February fever murder by.., p.1
February Fever (Murder by Month Mystery), page 1
Praise for February Fever
Lefty Finalist for Most Humorous Mystery
“The best outing yet for Mira!”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Lourey skillfully mixes humor and suspense . . . and the mile-a-minute pace never falters. Another excellent addition to Lourey’s very entertaining Mira James mystery series.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“[An] incredible series . . . [February Fever] is a charming story with great dialogue, [and] there are more months coming, so readers definitely have something to look forward to.”
—Suspense Magazine
“I can’t wait to see what Mira does next.”
—Crimespree Magazine
Praise for January Thaw
Lefty Finalist for Most Humorous Mystery
“Who can resist a mystery that includes a daredevil octogenarian sidekick; a flashy, plant-whispering mayor; some really bad villains; and a little girl ghost?”
—Booklist
“Those looking for an engaging, multigenerational small-town mystery that tackles contemporary issues can’t miss with this entry.”
—Library Journal
“Good, high-calorie fun!”
—Mystery Scene
“Lourey has successfully created an independent, relatable heroine in Mira James. Mira’s wit and fearlessness enable her to overcome the many challenges she faces as she tries to unravel the murder.”
—Crimespree Magazine
Praise for December Dread
Lefty Finalist for Most Humorous Mystery
“Lourey creates a splendid mix of humor and suspense.”
—Booklist
“Lourey, who keeps her secrets well, delivers a breathtaking finale.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Lourey pulls out all the stops in this eighth case.”
—Library Journal
Praise for November Hunt
“It’s not easy to make people laugh while they’re on the edge of their seats, but Lourey pulls it off, while her vivid descriptions of a brutal Minnesota winter will make readers shiver in the seventh book in her very clever Mira James mystery series.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Clever, quirky, and completely original!”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity Award–winning author
“A masterful mix of mayhem and mirth.”
—Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author
“Lourey has successfully created an independent, relatable heroine in Mira James. Mira’s wit and fearlessness enable her to overcome the many challenges she faces as she tries to unravel the murder.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“Lourey’s seventh cozy featuring PI wannabe Mira James successfully combines humor, an intriguing mystery, and quirky small-town characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Lourey has a knack for wholesome sexual innuendo, and she gets plenty of mileage out of Minnesota. This light novel keeps the reader engaged, like one of those sweet, chewy Nut Goodies that Mira is addicted to.”
—The Boston Globe
Praise for October Fest
Lefty Finalist for Most Humorous Mystery
“Snappy jokes and edgy dialogue . . . More spunky than sweet; get started on this Lefty-nominated series if you’ve previously missed it.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“I loved Lourey’s quirky, appealing sleuth and her wry-yet-affectionate look at small-town life. No gimmicks, just an intriguing plot with oddball characters. I hope Mira’s misfortune of stumbling over a dead body every month lasts for many years!”
—Donna Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Stork Raving Mad
“Funny, ribald, and brimming with small-town eccentrics.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Lourey has cleverly created an entertaining murder mystery . . . Her latest is loaded with humor, and many of the descriptions are downright poetic.”
—Booklist (starred review)
Praise for September Mourn
“Once again, the very funny Lourey serves up a delicious dish of murder, mayhem, and merriment.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Beautifully written and wickedly funny.”
—Harley Jane Kozak, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award–winning author
“Lourey has a talent for creating hilarious characters in bizarre, laugh-out-loud situations, while at the same time capturing the honest and endearing subtleties of human life.”
—The Strand
Praise for August Moon
“Hilarious, fast paced, and madcap.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Another amusing tale set in the town full of over-the-top zanies who’ve endeared themselves to the engaging Mira.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“[A] hilarious, wonderfully funny cozy.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“Lourey has a gift for creating terrific characters. Her sly and witty take on small-town USA is a sweet summer treat. Pull up a lawn chair, pour yourself a glass of lemonade, and enjoy.”
—Denise Swanson, bestselling author
“A fun, fast-paced mystery with a heroine readers will enjoy.”
—The Mystery Reader
Praise for Knee High by the Fourth of July
Lefty Finalist for Most Humorous Mystery
“Knee High by the Fourth of July . . . kept me hooked from beginning to end. I enjoyed every page!”
—Sammi Carter, author of the Candy Shop Mysteries
“Sweet, nutty, evocative of the American heartland, and utterly addicting.”
—The Strand
“[The] humor transcends both genders and makes for a delightful romp.”
—Fergus Falls Journal
“Mira . . . is an amusing heroine in a town full of quirky characters.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Lourey’s rollicking good cozy planted me in the heat of a Minnesota summer for a laugh-out-loud mystery ride.”
—Leann Sweeney, bestselling author
Praise for June Bug
“Jess Lourey is a talented, witty, and clever writer.”
—Monica Ferris, author of the Needlecraft Mysteries
“Don’t miss this one—it’s a hoot!”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author
“With just the right amount of insouciance, tongue-in-cheek sexiness, and plain common sense, Jess Lourey offers up a funny, well-written, engaging story . . . Readers will thoroughly enjoy the well-paced ride.”
—Carl Brookins, author of The Case of the Greedy Lawyers
Praise for May Day
“Jess Lourey writes about a small-town assistant librarian, but this is no genteel traditional mystery. Mira James likes guys in a big way, likes booze, and isn’t afraid of motorcycles. She flees a dead-end job and a dead-end boyfriend in Minneapolis and ends up in Battle Lake, a little town with plenty of dirty secrets. The first-person narrative in May Day is fresh, the characters quirky. Minnesota has many fine crime writers, and Jess Lourey has just entered their ranks!”
—Ellen Hart, award-winning author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenway series
“This trade paperback packed a punch . . . I loved it from the get-go!”
—Tulsa World
“What a romp this is! I found myself laughing out loud.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“Mira digs up a closetful of dirty secrets, including sex parties, cross-dressing, and blackmail, on her way to exposing the killer. Lourey’s debut has a likable heroine and surfeit of sass.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for The Taken Ones
Short-listed for the 2024 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original
“Setting the standard for top-notch thrillers, The Taken Ones is smart, compelling, and filled with utterly real characters. Lourey brings her formidable storytelling talent to the game and, on top of that, wows us with a deft stylistic touch. This is a one-sitting read!”
—Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bone Collector and The Watchmaker’s Hand
“The Taken Ones has Jess Lourey’s trademark of suspense all the way. A damaged and brave heroine, an equally damaged evildoer, and missing girls from long ago all combine to keep the reader rushing through to the explosive ending.”
—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author
“Lourey is at the top of her game with The Taken Ones. A master of building tension while maintaining a riveting pace, Lourey is a hell of a writer on all fronts, but her greatest talent may be her characters. Evangeline Reed, an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, is a woman with a devastating past and the haunting ability to know the darkest crimes happening around her. She is also exactly the kind of character I would happily follow through a dozen books or more. In awe of her bravery, I also identified with her pain and wanted desperately to protect her. Along with an incredible cast of support characters, The Taken Ones will break your heart wide open and stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. This is a 2023 must read.”
—Danielle Girard, USA Today and Amazon #1 bestselling author of Up Close
Praise for The Quarry Girls
Winner of the 2023 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original
Winner of the 2023 Minnesota Book
“Few authors can blend the genuine fear generated by a sordid tale of true crime with evocative, three-dimensional characters and mesmerizing prose like Jess Lourey. Her fictional stories feel rooted in a world we all know but also fear. The Quarry Girls is a story of secrets gone to seed, and Lourey gives readers her best novel yet—which is quite the accomplishment. Calling it: The Quarry Girls will be one of the best books of the year.”
—Alex Segura, acclaimed author of Secret Identity, Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, and Miami Midnight
“Jess Lourey once more taps deep into her Midwest roots and childhood fears with The Quarry Girls, an absorbing, true crime–informed thriller narrated in the compelling voice of young drummer Heather Cash as she and her bandmates navigate the treacherous and confusing ground between girlhood and womanhood one simmering and deadly summer. Lourey conveys the edgy, hungry restlessness of teen girls with a touch of Megan Abbott while steadily intensifying the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small 1977 Minnesota town where darkness snakes below the surface.”
—Loreth Anne White, Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Patient’s Secret
“Jess Lourey is a master of the coming-of-age thriller, and The Quarry Girls may be her best yet—as dark, twisty, and full of secrets as the tunnels that lurk beneath Pantown’s deceptively idyllic streets.”
—Chris Holm, Anthony Award–winning author of The Killing Kind
Praise for Bloodline
Winner of the 2022 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original
Winner of the 2022 ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original
Short-listed for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards
“Fans of Rosemary’s Baby will relish this.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Based on a true story, this is a sinister, suspenseful thriller full of creeping horror.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Lourey ratchets up the fear in a novel that verges on horror.”
—Library Journal
“In Bloodline, Jess Lourey blends elements of mystery, suspense, and horror to stunning effect.”
—BOLO Books
“Inspired by a true story, it’s a creepy page-turner that has me eager to read more of Ms. Lourey’s works, especially if they’re all as incisive as this thought-provoking novel.”
—Criminal Element
“Bloodline by Jess Lourey is a psychological thriller that grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go.”
—Mystery & Suspense Magazine
“Bloodline blends page-turning storytelling with clever homages to such horror classics as Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, and Harvest Home.”
—Toronto Star
“Bloodline is a terrific, creepy thriller, and Jess Lourey clearly knows how to get under your skin.”
—Bookreporter
“[A] tightly coiled domestic thriller that slowly but persuasively builds the suspense.”
—South Florida Sun Sentinel
“I should know better than to pick up a new Jess Lourey book thinking I’ll just peek at the first few pages and then get back to the book I was reading. Six hours later, it’s three in the morning and I’m racing through the last few chapters, unable to sleep until I know how it all ends. Set in an idyllic small town rooted in family history and horrific secrets, Bloodline is Pleasantville meets Rosemary’s Baby. A deeply unsettling, darkly unnerving, and utterly compelling novel, this book chilled me to the core, and I loved every bit of it.”
—Jennifer Hillier, author of Little Secrets and the award-winning Jar of Hearts
“Jess Lourey writes small-town Minnesota like Stephen King writes small-town Maine. Bloodline is a tremendous book with a heart and a hacksaw . . . and I loved every second of it.”
—Rachel Howzell Hall, author of the critically acclaimed novels And Now She’s Gone and They All Fall Down
Praise for Unspeakable Things
Winner of the 2021 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original
Short-listed for the 2021 Edgar Awards and 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards
“The suspense never wavers in this page-turner.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The atmospheric suspense novel is haunting because it’s narrated from the point of view of a thirteen-year-old, an age that should be more innocent but often isn’t. Even more chilling, it’s based on real-life incidents. Lourey may be known for comic capers (March of Crimes), but this tense novel combines the best of a coming-of-age story with suspense and an unforgettable young narrator.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Part suspense, part coming-of-age, Jess Lourey’s Unspeakable Things is a story of creeping dread, about childhood when you know the monster under your bed is real. A novel that clings to you long after the last page.”
—Lori Rader-Day, Edgar Award–nominated author of Under a Dark Sky
“A noose of a novel that tightens by inches. The squirming tension comes from every direction—including the ones that are supposed to be safe. I felt complicit as I read, as if at any moment I stopped I would be abandoning Cassie, alone, in the dark, straining to listen and fearing to hear.”
—Marcus Sakey, bestselling author of Brilliance
“Unspeakable Things is an absolutely riveting novel about the poisonous secrets buried deep in towns and families. Jess Lourey has created a story that will chill you to the bone and a main character who will break your heart wide open.”
—Lou Berney, Edgar Award–winning author of November Road
“Inspired by a true story, Unspeakable Things crackles with authenticity, humanity, and humor. The novel reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Marsh King’s Daughter. Highly recommended.”
—Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky
“Jess Lourey does a masterful job building tension and dread, but her greatest asset in Unspeakable Things is Cassie—an arresting narrator you identify with, root for, and desperately want to protect. This is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve torn through it.”
—Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse
“With Unspeakable Things, Jess Lourey has managed the near-impossible, crafting a mystery as harrowing as it is tender, as gut-wrenching as it is lyrical. There is real darkness here, a creeping, inescapable dread that more than once had me looking over my own shoulder. But at its heart beats the irrepressible—and irresistible—spirit of its . . . heroine, a young woman so bright and vital and brave she kept even the fiercest monsters at bay. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.”
—Elizabeth Little, Los Angeles Times bestselling author of Dear Daughter and Pretty as a Picture
Praise for Salem’s Cipher
“A fast-paced, sometimes brutal thriller reminiscent of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A hair-raising thrill ride.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“The fascinating historical information combined with a storyline ripped from the headlines will hook conspiracy theorists and action addicts alike.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Fans of The Da Vinci Code are going to love this book . . . One of my favorite reads of 2016.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“This suspenseful tale has something for absolutely everyone to enjoy.”
—Suspense Magazine
Praise For Mercy’s chase
“An immersive voice, an intriguing story, a wonderful character—highly recommended!”
—Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Both a sweeping adventure and race-against-time thriller, Mercy’s Chase is fascinating, fierce, and brimming with heart—just like its heroine, Salem Wiley.”
—Meg Gardiner, author of Into the Black Nowhere
“Action-packed, great writing taut with suspense, an appealing main character to root for—who could ask for anything more?”
