Dips: More than 50 Handmade Snacks

This is the DIY guide to making homemade crackers, with 52 formulas for crisp snacks and the luscious dips to eat them with, all celebrated with 25 playful photographs. Portland, Oregon–based food writer and baker Ivy Manning capitalizes on the pure flavors of whole grains, real butter, cheese, fresh spices, and no preservatives in her formulas for crunchy, sweet, and savory treats, all made to pair with a chapter’s worth of creamy, gooey dips, and schmears.

Recipes and tips are for bakers of all skill levels and tastes, with formulas for vegan, gluten-free, and whole-grain crisps. This adorable book is timed perfectly for the cracker-making trend and makes the ideal gift for the baker or entertainer who takes pride in making everything from scratch.

Taken, Not Spurred (Lone Star Burn Book 1)

 Romantic Comedy
Author: Ruth Cardello

Regularly $3.99, Today $1.99
Taken, Not Spurred (Lone Star Burn Book 1)

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ruth Cardello comes the scorching debut to the Lone Star Burn series—hot enough to make you want to saddle up to your own cowboy!

Would-be writer Sarah Dery has just turned twenty-five and feels like her life is on hold. She’s done squat with her English degree and is just killing time working for her parents. So, when the opportunity to spend the summer working on a ranch in Texas comes her way, she jumps at the chance—figuring it might be just the jolt she needs to get her creative juices flowing.

Tony Carlton is a chiseled, handsome, and reclusive horse trainer with a tortured past and an eye for trouble, this time in the form of a naked blonde stranger he finds in his shower.

Tycoon Takedown (Lone Star Burn Book 2)

 Romance > Contemporary
Author: Ruth Cardello

Regularly $4.99, Today $1.99
Tycoon Takedown (Lone Star Burn Book 2)

Ruth Cardello’s second steamy and sensual book in the Lone Star Burn series may leave you blushing.

Melanie Hanna has finally worked up the courage to travel to New York and tell an old flame that he’s the father of her young son. She’s done hiding and apologizing for her one impulsive night. When her best friend asks her brother to watch over Melanie, her emotional trip takes an unexpected and sizzling detour.

Charles Dery is at the top of his game, but all he can think about is bedding the woman he was asked to protect. When she’s almost killed, he takes what he’d been denying himself and discovers he’ll do anything to keep her—even break his own rules.

Threshold

  Mystery > Hard-Boiled
Author: G. M. Ford

Regularly $4.99, Today $1.99
Threshold

Between the end of his marriage and the excessive force complaints against him, Detective Sergeant Mickey Dolan is running out of chances. When a powerful and connected city councilman reports that his wife and two daughters have disappeared, Dolan is assigned the case—knowing full well that his career is riding on the outcome.

While investigating, Dolan meets Eve Pressman and her remarkable daughter, Grace. Gifted with the ability to bring people out of comas, Grace is reluctant to be thrust into the public eye but determined to help those in need. Eve and Grace may know where Councilman Royster’s family is and the terrible truth that sent the three of them into hiding in the first place. Now, Dolan faces the toughest choice of his career: is he still a good cop if he has to do the wrong thing?

Monster in My Closet (A Monster Haven Story Book 1)

 Fantasy > Paranormal & Urban
Author: R.L. Naquin

Regularly $2.99, Today $0.99
Monster in My Closet (A Monster Haven Story Book 1)

I stopped believing in monsters long ago. But I knew I wasn’t imagining things when I found one in my kitchen baking muffins. I’d seen him before: lurking in my closet, scaring the crap out of my five-year-old self. Turns out that was a misunderstanding, and now Maurice needs a place to stay. How could I say no?

After all, I’ve always been a magnet for the emotionally needy, and not just in my work as a wedding planner. Being able to sense the feelings of others can be a major pain. Don’t get me wrong, I like helping people–and non-people. But this ability has turned me into a gourmet feast for an incubus, a demon that feeds off emotional energy. Now, brides are dropping dead all over town, and my home has become a safe house for the supernatural. I must learn to focus my powers and defeat the demon before he snacks on another innocent woman and comes looking for the main course…

You’re Going to Be Okay: Encouraging Truth Your Heart Needs to Hear, Especially on the Hard Days

 Christian Living > Spiritual Growth
Author: Holley Gerth

Regularly $15.99, Today $0.99
You're Going to Be Okay: Encouraging Truth Your Heart Needs to Hear, Especially on the Hard Days

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Holley Gerth offers readers the warmth of a caring friend as well as the wisdom of a licensed counselor and certified life coach. Through encouraging truth and practical insights, she’ll show you how it really is possible to live with resilience, strength and even joy no matter what life brings.

Yes, there will be hurt and hard times but God wants to help you find ways to survive, grow stronger, and even thrive–no matter what happens. You really are going to be okay.

Terry Jones’ Medieval Lives

 History > World > Medieval
Author: Alan Ereira, Terry Jones

Regularly $9.99, Today $1.99
Terry Jones' Medieval Lives

Was medieval England full of knights on horseback rescuing fainting damsels in distress? Were the Middle Ages mired in superstition and ignorance? Why does nobody ever mention King Louis the First and Last? And, of course, those key questions: which monks were forbidden the delights of donning underpants… and did outlaws never wear trousers?

Terry Jones and Alan Ereira are your guides to this most misrepresented and misunderstood period, and they point you to things that will surprise and provoke. Did you know, for example, that medieval people didn’t think the world was flat? That was a total fabrication by an American journalist in the 19th century. Did you know that they didn’t burn witches in the Middle Ages? That was a refinement of the so-called Renaissance. In fact, medieval kings weren’t necessarily merciless tyrants, and peasants entertained at home using French pottery and fine wine.

Healing a Highlander’s Heart: Brenna and Quade (Clan Grant series Book 2)

 Historical Romance > Scottish
Author: Keira Montclair, Angela Polidoro

Regularly $3.99, Today $0.99
Healing a Highlander's Heart: Brenna and Quade (Clan Grant series Book 2)

Kidnapped at knifepoint in the middle of the night, healer Brenna Grant is spirited across the Highlands to heal a chieftain who’s near death. The last thing she expects is for her patient to be a handsome laird who steals her heart. Unable to deny him—or anyone who needs her talents as a healer—she travels to his clan to treat a mysterious invalid.

Quade Ramsay awakens to find a beautiful healer at his bedside. He is powerless to fight his attraction to the lass who saved his life, but he’s vowed never to fall in love again. Convinced a family curse hangs over his head, he fights his feelings for Brenna. But the very woman he is determined to stay away from might be the only one who can save his young daughter. Will he let the beautiful healer mend his own broken heart?

Liars, Inc.

 Young Adult > Romance > Contemporary
Author: Paula Stokes

Regularly $9.99, Today $1.99
Liars, Inc.

A dark and twisted psychological tale that will keep readers guessing, perfect for fans of I Hunt Killers and Gone Girl.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money. So with the help of his friend Preston and his girlfriend, Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something, and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about it. But then Preston never comes home. And the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead to Preston’s body.

Much Depends on Dinner: The Extraordinary History and Mythology, Allure and Obsessions, Perils and Taboos of an Ordinary Meal

 Gastronomy > Essays
Author: Margaret Visser

Regularly $11.99, Today $1.99
Much Depends on Dinner: The Extraordinary History and Mythology, Allure and Obsessions, Perils and Taboos of an Ordinary Mea

A staple of the food-writing genre that prefigured the current locavore and foodist movements by almost two decades, Margaret Visser’s Much Depends on Dinner is a delightful and intelligent history of the food we eat, and a cornucopia of incredible details about the ways we do it.
Presented as a meal, each chapter of Much Depends on Dinner represents a different course or garnish, which Margaret Visser handpicks from the most ordinary American dinner: corn on the cob with butter and salt, roast chicken with rice, salad dressed in lemon juice and olive oil, and ice cream. Visser tells the story behind each of these foods and in the course of her inquiries reveals some unexpected treats: the history of Corn Flakes; the secret behind the more dissatisfactory California olives (they’re picked green, chemically blackened, and sterilized); and the fact that, in Africa, citrus fruits are eaten whole, rind and all.

Construct A Couple (Serenity Holland Book 2)

 Romantic Comedy
Author: Talli Roland

Regularly $2.99, Today $0.99
Construct A Couple (Serenity Holland Book 2)

With a great job at a reputable magazine and a man who’s the perfect match, Serenity Holland thinks she’s laid the foundation for an ideal London life. When a routine assignment uncovers a shocking secret threatening her boyfriend’s company, Serenity decides to leave nothing to chance, taking matters into her own hands.

Soon, though, she realises keeping secrets isn’t as easy as she thought . . . and the consequences are far worse than she ever imagined.

Crimes Against Magic (The Hellequin Chronicles)

 Fantasy > Arthurian
Author: Steve McHugh

Regularly $3.99, Today $1.99
Crimes Against Magic (The Hellequin Chronicles)

How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can’t remember?

Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past—a gun, a sword, and a piece of paper with his name on it the only clues to his identity. Since then, he’s discovered he’s a powerful sorcerer and has used his magical abilities to become a successful thief for hire.

But those who stole his memories aren’t done with him yet: when they cause a job to go bad and threaten a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her. With his enemies closing in and everyone he cares about now a target for their wrath, he must choose between the comfortable life he’s built for himself and his elusive past.

Born of Hatred (The Hellequin Chronicles)

 Fantasy > Arthurian
Author: Steve McHugh

Regularly $3.99, Today $1.99
Born of Hatred (The Hellequin Chronicles)

There are some things even a centuries-old sorcerer hesitates to challenge…

When Nathan Garret’s friend seeks his help investigating a bloody serial killer, the pattern of horrific crimes leads to a creature of pure malevolence, born of hatred and dark magic. Even with all his powers, Nate fears he may be overmatched. But when evil targets those he cares about and he is confronted by dire threats both old and new, Nate must reveal a secret from his recently remembered past to remind his enemies why they should fear him once more.

Born of Hatred, set in modern London with historical flashbacks to America’s Old West, continues the dark urban fantasy of Crimes Against Magic, the acclaimed first book in the gritty and action-packed Hellequin Chronicles.

With Silent Screams (The Hellequin Chronicles Book 3)

 Fantasy > Arthurian
Author: Steve McHugh

Regularly $4.99, Today $1.99
With Silent Screams (The Hellequin Chronicles Book 3)

His name is Nathan Garrett, but he’s also known as Hellequin. And murdering one of his friends and trying to blow him up is a good way to get this centuries-old sorcerer’s full attention…

An old friend’s dead body, a cryptic note, and an explosion that almost costs him his own life propel Nate headfirst into a mystery involving a new threat from an old foe. Now he must piece together the connections between a grisly series of tattooed murder victims, an imprisoned madman, a mysterious alchemist, and a deranged plot to usurp the throne of the hidden realm of Shadow Falls, rival to the power of Avalon.

Can Nate avert the coming slaughter, or will he become the latest to fall in this clandestine war?

Prison of Hope (The Hellequin Chronicles)

 Fantasy > Arthurian
Author: Steve McHugh

Regularly $4.99, Today $1.99
Prison of Hope (The Hellequin Chronicles)

Long ago, Olympian gods imprisoned the demon Pandora in a human—Hope—creating a creature whose only purpose was chaos and death. Remorseful, the gods locked Pandora away in Tartarus, ruled by Hades.

Now, centuries later, Pandora escapes. Nate Garrett, a 1,600-year-old sorcerer, is sent to recapture her and discovers her plan to disrupt the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, killing thousands in a misplaced quest for vengeance.

Fast forward to modern-day Berlin, where Nate has agreed to act as guardian on a school trip to Germany to visit Hades at the entrance to Tartarus. When Titan King Cronus becomes the second ever to escape Tartarus, Nate is forced to track him down and bring him back, to avert a civil war between those who would use his escape to gain power.

Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

 Biographies & Memoirs > Military
Author: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Regularly $13.99, Today $2.99
Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

In 2010, the Army created Cultural Support Teams, a secret pilot program to insert women alongside Special Operations soldiers battling in Afghanistan. The Army reasoned that women could play a unique role on Special Ops teams: accompanying their male colleagues on raids and, while those soldiers were searching for insurgents, questioning the mothers, sisters, daughters and wives living at the compound. Their presence had a calming effect on enemy households, but more importantly, the CSTs were able to search adult women for weapons and gather crucial intelligence. They could build relationships—woman to woman—in ways that male soldiers in an Islamic country never could.

In Ashley’s War, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon uses on-the-ground reporting and a finely tuned understanding of the complexities of war to tell the story of CST-2, a unit of women hand-picked from the Army to serve in this highly specialized and challenging role.

The Good Girl

 Thrillers > Crime
Author: Mary Kubica

Regularly $8.99, Today $2.99
The Good Girl

One night, Mia Dennett enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn’t show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. At first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia’s life.

When Colin decides to hide Mia in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota instead of delivering her to his employers, Mia’s mother, Eve, and detective Gabe Hoffman will stop at nothing to find them. But no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that eventually cause this family’s world to shatter.

… See the rest of today’s Editor’s Picks here on page 2Page 2