In Between The Pages with James Lott Jr.

by Gerald R Patnode
In 1889, Archibald Stirling is a man of wealth, privilege, and prestige. As a respected Baltimore criminal defense attorney and partner in a renowned law firm, his life is steeped in tradition and order. But when he accepts a single desperate plea for help; everything he believes will be challenged,One morning, the familiar routine in the Stirling household is shattered. Outside, the shouts of an angry mob rise as four Black men in chains are paraded through the streets by federal marshals. Among them is Henry Jones, the son of the Stirling family's loyal housemaid, Elsie Tolson who has been accused of leading a violent uprising on Navassa Island, where Black laborers fought back against their brutal white overseers. Henry now faces certain execution. With tears in her eyes and fear in her voice, Elsie begs Archibald to save her son.This real event, fictionalized through The Stirling Defense, is a gripping exploration of justice, sacrifice, and moral courage. Through one man's fall from privilege into the crucible of social change. The novel reveals the extraordinary cost of standing for what is right and the lasting impact of one man's fight against an unjust system.Determined to seek justice, Archibald takes Henry's case, setting off a chain of devastating consequences that include expulsion from his partnership, divorce from his wife, his young son brutally assaulted, and their home is torched in an arson attack. Even with several attempts at Archibald's life, he refuses to back down.As the trial unfolds, Archibald exposes the horrors of Navassa Island, where Black laborers were starved, beaten, and worked to death. His defense is not just for Henry but for an entire cla

For years, three couples have gathered at The Villa―billionaire Lincoln Foster’s Hamptons estate―for lavish weekends among friends. But this year, mysterious blue cards appear in each bedroom, exposing secrets: their host’s betrayals and the guests’ own dark deeds. Everyone has something to hide. Marley and Marshall Foster. Suzy and Sean McTeague. Juliet and Josh Jacoby. Lincoln and his new wife, Hazel. Even uninvited guests hoping to be accepted among the elite. With a hurricane bearing down, no one is getting out. When the revelations turn deadly, the trapped friends must confront what their lies have cost them―possibly their lives. Kieran Scott is the author of the domestic suspense novels The Getaway, Wish You Were Gone, Regrets Only and People Will Talk. She has also written dozens of books for teens, including eight New York Times bestsellers under the penname Kate Brian. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and Substack @kieranscottauthor

Her new book You Know Why is out now!

Kieran Scott is the author of the domestic suspense novels The Getaway, Wish You Were Gone, Regrets Only and People Will Talk. She has also written dozens of books for teens, including eight New York Times bestsellers under the penname Kate Brian. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and Substack @kieranscottauthor

It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation―and life as she knows it―begins to unravel.Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap―laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of psychological suspense, including the Lt. Taylor Jackson series, the Dr. Samantha Owens series, and numerous acclaimed standalones. She is the Emmy Award–winning cohost of A Word on Words, the literary television series on PBS.Over a twenty-year career, her work has earned widespread critical recognition, with titles optioned for television and published in thirty countries, and millions of copies in print worldwide.A dedicated voice in the writing community, she also publishes The Creative Edge, a newsletter and blog for writers navigating the craft and business of fiction.She lives with her husband and twin kittens—one of whom is a ghost in Nashville, Tennessee.