Showing results by author "J Matthews" in All Categories

After exorcising a murderous spirit in London, Samantha Moon needs a real vacation. Finland seems perfect—snowy cabins, cozy fires, and family time. But this forest has teeth. When a centuries-old witch fixates on Allison’s soul, Samantha’s best friend ends up cursed into a talking mouse, and a thousand feral cats swarm the resort in supernatural frenzy. Sam, Kingsley, and the kids brave the frozen woods to fight back against illusion traps, teleport-blocking wards, and the Baba Yaga–style sorceress who won't take no for an answer. It’s mom versus monster in the dark, with Anthony...

A big prank becomes a big yikes in this second book in the New Norm middle grade series about surviving the cringe and chaos of middle school both online and IRL. It only takes a stack of sticky notes to start the great prank challenge at Meadowview Middle School. Now everything and everyone is...

I've studied the sayings of Jesus for over twenty years as my daily devotion. Interpretations of these sayings - both historical and spiritual - vary widely. I'm indebted to the Jesus Seminar for drawing scholarly distinctions between sayings that were likely spoken by Jesus, and those likely written by later editors and redactors. (I've kept my illuminations to the former.) Gentle as poems and pithy as koans, the words of Jesus will open our hearts forever when we take them in.

In the early United States, anthems, flags, holidays, monuments, and memorials were powerful symbols of an American identity that helped unify a divided people. A language of freedom played a similar role in shaping the new nation. Resonating across the country, they encouraged the creation of a republic where the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was universal.

London was supposed to be the normal stop on Samantha Moon’s European vacation. Just some fish and chips, museums, and maybe a cheeky photo with a palace guard. Instead, she finds herself face-to-face with an old, familiar evil—one that once stalked Victorian alleys with a butcher’s knife. Turns out Jack the Ripper was never just a man. He was a spirit of pure murder, possessing killer after killer for generations. And now it’s loose again, jumping hosts across modern London. When the blood starts flowing, Sam and her supernatural crew must hunt it down before it claims more victims...

Finally—a real vacation day. After fighting witches, banshees, demons, and Norse goddesses, Samantha Moon just wants three quiet days in Paris. And for once, she might actually get them. There’s sightseeing at the Eiffel Tower, family selfies at the Louvre, and romantic evenings along the Seine with Kingsley. Even Allison and the kids seem relaxed. But Samantha can’t help worrying—being a vampire mom on vacation is never that simple. She has to sneak away for a feed, mind-control the memories of anyone she drinks from, and deal with weird psychic tugs that make her visit the still-...

Imagine a valley so pristine it is the envy of all places near it. Complete with soft rolling hills, clear-water brooks, thermal springs, lakes for water sports, and crystal mines for discovering quartz, plus the only diamond mine in America. It was so attractive. The first on the scene were native Indians followed by explorers, and by 1832, Hot Springs became the first US National Park. Of course, something this special was instantly noticed. And then along came the settlers, proprietors, and anyone interested in turning a dollar.

Most brides have some anxiety over their wedding, but not too many have to worry a dead person might spoil it. Detective Maddy Wimsey is looking forward to her handfasting to Caius. Mostly. She’s simultaneously on edge and can’t wait. About the only thing capable of going wrong is her catching a homicide investigation complicated enough to push back the date.

Zombies, reapers, and more monsters. In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level. Discover ghosts, demons, and your worst nightmares. Read at your own risk. Featuring 19 stories by the following 17 authors: Michael Raff, Antoinette McCormick, Matthew Ross, Charles Kyffhausen, Andrew McAuley, B.F. Vega, Douglas Allen Gohl, Toni Mobley, Barend Nieuwstraten III, E.B. Hunter, Constantine E. Kiousis, Alexis Cunningham, Katie Jordan, Maya Moes, Jodie Francis, Lori Gaudet, and J.E. Feldman.

UNFORGETTABLE SWEET WISHES AND HOLIDAY KISSES A Sweet Holiday Romance Collection When the snow falls and hearts open wide… one unforgettable Valentine reminds us that love is the season’s greatest gift. From cozy flower shops to snowy French harbors, from rescued puppies to mistaken identities, this heartwarming collection delivers sweet romance wrapped in festive magic. These stories celebrate second chances, small-town charm, opposites attract, and the quiet miracles that happen when hearts dare to hope again. Filled with twinkling lights, tender moments, and the joy of connection, ...

Solstice Winters never expected her job as a photojournalist would involve stopping a death god. She’s only ever wanted the same things as anyone else—a nice career, a safe place to call home, and no magical assassins trying to kill her. Alas, there’s nothing like an unexpected dimensional misalignment to ruin plans. The rapid flood of magic into the world changed her from simple reporter to secret agent in mere months. It also revealed the truth of her being an elf. Her investigation into who wants her dead stalls when a paranormal entity shows up in her apartment pleading for help. ...

For decades, the name Labatt was synonymous with beer in Canada, but no longer. Through Labatt's lively history from 1847 to 1995, this book explores the wider spirit of Canadian capitalism, the interplay between the state's moral economy and enterprise, and the difficulties of creating popular beer brands in a country that is regionally, linguistically, and culturally diverse. A comprehensive look at one of the industry's most iconic firms, Brewed in the North sheds light on what it takes to succeed in the business of Canadian brewing.

DCI Beniamin Dinescu faces his darkest case yet in the heart of West Sussex. This gripping British police procedural crime thriller takes readers through dark tunnels, priest holes, and labyrinths of secrets and lies, set against the backdrop of Chichester and the Sussex Downs. When a brutal murder strikes a prestigious private school, Dinescu finds himself entangled in a complex investigation, including the mysterious disappearance of a schoolgirl in the 1980s. How are these two cases connected? Dinescu is joined by a new sergeant, DS Emily Summers, in the Chichester Major Crimes Team.

Nick Powers climbs into a stolen car without knowing it and gets chased by the cops on a wild ride that ends in a crash that knocks him unconscious. When he comes to he hears whispering voices, but the cops are in hot pursuit so he stumbles out of the car and runs. After escaping he sees a homeless man arguing with himself and realizes that the whispers he hears in his head are the other side of the argument. Perplexed, Nick follows the man to a homeless shelter.

She thought she’d heard it all. Then the hangman called. Psychic witch Allison Lopez has dealt with angry spirits, ancient gods, and haunted radio stations. But nothing prepares her for the call that comes in during her live show: a man describing the unseen hands squeezing the life from his throat in the dead of night. Desperate to help, Allison heads into California’s high desert, where an old mining town’s bloody history refuses to stay buried. There’s a spirit here with murder in its heart, fueled by anger, greed, and a century-old hanging tree. As Allison’s visions reveal a ...

An act of terrorism brings the financial system to a grinding halt. Premeditated violence and waves of unrest sweep across the continent. In a time of polarization and distrust, a more sinister force is behind this attempt to bring about a new America. However, this political subterfuge is met with violent opposition. In the confusion, the coast-to-coast chaos takes on a life of its own, bringing about a sudden collapse of American civilization.

Detective Madeline Wimsey tends to stand out with her wild red hair, pentacle amulets, and offbeat methods, but she has a tool few other cops use - magic. After a man turns up dead in a grisly satanic rite, her fellow detectives are quick to crack jokes. Since they can't tell a pentacle from a pentagram, Maddy's happy to get the case. She suspects the ritual to be the work of amateurs, a theory that pans out when they track down the pack of clueless high school students who made the shrine in the woods. But then Maddy learns that the Devil's Eye is watching her....

Magical forces don't always play nice. In fact, they can be downright evil. Life is going fairly well for Detective Maddy Wimsey. At 35, she's an accomplished detective, practicing Wiccan, has a wonderful relationship with her long-time boyfriend, and even a much-needed vacation after dealing with a cursed gem. Alas, her break doesn't last long. A creeping darkness interrupts the solace of the woods with a supernatural vendetta against her coven. Maddy had opened a particular can of worms looking into the past, and the entity has decided to make her a target.

Back home from her first mission, Solstice confronts a scarier problem than a lizard the size of a garbage truck: immortality. She won’t exactly live forever, but ten thousand years isn’t much different. In the blink of an eye to her, everyone she loves will be gone. True, being the only elf in the world is a lonely future, but at least she has her cat to talk to. Good thing he talks back. Solstice doesn’t have too long to mourn as someone thoughtfully sends a magical assassin to take her mind off the family she’ll eventually lose. She’s fairly certain the Ordo Sanguinem Aeternam ...

Samantha Moon should have known better than to end a vacation with a scenic helicopter ride over the Amazon. When a demonic entity attacks mid-flight, their chopper crashes deep in the jungle—leaving Sam, Allison, Tammy, and Paxton bruised, battered, and on foot in one of the deadliest places on Earth. But the real danger isn’t the snakes, the bugs, or the endless green walls. It’s the creature that stalks them. Feeding on fear, it conjures illusions to separate and trap them. Sam’s vampire powers are pushed to the limit as she fights to keep her family alive, battling jungle ...