Colleen Helme

Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.

Carrots

It's been almost a year since a near-fatal gunshot wound left Shelby Nichols with the ability to read minds. In that time she's faced one problem after another. She's been shot at, framed for murder, and targeted by a serial killer, just to name a few. Now she's trying to help her lawyer husband win a murder trial that will enable him to become a partner in his law firm. Sounds easy, right? But nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to Shelby Nichols. When special agent, Blake Beauchaine, shows up to collect a debt from Shelby, things get even more complicated, and Shelby is soon on her way to Paris. A routine meeting with a rogue agent reveals a sinister plot, putting Shelby into the cross-hairs of a known terrorist. Even worse, she doesn't speak French, so it seems her mind-reading abilities won't help her this time. Things go from bad to downright dangerous for Shelby, especially since her usual guardians, Uncle Joey, and his hit-man, Ramos, are back in the states. Lost and on her own in the streets of Paris, can Shelby escape the cold-blooded killer in time to stop his devious plans, or will this be the end of the line for Shelby Nichols?

A Shelby Nichols Adventure

Devious Minds

"Running errands for her mob-boss employer, Joey "The knife" Manetto, often ends with Shelby in trouble, making her cautious about continuing her association with him. Instead, she focuses on a new client who hires Shelby to find her missing mother. What seems like a routine case turns into something more sinister and deadly than she ever imagined. In the meantime, Uncle Joey has summoned Shelby to his office, where she runs into her former nemesis. Shelby inadvertently hears something that makes her fear for the lives of Uncle Joey and his hit-man, Ramos. This time, Uncle Joey is not sure he wants to involve Shelby in something he knows could get her killed. Keeping Shelby's involvement to a minimum has disastrous results, sending Shelby on a dangerous path. As her investigation unfolds, Shelby finds death at every turn, and soon realizes she is in over her head. Can she escape from danger in time? Or will she find herself deep in death?"--p. [4] of cover.

Deep in Death

Shelby Nichols isn't your average soccer-mom turned private investigator. She's more on the quirky side with a little wild thrown in. That's because a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head left her with the ability to read minds. This lands her in all kinds of trouble, and this time is no exception. Helping a reporter, Billie Jo, get the low-down on a case is just the tip of the iceberg. When her best friend's niece goes missing, Shelby is pulled into a conspiracy that involves the police and the leader of a violent drug ring. Add to that a stranger in town with ties to the mob-boss she works for, along with a known assassin out to kill him, and Shelby is crossing danger at every turn. Will she find the answers in time? Or will this be her last adventure?

Crossing Danger

With summer over Shelby is looking forward to having some time to herself while the kids are back in school. A phone call from Uncle Joey ruins her plans, but she manages to take it in stride. After lunch with her friend, she promises to meet with the private investigator who was spying on Uncle Joey, but this simple task turns into a disaster. Not only does she find the P.I. dead, but a slip of paper with her name on it under his lifeless hand implicates her for his murder. Desperate to prove her innocence and find the person who killed him, Shelby begins a frantic search. She enlists the aid of the local mob boss, Uncle Joey, his hit-man, Ramos, and her police detective friend, Dimples, but soon finds that nothing can save her from becoming entangled in a sinister plot. With her life on the line and no way out, she finds herself trapped by revenge, and realizes it will take all her skills to escape. Now she must choose where her loyalties lie, and hope she doesn't trade something bad, for something even worse.

Trapped by Revenge

As a “favor” to Uncle Joey, Shelby must deliver a letter to his associate in Orlando where she has been vacationing with her family. When things go terribly wrong, Shelby finds herself being pursued by a Florida Kingpin for the information he thinks she stole. On her own and in trouble, Uncle Joey sends Ramos to her rescue. As Shelby and Ramos take care of unfinished business, Shelby uncovers information about Ramos and a secret that could change his life. On a path of revenge and intrigue, Shelby finds that some secrets are meant to be kept…and others? They can kill.

Secrets That Kill

Just back from Paris, Shelby barely has time to get over her jet lag before she is right back in the thick of things. Uncle Joey, the local mob boss, needs her help to find out what his son is hiding from him. Detective Harris, AKA Dimples, has an unsolved homicide on his hands, along with a missing engagement ring. Shelby's husband, Chris, just got promoted to partner in his law firm, and she has yet to see his new office or meet his new secretary. Add to that the opportunity to purchase a beautiful home, and Shelby is racing from one thing to the next while trying to keep them all straight. When a courier in Uncle Joey's organization turns up dead, it's up to Shelby and her mind-reading powers to find out who killed him and why. The house Shelby wants to buy has a few problems that go beyond the building code, and the murder she's helping Dimples solve has ties to Chris' law firm. Even using all of her skills, Shelby finds one hidden deception after another. And if she's not careful, it might be the one she least expects that will kill her.

Hidden Deception

"Shelby has her hands full managing her new agency where she hopes to put her mind-reading skills to good use. Her first case to track down money stolen from a bank leads her into the lingerie business where nothing is as it appears. She also finds plenty to keep her busy with the police department and Detective Harris. But all that pales in comparison to what she must do to help Uncle Joey, the local mob boss. He knows her secret and is determined to make her use it for his own purposes."--Back cover.

Lie Or Die

A trip to the mall gives Shelby the shock of her life when she finds an extra five million dollars in the bank account Uncle Joey set up for her. She thought he was out of her life for good, but with this fast money, she's not so sure. Now she must decide if she will tell her husband the truth that she can still read people's minds. Including his. How will he feel when he finds out she lied to him? When the Mexican Police tell her that Uncle Joey's been kidnapped and look to her for the ransom, she knows she's in big trouble. As if that isn't enough the police detective she worked with needs her help to solve a case, and she unwittingly becomes a witness to murder. In her fight to stay alive, she finds that everyone wants a piece of the money, and just how far they will go to get it, can be a matter of life and death. She just hopes it's not hers.

Fast Money

Teya is desperate. Caught by the King and held for her magical singing abilities, she is ready to do anything to escape, or die trying. When her own plans fail, an ambassador from another country unexpectedly offers her a chance at freedom. All she must do is take him to her homeland. It sounds too good to be true, and she realizes she might only be exchanging one prison for another. When she challenges the ambassador, Bran, to remove her kundar, the hated collar that keeps her magic in check, he hesitates. She is a beautiful, exotic creature, but from the rumors he's heard, the collar is the only thing that will keep her from turning on him, and he needs her help to find the elixir sym, that threatens to destroy his country. A precarious alliance forms between them, and their journey begins. But it quickly becomes filled with treachery and deceit. Teya must learn who she really is, for if she fails, her people and the magic they weld are lost forever. Now, as she nears the completion of her journey, she realizes the path she is destined to take will also tear her from the man she loves. Can she give up everything she is for him?

Songbird

For Callista, joining the Elite Guard will give her the means to find the murderer who killed her family. With the sword of her ancestors, she enters the Academy and soon discovers latent powers only heard of in legends. Her uncanny skills do not go unnoticed, and when her first assignment goes terribly wrong, she is saved by a man whose destiny becomes entwined with her own. Soon, she is forced to re-consider who her enemies really are. As her power awakens, she is drawn into a web of deceit that will ultimately shake everything she believes in. With a new sense of her identity, she must confront a dark evil hidden behind an unspeakable secret. This evil threatens to destroy her and the man she has come to love. Will she be strong enough to withstand this power, or will she become the very thing she has sworn to destroy?

Flame of Destiny

In the aftermath of a recent battle, Callista has become the sole guardian of the relic, a powerful crystal full of darkness. She hopes to use it to turn the shadowbeasts back into the men they once were, but so far, has not been successful. Unless she can change them, she will have to kill them, and that is not an option she is willing to face. Left on her own in the Ruins of Belton, she realizes the relic is growing more powerful. For each day that passes, it becomes more difficult to keep that power under control. Desperate to find the answer that will ultimately destroy it, she seeks the origins of the relic in the Eastern Province. As Justin battles a deadly enemy, Callista is caught in a personal fight between the forces of good and evil. The relic is the key to unleashing an even darker power that will ruin everything, and Callista's determination to destroy it is the only thing that will save them all. The epic conclusion to Flame of Destiny

The Relic

Sent away because she let someone die, her burgeoning powers leave her with more questions than answers. Now her only chance for redemption comes at a price... one she may not survive. As a trauma nurse in a New York City hospital, Ella St. John had no idea that refusing to help a known killer would have such dire consequences. Being sent to the middle of nowhere is bad enough, but when she crosses paths with a handsome stranger, everything changes. She can't deny the attraction blossoming between them, but that is nothing compared to the trouble he brings to her door. Helping him could be the biggest mistake of her life... if she manages to live long enough to regret it. From the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventures, comes a new series that will plunge a woman with growing powers into the dark world of mystery, murder, and death. Perfect for fans of Megan Miranda, Michael Anderle, N.K. Jemisin, John Irving, and Amy Harmon. PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR "Colleen Helme is one of the greatest authors working independently today, and, if the end of this novel is any indication, the best is still yet to come." Matthew LeDrew, Bestselling author of Infinity "I cannot get enough from this incredible author! Colleen is an incredibly talented person and her stories tell us why." Christina Brett - Author

Sand and Shadows Book 1

Angel Falls

Book 11 in the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series How many times can a person escape death? Shelby Nichols may be one lucky gal, but this time, her luck is about to run out. Working for a mob-boss has danger written all over it, but when an escaped convict with a lust for revenge goes after him, it's up to Shelby and her mind-reading skills to keep Uncle Joey alive. Not only that, but a federal agent from her past has an agenda with her name on it, and he won't take no for an answer. What's a mind-reading soccer mom to do? If you're Shelby Nichols, you jump in with your mind wide open and hope for the best.

Colleen Helme

About

Books

Join the club