A tale of two sisters, family fortune, and murder: “Millions of Americans never seem to tire of Gardner’s thrillers” (The New York Times). Beautiful Sylvia Bain Atwood is overseeing her ailing father’s estate while her sister serves as his caregiver. But their father’s fortune has shadowy roots—and now one of his creditors is blackmailing the family. When the situation escalates to murder, defense lawyer Perry Mason will have his hands full in this mystery in Edgar Award–winning author Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic, long-running series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany. DON’T MISS THE NEW HBO ORIGINAL SERIES PERRY MASON, BASED ON CHARACTERS FROM ERLE STANLEY GARDNER’S NOVELS, STARRING EMMY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW RHYS

Why do they call Adelaide, Australia the "City of Corpses"? How many people did Agatha Christie kill with her pen? What was Jack the Ripper's supposed occupation? There's nothing like a little murder to challenge the dark side of your brain. This dastardly little volume is organized by the seven deadly sins, giving you all the gumshoes, guns, and gore you need to explore the sinister side of human nature, including: The worst villains of all time—from Hannibal Lecter to Charles Manson The bloody truth about forensics Weaponry to die for Private dicks, dangerous dames, and dubious characters The most puzzling unsolved mysteries Who's really gotten away with murder From amateur sleuths to serial killers, this murderous miscellany of crime—both real and imagined—is just the thing for a dark and stormy night.

Virginia Baxter is the only witness still living who can vouch for the authenticity of Lauretta Trent’s will. Lauretta Trent, a wealthy widow, is also still living. But for how long? Someone has been peppering the spicy food Lauretta loves with arsenic. Could it be the same someone who tried framing Virginia Baxter for drug smuggling? Lauretta doesn’t trust her greedy heirs. But could a scheming servant be behind a master plan to fleece her estate? It all seems to fit. But when Lauretta is murdered on the highway, all the evidence places Virginia Baxter squarely in the driver’s seat. Confused? Just think how Virginia’s lawyer, Perry Mason, must feel.

Unlike her two sisters, Lucy was happier at home—if only she could find Mr. Right to share it with! But when she had almost given up her search for such a man, the eminent pediatrician William Thurloe came into her life. Attractive and dynamic, he was the answer to her dreams. But why would he be interested in her when the glamorous Fiona made it clear she was also available? Originally published in 1991.

Bruce Murphy's Encyclopedia of Murder and Mystery is a comprehensive guide to the genre of the murder mystery that catalogues thousands of items in a broad range of categories: authors, titles, plots, characters, weapons, methods of killing, movie and theatrical adaptations. What distinguishes this encyclopedia from the others in the field is its critical stance.

A guide to series fiction lists popular series, identifies novels by character, and offers guidance on the order in which to read unnumbered series.

This is an encyclopedic work, arranged by broad categories and then by original authors, of literary pastiches in which fictional characters have reappeared in new works after the deaths of the authors that created them. It includes book series that have continued under a deceased writer's real or pen name, undisguised offshoots issued under the new writer's name, posthumous collaborations in which a deceased author's unfinished manuscript is completed by another writer, unauthorized pastiches, and "biographies" of literary characters. The authors and works are entered under the following categories: Action and Adventure, Classics (18th Century and Earlier), Classics (19th Century), Classics (20th Century), Crime and Mystery, Espionage, Fantasy and Horror, Humor, Juveniles (19th Century), Juveniles (20th Century), Poets, Pulps, Romances, Science Fiction and Westerns. Each original author entry includes a short biography, a list of original works, and information on the pastiches based on the author's characters.