The Last Customer (An Eli Marks Short Mystery Comic E-Book)

The Last Customer (An Eli Marks Short Mystery Comic E-Book)
Author: John Gaspard
Publisher: Albert's Bridge Books
Total Pages: 52
Release: 2021-11-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN:

The request was a first for Eli Marks: “Can you help me make my tuba disappear?” Magician (and magic shop owner) Eli Marks is confronted with this odd demand just before he is about to close up shop for the day. Over the next few tense minutes, he finds a solution to that question which also, fortunately, puts him the positive side of what turns out to be a life-or-death situation. "You will just LOVE these books.”– VANISH Magazine ★★★★★ Praise for Eli Marks Mystery Series: "If David Copperfield and Sherlock Holmes had a child, it would be Eli Marks.”—The Magic Word Podcast “This is an instant classic, in a league with Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Arthur Conan Doyle.”—Rosebud Book Reviews “It’s full of magic, mystery, danger and misdirection, as a good magic trick should be. I love this cozy mystery series, a thoroughly delightful read.”—Sweet Mystery Books “Before I had even finished the first chapter I had fallen in love with Eli. He is intelligent, sensitive, witty and, suddenly, the main suspect in a series of murders…well written, fast-paced and exciting.”—The Frugal Mennonite “This story is very well written and fun to read. I would definitely read another Eli Marks Mystery!”_A Simple Taste for Reading “Hands-down the funniest thing I have read in a long time, expertly paced and hilariously detailed.”—Seattle Book Mama ★★★★★ Books in the Eli Marks Mystery Series: THE AMBITIOUS CARD (#1) THE BULLET CATCH (#2) THE MISER'S DREAM (#3) THE LINKING RINGS (#4) THE FLOATING LIGHT BULB (#5) THE ZOMBIE BALL (#6) THE MAGIC SQUARE (#7) THE INVISIBLE ASSISTANT (Short Story) THE LAST CUSTOMER (Short Story)

The Self-Working Trick (and other stories)

The Self-Working Trick (and other stories)
Author: John Gaspard
Publisher: Albert's Bridge Books
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2024-06-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

More Twisty, Tricky Tales and Mysteries to enjoy with Eli Marks 2022 Winner of Best Adult Fiction Award from the Minnesota Library Foundation. It’s just one thing after another for magician Eli Marks: The bizarre death of a barista. Performing close-up magic at a funeral. A homicidal husband looking for ideas. An unexpected customer encounter. An impossible stabbing during a show. A Halloween murder. A life-changing magic lesson. A mystifying murder/suicide. A puzzling jewel heist and an even odder painting theft. And more! A dozen new Eli Marks short stories (ten never-before published). Which means you now have a dozen more reasons to spend some quality time with Eli Marks. Grab your copy and jump into Eli Marks’ world today! ★★★★★ Readers and critics LOVE the Eli Marks Mystery Series. “It’s full of magic, mystery, danger and misdirection, as a good magic trick should be. I love this cozy mystery series, a thoroughly delightful read.”—Sweet Mystery Books "An intriguing cross between noir and cozy, with fascinating details about magic tricks and plenty of quirky characters. An easy, enjoyable read for mystery buffs seeking a bit of an escape from the usual crime fiction fare."—Library Journal “Before I had even finished the first chapter I had fallen in love with Eli. He is intelligent, sensitive, witty and, suddenly, the main suspect in a series of murders…well written, fast paced and exciting.”—The Frugal Mennonite “The deftly-plotted mystery is enriched by Eli’s relationships with his ex-wife, her new husband, his old-school stage magician Uncle Harry, and an interesting collection of people and places in and around St. Paul…This stylish novel is filled with interesting details, snappy dialogue, and appealing characters.”—More Than a Review “This story is very well written and fun to read. I would definitely read another Eli Marks Mystery!” —A Simple Taste for Reading

The Ambitious Card

The Ambitious Card
Author: John Gaspard
Publisher: Albert's Bridge Books
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2019-07-22
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Magician Eli Marks is the top suspect in a series of murders. His greatest trick? Not becoming the next victim. ★★★★★ Psychics are being murdered and all the clues point to magician Eli Marks: one of his playing cards keeps turning up at every crime scene. What begins as a simple Halloween magic show turns into a deadly cat-and-mouse encounter as the body count rises while Eli frantically attempts to clear his name. It doesn't help that his ex-wife's new husband is the lead Homicide Detective on the case. Or that Eli appears to be the only thread tying all the murders together. Then things get really complicated when romance blooms with a beautiful psychic who may—or may not—hold the final clue to this murderous mystery. Eli can't help but be drawn to her, even though falling in love in the midst of a murder spree is never a good idea. As all the pieces of this deadly puzzle begin to fall into place, Eli must use every trick he knows to uncover the true killer … before he becomes the final victim. “This is a hugely entertaining crime novel, packed full of comedy….Warm, funny and well-plotted—a book to brighten any grey day. Do read it!”—FictionFan’s Book Reviews “The Ambitious Card is intelligently written and ... entirely engrossing.” – Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Grab your copy and get started on this fantastic and funny series right now! ★★★★★ “The Ambitious Card is a must read!” —Books and Looks “Before I had even finished the first chapter I had fallen in love with Eli. He is intelligent, sensitive, witty and, suddenly, the main suspect in a series of murders…well written, fast paced and exciting.”—The Frugal Mennonite “The deftly-plotted mystery is enriched by Eli’s relationships with his ex-wife, her new husband, his old-school stage magician Uncle Harry, and an interesting collection of people and places in and around St. Paul…This stylish novel is filled with interesting details, snappy dialogue, and appealing characters.”—More Than a Review “This story is very well written and fun to read. I would definitely read another Eli Marks Mystery!” —A Simple Taste for Reading “I had a great time reading The Ambitious Card. I don’t read many series, but I’m definitely willing to go on another adventure with Eli.” —The Writerly Reader “Well, Dear Reader, would I recommend The Ambitious Card? Would I read another Eli Marks mystery? Yes, I would do both.”—Charlie Britten, Write On

Murder Among Friends

Murder Among Friends
Author: Candace Fleming
Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2022-03-29
Genre: Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN: 0593177444

How did two teenagers brutally murder an innocent child...and why? And how did their brilliant lawyer save them from the death penalty in 1920s Chicago? Written by a prolific master of narrative nonfiction, this is a compulsively readable true-crime story based on an event dubbed the "crime of the century." In 1924, eighteen-year-old college students Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb made a decision: they would commit the perfect crime by kidnapping and murdering a child they both knew. But they made one crucial error: as they were disposing of the body of young Bobby Franks, whom they had bludgeoned to death, Nathan's eyeglasses fell from his jacket pocket. Multi-award-winning author Candace Fleming depicts every twist and turn of this harrowing case--how two wealthy, brilliant young men planned and committed what became known as the crime of the century, how they were caught, why they confessed, and how the renowned criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow enabled them to avoid the death penalty. Following on the success of such books as The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov, this acclaimed nonfiction writer brings to heart-stopping life one of the most notorious crimes in our country's history.

Eli

Eli
Author: Jessica Gadziala
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2017-08-31
Genre:
ISBN: 9781977638502

Six years on the inside gave a man a lot of time to think. And a lot of time to plan. When I got out, I was determined for things to go a different way. I never wanted to lose control and rage out again. The only way to accomplish that, though, was to shut it all down. Complete disconnect. That meant no family, no friends, no links to anything attached to the man I was before. Of course the problem was, I never factored HER into my plans. And try as I might, I couldn't find a way to shut it down, to disconnect from her. I had a sneaking suspicion she was going to take all my carefully constructed plans and toss them out the window, was going to force me to face up the demons inside and confront the ghosts from my past. Those ghosts? They wore the faces of my family. And a confrontation with them, yeah, I had a feeling it was going to show me that I had spent six years taking action on beliefs about the demons inside. Demons that had never actually existed in the first place...

The Hot Rock

The Hot Rock
Author: Donald E. Westlake
Publisher: Open Road Media
Total Pages: 183
Release: 2011-10-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1453229175

Edgar Award Finalist: A comical crime caper “filled with action and imagination” (The New York Times Book Review). John Dortmunder leaves jail with ten dollars, a train ticket, and nothing to make money on but his good name. Thankfully, his reputation goes far. No one plans a caper better than Dortmunder. His friend Kelp picks him up in a stolen Cadillac and drives him away from Sing-Sing, telling a story of a $500,000 emerald that they just have to steal. Dortmunder doesn’t hesitate to agree. The emerald is the crown jewel of a former British colony, lately granted independence and split into two nations: one for the Talabwo people, one for the Akinzi. The Akinzi have the stone, the Talabwo want it back, and their UN representative offers a fine payday to the men who can get it. It’s not a simple heist, but after a few years in stir, Dortmunder could use the challenge.

The Bullet Catch

The Bullet Catch
Author: John Gaspard
Publisher: Albert's Bridge Books
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2024-06-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

WONDERFULLY ENGAGING, DELIGHTFULLY TRICKY… “This is an instant classic, in a league with Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Arthur Conan Doyle.” – John Lehman, Rosebud Book Reviews Newly-single magician Eli Marks reluctantly attends his high school reunion against his better judgment, only to become entangled in two deadly encounters with his former classmates. The first is the fatal mugging of an old crush’s husband, followed by the suspicious deaths of the victim’s business associates. At the same time, Eli also comes to the aid of a classmate-turned-movie-star who fears that attempting The Bullet Catch in an upcoming movie may be his last performance. As the bodies begin to pile up, Eli comes to the realization that juggling these murderous situations -- while saving his own neck -- may be the greatest trick he’s ever performed. Praise for THE BULLET CATCH: “The Bullet Catch is a wonderfully engaging, delightfully tricky bit of mystery. Fans of magic will delight in John Gaspard’s artful use of the world of magicians, onstage and offstage. It’s a great story and great fun!” – Jim Steinmeyer, Author of Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear “Gaspard's latest Eli Marks mystery, The Bullet Catch, has as many tricks up its sleeve as its likeable magician-hero. As the body count rises, so does the reading pleasure.” – Dennis Palumbo, Author of the Daniel Rinaldi Mystery Series and Co-Writer of My Favorite Year “The Bullet Catch is a real winner of magical proportions. Filled with snappy, delightful dialogue and plenty of sleight-of-hand humor, Gaspard's latest mystery in the Eli Marks series does not disappoint. Head to the bookstore and get yourself a copy now!” – Jessie Chandler, Author of the Award-Winning Shay O’Hanlon Series “The author does a fantastic job juggling the separate plots and keeping readers’ minds thoroughly engaged…The relationships between Eli and his remarried ex are interesting, to say the least, and the pure entertainment of the industry will leave all readers hoping that there will be a ‘number three’ very soon.” – Suspense Magazine “The Bullet Catch has a quick pace and dialogue that engages the reader from the first page…Gaspard has written a great character into an original storyline…I will definitely be seeing/reading more of Eli as Gaspard expands this promising mystery series.” – Examiner.com “Readers, get ready for your mind to expand as Eli Marks returns and uses his powers of prestidigitation, intuition and deduction to solve another mystery. If David Copperfield and Sherlock Holmes had a child, it would be Eli Marks.” – Scott Wells, The Magic Word Podcast

Don't Know Tough

Don't Know Tough
Author: Eli Cranor
Publisher: Soho Press
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2022-03-22
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1641293462

WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD WINNER OF THE PETER LOVESEY FIRST CRIME NOVEL CONTEST Friday Night Lights gone dark with Southern Gothic; Eli Cranor delivers a powerful noir that will appeal to fans of Wiley Cash and Megan Abbott. In Denton, Arkansas, the fate of the high school football team rests on the shoulders of Billy Lowe, a volatile but talented running back. Billy comes from an extremely troubled home: a trailer park where he is terrorized by his mother’s abusive boyfriend. Billy takes out his anger on the field, but when his savagery crosses a line, he faces suspension. Without Billy Lowe, the Denton Pirates can kiss their playoff bid goodbye. But the head coach, Trent Powers, who just moved from California with his wife and two children for this job, has more than just his paycheck riding on Billy’s bad behavior. As a born-again Christian, Trent feels a divine calling to save Billy—save him from his circumstances, and save his soul. Then Billy’s abuser is found murdered in the Lowe family trailer, and all evidence points toward Billy. Now nothing can stop an explosive chain of violence that could tear the whole town apart on the eve of the playoffs.

Oil!

Oil!
Author: Upton Sinclair
Publisher:
Total Pages: 544
Release: 1927
Genre: California
ISBN:

First edition of Sinclair's savage satire, loosely based on the life and career of Edward L. Doheny, and the Teapot Dome scandal of the Harding administration. Although Sinclair's famous novel The Jungle deals with Chicago's meatpacking industry, he moved west to Pasadena in 1916 and began writing novels set in California, the best of which was Oil!, the story of the education of Bunny Ross, son of wildcat oil man Joe Ross after oil is discovered outside Los Angeles. The novel was the basis for Paul Thomas Anderson's 2007 film There Will Be Blood. In California Classics, Lawrence Clark Powell called Oil! "Sinclair's most sustained and best writing."

Dead in the Water

Dead in the Water
Author: Stuart Woods
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 591
Release: 2009-03-17
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0061801941

Stone Barrington only wants a winter getaway from the chill of New York in the beautiful, tropical Caribbean paradise of St. Mark's. But what the lawyer and ex-cop gets instead is the chance to defend Allison Manning. The beautiful young woman stands accused of killing her rich husband on board their luxurious yacht and then burying him at sea. Stone isn't exactly conversant with the island country's law, but this much is clear to him: Allison is being railroaded by the perverse sense of justice of a prosecutor who will do anything to stay in office. Donning the robe and wig of a British barrister, Stone does everything he can to save Allison—from publicizing the case all over the American press to conducting the kind of smart, tough investigation that money can't buy. Just when he has the jury in the palm of his hands, a shocking reversal of fortune changes everything. And what was once a sure thing begins to look a lot like a death sentence.