Jess Lourey Knihy

Tři dívky vešly do lesa, ale vrátila se jen jedna. V roce 1980 otřáslo malým městem zmizení tří dívek, které se vydaly k vodě přes místní les. Když se jedna z nich vrátila, byla bosá a otřesená, nedokázala o tom, co se stalo, říct jediné slovo. Případ se nikdy nevyřešil. O čtyřicet let později je v lese nalezena žena pohřbená zaživa. Její tělo ukrývá jedinou stopu – starý náhrdelník, který kdysi patřil jedné z pohřešovaných dívek. Vyšetřovatelka Van Reedová, která sama utíká před svou vlastní minulostí, je povolána k případu. Jak se noří do hlubin dávno zapomenutého případu, musí čelit nejen děsivým odhalením, ale i nebezpečí, které na ni číhá. Co se tehdy v roce 1980 skutečně stalo? Proč se vrátila jen jedna? A jaké zlo stále čeká na odplatu?

Napínavý román o malém městečku v Minnesotě, kde nic není tak klidné – ani tak bezpečné – jak se zdá, inspirovaný děsivým skutečným příběhem z autorčina rodného města. Život Cassie McDowellové v 80. letech v Minnesotě se zdá být naprosto v pořádku. Cassie žije na farmě, má ráda školu a sní o nejhezčím klukovi ze třídy. Ano, jsou tu ty podivné večírky jejích rodičů a celá řádka jejich výstředních hostů, ale na ty už si zvykla. To vše se ale změní, když někdo začne v Lilydale lovit. Lovit lidi. Místní chlapci jeden po druhém mizí a jeden po druhém se zase objevují – násilničtí, náladoví a uzavření. O tom, co se jim stalo, se začínají šířit šokující fámy. Stejně divoce bují obvinění, kdo za to může, a začínají se vynořovat nebezpečná tajemství místních občanů. Pak temnou změnu prodělá i Cassiina sestra. Má-li přežít, musí si Cassie najít cestu světem dospělých, kde je každý hřích ospravedlněn a neodpustitelná je pouze pravda.

V Alku koluje pověra o čarodějnici, která se v době žní vrací pro děti a trestá provinění. V roce 1998 byla v městečku zavražděna pětičlenná rodina. Případ otřásl komunitou a na pětadvacet let zůstal nevyřešený, až doposud. Agent Steinbeck se do Alku vrací nerad. Místo je spojené s únosem jeho sestry. Když je nová vražda propojena se starým masakrem, musí spolu s detektivkou Evangeline Reedovou otevřít vyšetřování a čelit pravdě, která je děsivější než jakákoli legenda. Druhý případ detektivů inspirovaný léčebným centrem ve Fergus Falls a studií Dwellers in the Vale of Siddem, která zkoumá dopady na uzavřenou komunitu ovlivněnou uzavíráním příbuzenských svazků.

Ida Gilbertson of the Battle Lake Senior Sunset nursing home has a new hobby: crafting life-sized dolls and displaying them around town. Budding PI Mira James finds the dolls creepy enough on their own, but when she's forced to sit next to one and discovers a human corpse under the hat and wig, it becomes personal.

A summertime treasure hunt in rural Minnesota leads to murder in this delightful gem of a rom-com mystery by Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey. Summer in Battle Lake kicks off with fireworks and festivities, but it's a local treasure hunt that's amping up the tourist trade. It certainly piques the interest of part-time reporter Mira James--both as fodder for a column and because she could use the five grand in prize money. The treasure? A faux diamond hidden at the bottom of Whiskey Lake. When Mira takes a deep dive in search of it, rather than finding the planted jewel, she uncovers a legendary puzzle reaching back nearly seventy years. But fishing for answers puts her face-to-face with a suspicious new arrival: a creeper from her past up to his old menacing ways. When murder turns a hot June night into a scorcher, Mira realizes there are more mysteries hidden in this town than fake gems, and to solve them, she has to stay alive. Revised edition: This edition of June Bug includes editorial revisions.

Independence Day comes with fireworks, a budding romance, and hometown murder in this sharp and witty mystery by Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey. When Fourth of July weekend coincides with Wenonga Days--the annual celebration of a locally famous Ojibwe leader--the town of Battle Lake double-dips on the tourist trade. This year the hullabaloo hasn't even started and there's already a story for reporter Mira James. The Chief Wenonga statue has disappeared, leaving behind drops of human blood and a big question for Mira: How and why would anyone steal a twenty-three-foot monument? Things go from curious to worse when a local man is kidnapped. And from worse to downright gruesome when a corpse is found in the lakeside cabin of a horticultural hottie Mira's been crushing on from afar. Mira has no choice but to trail a statue thief, find a missing person, and clear an earthy dreamboat's name from a murder charge. Not to mention risk her own life to unmask a cold-blooded killer. Revised edition: This edition of Knee High by the Fourth of July includes editorial revisions.

This romcom mystery series, penned by an acclaimed author known for her award-winning works, blends humor with suspense. It showcases a unique blend of witty storytelling and engaging characters, setting the stage for an entertaining adventure. With a backdrop of charming intrigue, readers can expect a delightful mix of laughter and mystery that has captivated audiences from the very beginning.

A brilliant code breaker shatters a centuries-old conspiracy and unravels her own family secrets in an addictive and heart-pounding thriller by Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey. Salem Wiley is a genius cryptanalyst. She's also a loner who prefers a safe and familiar path. Until her mother disappears in the wake of a brutal murder, leaving behind a cryptic warning of threats to come. Forced out of her safe zone, Salem embarks with her best friend, Bel, on a dangerous quest that reaches back centuries into America's hidden history. Drawn into a labyrinth of messages encrypted by Emily Dickinson and hidden in the legendary Beale Cipher, Salem discovers her mother's double life--and the truth. An ancient and ruthless society is hell-bent on ruling the world, and only a select group of hunted women stands in its way. Now Salem must follow a cross-country trail of clues in a desperate bid to unravel the conspiracy, which threatens not only the present but the very course of history. Revised edition: This edition of Salem's Cipher includes editorial revisions.

Minnesota, 1977. For the teens of one close-knit community, summer means late-night swimming parties at the quarry, the county fair, and venturing into the tunnels beneath the city. But for two best friends, it’s not all fun and games.Heather and Brenda have a secret. Something they saw in the dark. Something they can’t forget. They’ve decided to never tell a soul. But their vow is tested when their friend disappears—the second girl to vanish in a week. And yet the authorities are reluctant to investigate.Heather is terrified that the missing girls are connected to what she and Brenda stumbled upon that night. Desperately searching for answers on her own, she learns that no one in her community is who they seem to be. Not the police, not the boys she met at the quarry, not even her parents. But she can’t stop digging because she knows those girls are in danger.She also knows she’s next.

A waitress turned librarian just wants a new life. What she ends up with is a killer change of pace in a funny, snappy, and suspenseful mystery by Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey. With a cheating boyfriend, a thankless career in waitressing, and her BA in English going to waste, Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota. Right away she lands a job as a librarian, snags another as an on-call reporter for the weekly newspaper, and is swept off her feet by Jeff Wilson, a handsome archaeologist unearthing the town's storied history. Moving here might be the best decision Mira's ever made. Until she finds Jeff's body between the library's reference stacks. It seems Mira didn't really know her drop-dead gorgeous new lover at all. But someone in Otter Tail County surely did. Behind this quirky town's polite exterior are decades-old grudges still unsettled, and murderous secrets best kept hidden. Whatever dangers are buried in Battle Lake's past, now it's Mira's turn to start digging. Revised edition: This edition of May Day includes editorial revisions.

The Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things and Bloodline explores the darkness at the heart of the rural Midwest in a novel inspired by a chilling true crime. In the summer of '84, fourteen-year-old Frankie Jubilee is shuttled off to Litani, Minnesota, to live with her estranged mother, a county prosecutor she barely knows. From the start, Frankie senses something uneasy going on in the small town. The locals whisper about The Game, and her mother warns her to stay out of the woods and away from adults. When a bullying gang of girls invites Frankie to The Game, she accepts, determined to find out what's really going on in Litani. She's not the only one becoming paranoid. Hysteria burns through the community. Dark secrets emerge. And Frankie fears that, even in the bright light of day, she might be living among monsters.

Perfect town. Perfect homes. Perfect families. It's enough to drive some women mad... In a tale inspired by real events, pregnant journalist Joan Harken is cautiously excited to follow her fiancé back to his Minnesota hometown. After spending a childhood on the move and chasing the screams and swirls of news-rich city life, she's eager to settle down. Lilydale's motto, "Come Home Forever," couldn't be more inviting. And yet, something is off in the picture-perfect village. The friendliness borders on intrusive. Joan can't shake the feeling that every move she makes is being tracked. An archaic organization still seems to hold the town in thrall. So does the sinister secret of a little boy who vanished decades ago. And unless Joan is imagining things, a frighteningly familiar figure from her past is on watch in the shadows. Her fiancé tells her she's being paranoid. He might be right. Then again, she might have moved to the deadliest small town on earth.

A genius FBI code breaker unravels the mysteries of one of history's most monumental puzzles in a propulsive thriller by Jess Lourey, the Edgar Award-nominated author of Salem's Cipher. Working for the FBI, cryptanalyst and agoraphobe Salem Wiley vows never to return to the conspiratorial underworld her mother revealed to her. Until fieldwork draws Salem to an Ireland farm where a curious discovery has been unearthed: a near-perfect replica of Stonehenge in miniature--except for one extra stone engraved with the word mercy. When seven-year-old Mercy Mayfair, a child in Salem's family's care, is kidnapped, Salem knows it's more than an unsettling coincidence. Mercy's centuries-old lineage holds the key to understanding the greatest Neolithic mystery of the ages. A dangerously patriarchal society, just as ancient, will kill to solve it. As Salem follows a serpentine trail of clues and ciphers, the clock is ticking and her fears are escalating. Because the only way to save Mercy is for Salem to crack the unbreakable code of Stonehenge first. Revised edition: This edition of Mercy's Chase includes editorial revisions.

The deluxe limited edition offers a unique and visually striking presentation that enhances the reading experience. This special release is available for preorder, making it a sought-after item for collectors and fans alike. Supplies are limited, ensuring that this exclusive edition will be a prized possession for those who secure it.

A controlling dragon navigates the challenges of change, offering a humorous and heartwarming tale that resonates with young readers. This story gently addresses the anxieties children face during transitions, making it an ideal read for those experiencing significant life changes.

Revised edition: This edition of August Moon includes editorial revisions.

Odložený prípad z roku 1998 opäť ožíva. V minnesotskom mestečku Alku, poznačenom hlbokou traumou, sa udiala hrozivá vražda. Súvis s podobným odloženým prípadom privádza na scénu vyšetrovateľku Van Reedovú a forenzného analytika Harryho Steinbecka. Spoločne musia nielen rozpliesť viac ako dvadsaťročný odložený prípad, ale zároveň konfrontovať vlastnú temnú minulosť. Iba tak môžu zachrániť nevinných. Van Reedová a Harry Steinbeck sú späť v dych berúcom príbehu plnom napätia a tajomstiev.