First Editions A-E

The following  are a SAMPLE of some of the SIGNED FIRST EDITIONS we have for sale.  Please note that we have limited quantities of many of these books, and all are subject to prior sale, so please call soon to order (805) 374-0084 or go to our order page. Call to see what we have that's not listed!

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This is a well-crafted tale inspired by one of the most sensational crimes of the Jazz age. Marion Seeley comes to L. A. from Phoenix after being abandoned by her husband. She secures employment at a medical clinic and meets a nurse and her roommate. They involve Marion in their social set where Marion falls for a slick operator and sets in motion events where emotions soar and murder ensues. Colorful period detail and sharply observed characters make this a must read for fans of classic noir.

In 1979’s Time After Time, H. G. Wells used his time machine to purse Jack the Ripper who was on a homicidal rampage in San Francisco. Wells not only vanquished the crazed surgeon and banished him to an indefinite future, but also fell in love with Catherine Amy Roberts and returned to 1893 London to begin a new life together.  Time passes but fate will bring these three together again. Amy, put off by her husband’s bohemian ways, returns to L. A. in 2010 to tell her parents what happened to their missing daughter, but unknown to her the time travel process also releases Jack from his prison in 2353, transforming him into a woman who engages on another killing spree as he/she pursues a quest for revenge on Wells and Amy. This imaginative and lively sequel generates once more the thrills and romance that made Time After Time a cult classic.

Lady Emily and her new husband British agent Colin Hargreaves are on their honeymoon in 19^th-century Constantinople when a half-English harem girl is murdered. Colin is assigned the investigation, and the Crown reluctantly grants Emily the delicate task of questioning the harem. The lush and exotic setting combined with the signature formula of danger, romance, and detection that are Tasha Alexander trademarks make this fourth entry a standout in this popular Victorian series.

The death of her father brings former army sniper Mercy Gunderson home to South Dakota. Mercy has the unplea­sant task deciding what to do with the family ranch, a problem that becomes compounded by the discovery of a dead Native American boy on the property.  The local authorities make no real effort to investigate, and when tragedy strikes again, Mercy goes into action determined to stop a killer before everything she has fought for is lost. This is the premiere of a new series with a heroine who is a tough, independent force of nature.

Billy Webb, a recent college grad, has been hired as an editorial assistant at Samuelson Company working on the preparation of the new edition of their dictionary. His co-worker Mona comes across a series of puzzling citations in a book called The Broken Teaglass; however, they soon unearth the fact that no such book really exists. The citations are actually clues to an old murder case. They work together poring through the files to unravel what happened to a lonely young woman.  Most troubling is the distinct possibility that colleagues could be involved. Fresh and thought-provoking, lovers of literary puzzles, and words will enjoy this engaging first person narrative debut that should not be missed.

Actress Virginia Rappe was found dead in a suite at the St. Francis Hotel in 1921, setting the stage for one the most sensational trials of the Roaring Twenties. Silent screen comic Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle was accused of rape and manslaughter in a case that the Hearst empire shamelessly exploited in an attempt to sway public opinion against the popular movie star. Arbuckle’s defense team hires a young private eye named Dashell Hammett to find out what lies behind the questionable legal maneuvers of the prosecution and possible undue influences being brought to bear by the newspaper magnate. Seamlessly blending fact, fiction and logical speculation, Ace Atkins demonstrates again a command of reality based crime fiction that keeps you turning pages deep into the night.

Sydney Blake is seventeen years old and spending the summer in the custody of her father Tim, a Connecticut Honda salesman who’s trying to cope with a failed marriage, a loss compounded by the further indignity that his ex is shacked up with a rival dealer. That problem is nothing compared to the disappearance of Sydney when she fails to return from her summer job on one particular evening. Attempting to retrace her steps his concern rapidly escalates to outright fear when he questions the hotel staff only to discover they have no idea where she went because they have no idea who she is. Questioning her friends also fails to produce results, and Tim begins to realize he doesn’t really know her either. 

A suffrage rally in New York City during a major flu epidemic gets boisterous and PI Molly Murphy finds herself in jail. Her fiancé, Captain Daniel Sullivan, is too busy combating the gangs battling for control of the opium trade to do more than bail her out. But Molly did acquire two clients while in stir. Emily Boswell is certain her uncle stole her inheritance, and Fanny Poindexter seeks proof of her husband’s infidelity. When Fanny dies suddenly, her husband claims the flu killed her.  Molly is determined to put that lie to rest!

Lady Georgie, 34^th in line to the throne, has hatched another scheme to earn some much-needed income. Hiring herself out as a dinner companion for lonely male travelers backfires badly, prompting her quick exit to the family home in Scotland. There she is given the task of attending a shooting party at nearby Balmoral and keeping close watch over the Prince when a series of mishaps results in murder. This delightful series set in the 1930’s is a rich and satisfying blend of humor and mystery, and our plucky Royal heroine is a first-rate amateur sleuth.

Jack and Melissa McGuane have finally achieved their fondest dream, adopting a daughter, Angelina, to make their family complete. But a phone call nine months later brings disturbing news. The adoption agency never secured the birth father’s consent to the placement. Backed by the child’s grandfather, an influential Denver judge, the shady and unstable father, Garrett Morland, seeks custody of the baby in three weeks time. It isn’t long before the McGuanes learn that love is not the real motive that drives the Morlands to possess Angelina.  Author of the acclaimed Joe Pickett series, C. J. Box has delivered another winner.

Mitchell is released from prison after serving three years for an assault he has no memory of committing.  After turning down work for a notorious loan shark, he finds honest work at the Holland Park mansion of a faded movie actress, but there he has to deal with her ominous butler, Jordan. But try as he might his violent past catches up with him and once again people are getting hurt. His breaking point is when the safety of his disturbed sister is threatened and Mitchell has no choice but to act. This urban tale of suspense, violence  and betrayal has all the intensity and drama one has come to expect from this Irish master of modern noir. (Nov.)

Texas Sheriff Hackberry Holland receives an anonymous phone call that leads to the discovery of the bodies of nine Thai women riddled by machine guns and buried in a shallow grave behind a church. This brutal killing sets in motion a series of events that will force Holland to stop obsessing about the past and to start engaging in the present. The specific task at hand is to locate and protect a young couple that possibly witnessed the massacre. The couple is being hunted by three different men who all have their reasons for wanting them dead. Burke, with his matchless prose and colorful characters, has crafted another must read novel.

Charlie Bouchon has just finished serving an 18-month stretch for grand theft auto.  He looks to score some quick cash performing an errand for his former boss, a well-connected woman with the L.A. Armenian mob. Things get complicated for Charlie when he discovers that the car he’s supposed to drop off in exchange for a suitcase has a girl bound and gagged in the trunk. Charlie opens a Pandora’s box of troubles for himself when he chooses to release the girl. This dynamite debut is a fast and funny crime caper filled with entertaining characters and featuring some dynamite plot twists.

Escaped serial killer Gretchen Lowell is still at large.  Portland Police Detective Archie Sheridan, her most famous and only living victim, thought they had made a bargain that precluded further mayhem. Is she behind a new series of deaths that bear many of her grisly trademarks and patterns?  Gretchen has become a superstar in the tabloid media as the subject of magazine covers and possible sighting reports. Has the Beauty Killer picked up her scalpel again or has some new twisted cult of fans followed in her footsteps? The series rolls along with another fast-paced steamy and perverse exercise that is creepy, funny and original.

P.I. Ray Dudgeon, introduced in the Shamus award-winning BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD, returns to take on an investigation that will challenge him as never before. When Joan Richards was killed by a mentally ill coworker, the Chicago police quickly cleared the case. But her father, retired Army Intelligence Colonel Isaac Richmond, can’t move on. He hires Ray Dudgeon to dig beneath the facts and find the truth. Uncovering that truth will lead Ray into the lethal world of America’s military contractors and the darkest corners of the U.S. intelligence community and unleash forces beyond his control. Ray is expendable and to avoid becoming collateral damage, he must find out who is really pulling the strings and confront his real enemy: himself. Smart and gripping, this novel is a real page-turner!

Reacher is riding in a nearly empty car on the Manhattan subway when he observes a young woman whom he suspects is a suicide bomber. This incident sets in motion a series of events that will entangle him in the complicated web of the war on terror. The deeper he digs, the more he learns. Tracing the roots back to the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan he uncovers information both the American authorities and Al-Queda are willing to keep secret at all costs, including Jack’s life. Simply stated, when it comes to composing thrillers that are fast-paced, well-written, and intelligent, there is no one better than Lee Child.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar returns in a new thriller. When he hears from Terese Collins after ten years of silence, he knows she must really be in a serious jam. Terese calls Myron because she is alone in Paris with no one to whom she can turn.  Myron arrives in France and is told by Terese that her husband was an investigative reporter who hinted to her that he had important information but before he could share it with her, he was murdered. Myron, with his friend Win, embarks upon violent chase across Europe trying to discover the reporter’s secret. Their odyssey will leave a trail of bodies in their wake.

It’s three days before Halloween and Young Samuel Johnson, and his dog Boswell have chosen to start trick or treating early making them privy to their neighbors’ misguided and unfortunate flirtation with occult practices. Having opened a portal to the gates of hell itself, these foolish Satan worshippers better hope this eccentric and talented boy can use his extraordinary skills to save the world from demonic invasion.  The gifted and versatile creator of the Charlie Parker crime novels shows another side of his storytelling skills in this early Halloween present that is a real treat.

The stakes are extremely personal in this gripping new episode in the life of LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. John Li, the owner of Fortune Liquors located in a tough section of South L. A. is murdered. Harry had known the victim for years, and is hard hit by the loss. Promising the family to find the killer, Harry enlists the Asian Gang Unit to aid in the investigation and pursues a trail that brings him into conflict with a powerful Hong Kong triad that will take him to the other side of the world. 

Joe Pike and Elvis Cole are together again as Joe takes center stage in this adrenaline-charged revenge thriller. Frank Meyer and his family are slaughtered in what on the surface is made to appear to be a home invasion gone horribly wrong. While the police suspect Frank was mixed up in something of a criminal nature, Joe who worked with Frank as professional mercenary knows better. Enlisting the aid of his friend and partner L.A. PI Elvis Cole, and Jon Stone, another former mercenary, Joe sets out to avenge the death of his fallen comrade. And Joe also wants to know what triggered this atrocity. It’s a quest that plunges them into a vortex of old grudges, double crosses, blackmail, kidnapping, and gun smuggling.

Goldy Schulz has a difficult client who, two days before her planned nuptials, changes the location of the reception to the Gold Gulch Spa. The murder of Doc Finn, best friend to Goldy’s godfather Jack, coupled with a subsequent attack on Jack is somehow connected to the Spa. Goldy, determined to get some answers, finds herself again in a world of danger. Culinary mystery lovers will not want to miss the fifteenth entry in this entertaining and delicious (love those recipes!) series.

This is the promising debut of a new historical series introducing amateur sleuth, Miss Dido Kent. She arrives at Bellfield Hall in September of 1805 to comfort her niece whose fiancé has disappeared after receiving a mysterious message. Very soon after Miss Kent’s arrival the body of young woman is discovered on the estate. As she pursues her inquiry into the possibility of a linkage between these two events, she uncovers surprising information about some of the other occupants of Bellfield Hall, but maybe most surprising is the fact that she is falling in love herself. This well-realized traditional country house mystery is rich with period detail and is anchored by a clever and resourceful heroine that should build a strong following among fans of Jane Austen and Regency lovers.

Body-language expert Kathryn Dance and her team from the California Bureau of Investigation are trying to stop a troubled teen bent on revenge against his classmates and neighbors. Travis Brigham was the subject of some nasty and vicious attacks posted on a popular blog.            Now he’s disappeared and roadside crosses are appearing along the highways of the Monterey Peninsula. The crosses are the precursors announcing Travis’ intent to strike back with deadly force against his critics. The modern perils of the cyberworld make this a timely and thought-provoking nail-biter.

Serge A. Storms, the devoted Floridaphile and committed psycho killer who dispenses his own vigilante justice on all those folk who mistreat Florida or other people, has de­cided to add auteur to his lengthy resume. With his old buddy Coleman in tow, Storms arrives in Panama City to shoot a documentary about Spring Break and takes under his protective wing a college student who is being sought by a Miami crime gang and some FBI agents. This leads to the comic mayhem that is the signature trait of this long-running and popular series.

Serge A. Storms and his buddy Coleman are back again for more high-spirited murder and mayhem.  This time they’re making their way across the Sunshine state in a 1971 Javelin! Serge’s prime target is a low-life called Jellyfish, a crime lord whose gang preys upon diamond couriers. But, as always, many other felonious unfortunates encountered on the journey will meet their deserved ends in colorful and creative ways. Fans of the series will not want to miss this adrenaline charged odyssey.

Undefeated trial attorney David Sloane has taken on the case that could end his impressive string of victories. Client Beverly Ford holds the U. S. government responsible for the death of her husband in Iraq due to inadequate body armor.

Sloan’s investigation leads him to suspect a high level cover-up as he discovers too many members of the returning platoon have died under mysterious circumstances. His quest for justice for the wronged Ford family places himself and his own family in deadly jeopardy. Former attorney Dugoni has crafted an unrelenting suspense ride that never loosens its grip until the end.

In Silicon Valley a scientist is murdered in an apparent drug deal gone wrong. Alex Treven, the patent attorney who represented the dead man, is also attacked. Fearing for his life, Alex reaches out to his brother Ben for help. Ben is an undercover soldier in the war on terror and returns home from Istanbul to lend support and protection to his younger brother but long simmering family traumas and bitter resentments make this an uneasy alliance as they have not spoken to each other in seven years. However, working together is their only chance of survival.  An engaging standalone from the creator of the John Rain series!

Lena Gamble, introduced in City of Fire, is once again embroiled in a difficult murder case. Eight months have passed since she solved the case that won her the respect of her peers but angered the top brass of the LAPD for the manner in which she did it. Initially thrilled to be back on a hot case involving the dismembered body of a female found in a Hollywood dumpster, she quickly realizes she’s being set up for a fall since there are few clues and no real leads. That is, until an anonymous witness provides the driver’s license and a photo record of the Jane Doe’s abduction. Now Gamble is in a race against time to find the missing witness before the killer does. Michael Connelly fans will enjoy this sequel! 

If the name of the author or the title of the book sounds familiar, that’s because we sponsored an event with the hardcover publication of the book last year. It’s a riveting tale of classic noir set in L. A. in the 1930’s. We are pleased to have the author return for the trade paperback release of the book, affording those who missed it last time an opportunity to get the book that Robert Crais called “…pure and original, with a heavy heart that beats through each page.” This novel has been optioned as a major motion picture by Casey Affleck, and is a real knockout.

Yep, she’s BAACCKKK!!! Stephanie Plum our favorite Jersey bounty hunter is at it again. More of the not so glamorous life we have all come to appreciate, with romantic dilemmas to be suffered through, pastries to be eaten, relatives to be avoided. You know the drill. Heck this is book fifteen to say nothing of the “between the numbers” volumes.

The first full-length between-the-numbers Stephanie Plum novel, this escapade finds our favorite bounty hunter chasing a bail jumper that leads her into the Pine Barrens of rural New Jersey where the legendary Jersey Devil is rumored to roam. And, oh yes, Lula is along for the ride and Stephanie complicates her life with yet another man, this one named Diesel. You just know all kinds of madcap madness will ensue.