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Since summer is nearing to a close, we thought you would enjoy two wonderful mysteries to cozy up to as we slip into the fall season and embrace the change of weather. If mysteries and thrillers are your cup of tea, this giveaway is for you!

The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart (Doubleday, August 2012; hardcover, 336 pages) is a clever murder mystery set in Victorian England, brimming with fabulous characters and the signature charm she's displayed in her previous bestseller, The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise. This enchanting "whodunit" will turn your reading room into a lush English garden full of quirky whimsical characters that will delight readers.

When Indian Princess Alexandrina is left penniless by the sudden death of her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Though rumored to be haunted, Alexandrina and her lady's maid, Pooki, have no choice but to take the Queen up on her offer.

Aside from the ghost sightings, Hampton Court doesn't seem so bad. The princess is soon befriended by three eccentric widows who invite her to a picnic with all the palace's inhabitants, for which Pooki bakes a pigeon pie. But when General-Major Bagshot dies after eating said pie, and the coroner finds traces of arsenic in his body, Pooki becomes the #1 suspect in a murder investigation.

Princess Alexandrina isn't about to let her faithful servant hang. She begins an investigation of her own, and discovers that Hampton Court isn't such a safe place to live after all.

With her trademark wit and charm, Julia Stuart introduces us to an outstanding cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan—don't ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this fun and quirky murder mystery. Everyone is hiding a secret of the heart, and even Alexandrina may not realize when she's caught in a maze of love.


Fireproof by Alex Kava (Doubleday July 2012; hardcover, 320 pages) is completely different—a nail-biting thriller featuring FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell. If you haven't met Maggie yet, you are in for a treat. She's smart, down to earth, and she does whatever it takes to solve a case. New York Times bestselling author Lee Child says that she could be "Jack Reacher's long-lost twin." See if you agree!

When a building bursts into flames on a cold winter night in D.C., investigators see a resemblance to a string of recent fires in the area. There is one difference, however: This one has a human casualty. The local team insists they're looking for a young white male, suffering from an uncontrollable impulse to act out his anger or sexual aggression. But when special agent Maggie O'Dell is called in, everything she sees leads her to believe that this is the work of a calculating and controlled criminal.

Jeffery Cole, a reporter looking for his big break, is also at the scene of the crime and decides to make Maggie part of his news piece, digging up aspects of her past that she would rather forget. Maggie's brother Patrick is also back in DC where he is working for a private firefighting company and is frequently called in as these fires continue to light up around the city.

As the acts of arson become more brazen, Maggie's professional and personal worlds begin to collide dangerously. The killer may be closer than she imagines.


We are giving away first edition, hardcover copies of the books above, Fireproof (list price: $28.95) and The Pigeon Pie Mystery (list price: $24.95), to one lucky mystery reader. Just enter the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. Open to US and Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked. Good luck!

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