Frank Novak's life is a hectic procession of events, since he's the foremost neighborhood watchdog in San Gabriel, Texas. He thinks at times that things couldn't get any worse for him, but he's wrong. His wife is finding a Holy Roller preacher way too attractive, his camping trailer is stolen, and then his real problems begin; someone is trying to kill him. The idea of escaping to a reclusive life in the Texas Hill Country begins to seem very appealing; then Monica Cruz enters his life. She works for an agency that helps neighborhoods get organized to fight crime and decay, and she's...

Short stories with hopeful endings have always been favorites of Helen Haught Fanick, and her own stories are no exception. Her protagonists usually discover at the end that with effort, situations can change and life can improve. The young girl with a chance to go to college sees many obstacles, as does the wife who wants to help a disadvantaged boy. Their decisions, in the end, are right for them. These varied stories are about more than the problems faced by the characters. They're about hope.

The wealthiest family in the Canaan Valley has several problems, which its members handle using discretion-or maybe secrecy is a better word. But when one of their members is murdered, their secrets are revealed as sisters Andrea and Kathleen help Sheriff Ward Sterling investigate the murder. The sisters feel it's especially important to figure out who the murderer is, since their friend, Deputy Willard Hill, is the prime suspect. They know Willard couldn't possibly be guilty, but finding out who is turns out to be difficult. Several people will profit from the death, and there are a few more...

Lara Benedict, a mystery writer whose career is blossoming, finds herself in the middle of a real-life mystery when her cousin, Sam Hamilton, is accused of murder. Sam insists that Jim Scott, a local handyman, died as the result of an accidental fall, but the prosecuting attorney is moving forward with the case against Sam. Lara has returned to the village of Pine Summit in order to help figure out what actually happened to Jim Scott, and she's disturbed to discover that her ex-fiance, Daniel Riley, is the assistant prosecutor who's handling the case against Sam. It's been nearly a year since...

Cora Taylor disappeared 54 years ago, and no trace of her was ever found. Now her sister has enlisted the help of Andrea Flynn and Kathleen Williamson in finding out what happened to Cora. The two are known for their ability to solve cases that are puzzling the police, and Mary Taylor is confident they can uncover Cora's fate. Andrea and Kathleen are doubtful they can find the answer Mary is looking for, but they decide to try. They start researching, and the case becomes more complicated when someone who was close to Cora, a likely suspect in her disappearance, is murdered. The more the...