Kathy Herman Bücher

Is Liam Berne a loving son--or a murderer? The second book in the Ozark Mountain Trilogy, Only by Death is a thought-provoking suspense story of a man who loses everything and learns he must die to find life. After much agonizing, Liam Berne takes his mother, who has Alzheimer's, to the Sure Foot River and drowns her. A mercy killing, he tells himself, to spare her years in a nursing home. And getting his inheritance early isn't a bad thing either. Dixie Berne's body is recovered and the coroner cannot find any sign of foul play, though Liam's sister isn't convinced. Then Liam hears rumors that a twelve-year-old boy has witnessed the drowning. Terrified that he will be discovered, Liam sets out to intimidate the boy into silence. Little does Liam know that someone else suspects him--someone who intends to make him pay.

A community crisis unfolds when a textile magnate's cruel decision leads to tragic consequences, igniting a quest for revenge from the deceased employee's son. In this gripping installment of the Baxter series, unresolved anger manifests in sinister threats against two teenage girls, forcing the townspeople to confront their own bitterness and faith. The narrative delves into themes of vengeance, the struggle with divine anger, and the impact of one man's hatred on an entire community's moral fabric.

In a gripping narrative, a man's abandonment of his pregnant girlfriend spirals into chaos when a deadly virus outbreak leads to her quarantine with others. As fear and violence engulf their town, questions arise about the fate of Jennifer and her twins, separated at birth. Amidst the turmoil, the story explores themes of divine love and purpose, contrasting human conflict with a deeper spiritual journey. The intertwining tales of personal choices and societal crisis create a poignant examination of resilience and hope.

The arrival of a regional tire plant in Baxter sparks fear and controversy, especially after rumors surface about Mayor Charlie Kirby's affair with the company's attorney, who dies unexpectedly. As a respected community leader and father of seven, Charlie grapples with public scrutiny and a profound moral crisis. Concurrently, newspaper editor Ellen Jones investigates the attorney's mysterious past, only to find herself being stalked by someone with similar intentions. The intertwining of personal and political intrigue drives this gripping narrative.

Angie Marks, an eighteen-year-old with a rebellious look, arrives in the small town of Baxter seeking refuge. Hired by the quirky millionaire Patrick Bailey as a housekeeper, she quickly becomes embroiled in local intrigue after risking her safety to protect his great-grandsons from rattlesnakes. Rumors swirl at Monty's Diner about her possible connection to local troublemaker Billy Joe Sawyer, raising questions about her true intentions. As curiosity mounts, Angie must navigate the town's suspicions while pursuing her own agenda.

When twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings wakes up by Beaver Lake at sunset, all he remembers is a dream about a spider that spewed venom. Then he realizes that Kennedy--the young woman he broke every vow to have an affair with--is gone. He rushes to her house only to find it empty. No furniture. No pictures. No sign that anyone lived there. Ashamed and confused, Hawk decides not to report anything to the sheriff. Then Hawk realizes that someone else in town knows what happened to his lover. He begins to fear for Kennedy's life--and his own.

Her Sister Couldn't Be Alive . . . Could She? It had to be Riley Jo. She was certain . . . wasn't she? But when Abby Cummings tells her mother she thought she saw her sister at the store, her mother quickly dismisses the idea. After all, Riley Jo and their father had been missing for years. Presumably dead. Yet Abby cannot ignore her intuition. Telling her friend J. D., they investigate. But J. D. may know more about the disappearance than he's telling, or even realizes. And as they work to uncover what happened, all they have to go on is blind faith. Will it be enough . . . especially considering what the truth might be?

The story unfolds in a tight-knit community shaken by a devastating houseboat explosion that reveals a shocking survivor and hints at murder. As grief transforms into anger, Jed embarks on a desperate quest to find the survivor while grappling with his own troubled marriage. The narrative intertwines the mystery of the incident with themes of redemption and faith, showcasing how both personal and communal crises can lead to profound transformation in a small-town setting.

Ellen Jones is naar Seaport verhuisd om in alle rust aan haar roman te kunnen schrijven. In de plaatselijke supermarkt ontmoet ze twee andere nieuwkomers in het stadje: Julie Hamilton en haar tweejarige dochtertje Sarah Beth. Tijdens een lunch in een restaurantje vangt Ellen een gesprek op dat niet voor haar oren bestemd is: de mensen aan de tafel naast haar hebben het over Julies echtgenoot, Ross. De zaken waarvan ze hem beschuldigen lijken zeer ernstig: hij zou zich schuldig hebben gemaakt aan kindermisbruik. Ellen durft de geruchten niet met Julie te bespreken en gaat op zoek naar bewijs. Ze stuit op huiveringwekkende informatie: in een oud krantenartikel wordt Ross beschuldigd van de moord op twee jongens en het overlijden van zijn eigen zoon. Ook is hij de belangrijkste verdachte in een zaak van twee vermiste meisjes. Zijn deze verhalen waar? Of probeert iemand hem zwart te maken? Ellen kan geen harde bewijzen vinden, maar vreest voor de veiligheid van Sarah Beth en Julie. Net als ze besluit dat ze niet langer haar mond kan houden, blijkt Sarah Beth verdwenen te zijn.