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Don Sawyer's THE TUNNELS OF BUDA, the second romantic fantasy thriller in the Soul Catcher series, in which a magical gem maker and an empath struggle against a hideous conspiracy of evil headquartered in a maze of fantastic tunnels deep below Hungary's Buda Castle.The Mester is dead or maimed and the black stone used to control his network of gem makers is in Barbara and Zoltan’s hands. But as Zoltan discovered in the ruin bars of Budapest from a former associate, who turned up beheaded and his hands cut off, the Mester was just a small part of a much larger cabal, an ancient Order dating back to Aristotle and beyond. The Order has one goal: to convince the populace that there are masters divinely intended to rule and slaves meant only to obey.Using magic and sorcery, both ancient and modern, they will stop at nothing to protect the rule of the aristoi.But this time the “slaves” are fighting back, drawing on the knowledge and skills from many traditions and backgrounds, including magic of their own, to battle this shadowy cabal and its message of fear, division and hopelessness.In The Tunnels of Buda Zoltan, the 110-year-old gem maker and Barbara, empath and gem wielder, veer in new and terrifying directions, facing evil on an unimagined scale. They are drawn to the lair of the Justin, so powerful he controls the minds of all around him and who commands the Company, a hidden underground futuristic complex that serves as the hub of the Order’s monstrous conspiracy to enact the darkest of Nietzsche’s Weltanschauung.Barbara and Zoltan find new allies and diabolical enemies as they fight for their lives in the mines and ancient tunnels deep below Buda Castle in Budapest.

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled with this compilation of tales compiled from historical documents, first-person accounts, and the files of the paranormal group Haunted Hamilton, which has been investigating and celebrating Hamilton's historic haunted past since 1999.

Danger, deception, and betrayal lurk at every turn in this compelling international crime thriller from the award-winning author of Chasing Money.Marty and Bo are back and flush with money thanks to their alluring new business partner, Natalya, and her powerful Russian oligarch backer. The two friends are in Italy to buy an art foundry and close a multi-million dollar licensing deal with the Vatican. But when they arrive, they discover the stakes are far higher than they imagined.Threatened and attacked, Marty and Bo find themselves in a trap. The Naples Mafia is after the foundry for nefarious purposes. The head of the Vatican Bank has a hidden agenda. The Russian oligarch wants more than he is saying. Everyone is keeping secrets and telling lies. The two friends are ready to call it quits when a dangerous figure from their past appears in Rome. And then Natalya is kidnapped, the stakes go from business to personal, and all bets are off.Caught in the crossfire between the Naples Mafia and the Russian Vory, can Marty and Bo uncover the truth about the Vatican deal, find a way to rescue Natalya, and escape with their lives and friendship intact?

In this fourth installment of the Shepherds Series, good and evil collide in a battle that has raged for thousands of years, and Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson and his team are at the tip of the spear—fighting for humanity’s future and the ones they love.Victor is dead. But out of the chaos, a new dark power rises …Only weeks ago, former Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson, head of Joshua Bravo team at the Shepherds, helped to defeat Victor, the leader of the devil’s Dark Ones. Now, his boss, Ben Morvant, has tasked him with an even harder mission: Take a vacation.But before Jed has even managed to hit the beach in the Dominican Republic, he comes face-to-face with a new evil: Orphans are being abducted right off the streets of Santo Domingo. Are these disappearances just an unfortunate crime in an unfamiliar country, or do they hint at something bigger—a new threat emerging out of the power vacuum Victor left behind?When Jed needs help after a violent encounter, he finds himself with an unexpected new ally: CIA liaison Gayle James. Together, the two of them must follow the trail of the missing orphans before it runs cold. Soon they find themselves immersed in a dangerous world of murder, betrayal, and voodoo. Jed will need Gayle, the Watchers Sarah Beth and Corbin, his old friend Ben Morvant, and the entire team of Shepherds at his side to expose the new threat—and to prevent a new dark power from rising …

More than 50 years after the Zodiac Killer mysteriously vanished, his crimes and letters still haunt the world.The Zodiac Killer conducted a campaign of terror in the late 1960s, killing seven victims before taunting investigators through a series of cryptic letters, clues and coded messages sent to local newspapers.For more than five decades, investigators have searched for the identity of the Zodiac Killer. Hoaxes and forged letters fueled an ongoing media circus while the mystery inspired TV documentaries, feature films, books, websites, podcasts, and even copycat killers.This compelling biography is written by Michael Butterfield, a writer and researcher who has been investigating the Zodiac case for more than 30 years. He separates fact from fiction and lays out what we know about the crimes, the mysteries and the theories surrounding the case, its legacy in popular culture, and where the investigation stands today.

Accused of the murder of his former lover, Korean War veteran Sam Monroe is forced to abandon his job as an assistant district attorney and fight to clear his name.Sam Monroe thought his steamy love affair with Manhattan socialite Laura Nielson was dead and buried, but when she didn’t show up after unexpectedly calling him late at night and asking to meet, he decides to investigate. He finds her naked on her penthouse balcony, strangled, his dog tags wrapped around her neck. With a bull’s-eye on his back as the prime suspect, Sam begins a search for the killer that reveals Laura’s involvement with several men, some with ties to a well-known crime family.As circumstantial evidence mounts against him, the cops close in, especially a heavy-handed rogue patrolman carrying a grudge against Sam and looking for serious payback. Forced to operate in the shadows, he relies on the unofficial help of several coworkers in the DA’s office and Debora Jean Ryan, a private investigator who offers to assist but has an agenda that she refuses to disclose. As they probe Laura’s past looking for clues, they must also figure out Laura’s mysterious trip out west, the death of a young man in New Jersey during her childhood, and who is making attempts on his life.From the crime-ridden precincts of Lower Manhattan, the mean streets of Spanish Harlem, and the lofty mansions along Millionaires’ Row, Night in the City is classic crime noir fiction at its best that wonderfully evokes the vibrant world of 1950s New York. Michael McGarrity again proves himself to be one of the most accomplished writers of mysteries working today.

Over a span of 39 years, 23 aliases, 28 arrests in 20 cities, and nearly a dozen imprisonments, Robert Spears had lived a con artists' life of unparalleled adventure and intrigue. This is his story.Shortly before Thanksgiving Day in 1959, a plane exploded in mid-air, killing all 42 passengers and crew and leaving scattered debris and bodies across the otherwise tranquil Gulf waters. Listed on the manifest was Dr. Robert Spears—once the highly regarded president of the Texas Naturopathic Association. Father of two small children with a lovely, society-minded wife and an elegant home in an exclusive neighborhood, it was a monumental tragedy for them as it was for all the souls lost that day.Less than two months later, Robert Spears miraculously “rose from the dead” in Phoenix where he was promptly arrested. Headlining newspapers nationwide—“Man Downs Airliner to Fake Death”—Spears was discovered to have cleverly switched identities, persuaded his friend, Al Taylor, to fly with his plane ticket, asked him to carry “a package” on board, and drove away in his buddy’s car with his wallet and driver’s license.As the FBI began to investigate, they uncovered a stunning, mind-bending tale of murder, abortion rings, and false identities—more than 25 aliases for Spears alone—as well as insurance scams and investment fraud that stretched over decades.But that was far from the end of the story.Methodically and carefully researched for years and meticulously sourced by a research sociologist and author, Vanishing Act is one of the great true crime stories of our time and a compelling read that is paced like a page-turning, mystery novel. Until now, the complete and shocking story has never been told.

This is the gripping story of the real Charles Manson as told by his long-time prison administrator, counselor, unofficial "press agent," and confidant, Ed George. “Throughout my life, people have asked me about Manson. . . .‘Does he have hypnotic powers?’ ‘Does he have a diabolical charisma?’ . . .‘Is he crazy?’ My response is that for some people, the answer to all of the above is yes—except for the last question.” —EDWARD GEORGE Charles Manson was perhaps the most infamous criminal of the twentieth century. Convicted for orchestrating the shocking Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969, and for two other killings, there has been much written about him. But not many people knew him as well as Edward George, who over years of conversations with Manson as his prison administrator, counselor, unofficial “press agent,” and confidant, gained deep insight into Manson’s mind-set. In this updated edition of George’s riveting account, he illuminates the many sides of Manson: charismatic cult leader, master manipulator, calculated “showman,” sly trickster, and more. George and his coauthor, Dary Matera, begin by detailing the troubling events of Manson’s youth, the historic 1969 murders, and the subsequent trial that ended an era. They then pull back the curtain on the intense reality of Manson’s turbulent life behind bars and the events that have transpired since the initial publication of this book in 1999, including Manson’s death in 2017.

For more than 40 years, Charles Manson languished in prison for his participation in the Manson family murders of 1969. He was America's icon of evil, the one who brought down the curtain on the 1960s. He was never a quiet inmate, either. From his unbridled outbursts of rage to his tender acts of generosity, he made his presence felt to everyone around him. Over time, he parlayed his notoriety, through clever manipulation and shrewd alliances, to great power behind bars. He inspired awe in other inmates, he cozied up to prison guards who were more than eager to do him favors, and he was responsible for countless staff transfers within and outside of the institution.This book details the dramatic journey of Willie Mendez, a troubled inmate, housed next to the serial killer for more than a year. Willie became institutionalized after repeated violations of the law, including attempted murder and armed robbery. He is serving a 68-year prison sentence. Author Mark Hewitt was introduced to Mendez by Charles Manson, who thought the two had similar ideas and a shared optimism about life. From his initial feelings of contempt toward the aging killer, Willie, nicknamed, "Boxcar," by Manson, traveled to a place of openness and acceptance of the old man's ideas. Over time, he began to defer more and more to Manson without reservation. The relationship eventually soured when some of Manson's claims were proven false. Through great internal strength, and the support of others, Willie distanced himself from the cult leader. Finally, he was able to extricate himself completely from Manson's manipulations.This is a tale of growth and maturity that contains intimate details and shocking jailhouse secrets. Willie shares an insider's view of Charles Manson, his crazy behavior, his whispered confessions, and his sometimes profound wisdom."Charlie" speaks openly about his sexuality, shares some vivid details of the Tate and LaBianca murders, and relates his childhood experience of being forced to wear a dress to school. The iconic killer described for him the many people who influenced him, some when he was a child, others, during his adulthood.Willie describes the episode in which Charlie made and wore a Ku Klux Klan outfit to stir up trouble on the tier. He shares his discovery of Manson's intricate artwork, including the creative techniques used to produce masterpieces behind bars. He details Manson's trip to the shower where the aging killer walked into the water fully clothed. Willie gives us profound insight into Manson's personality and character through stories that illustrate the killer's false bravado, his feigned insane behavior, and a few deep-seated insecurities.