Hallie Ephron

From the New York Times bestselling author of There Was an Old Woman comes a novel about a professional organizer with a deadly problem she may not be able to clean up. Emily Harlow is a professional organizer who helps people declutter their lives; she’s married to man who can’t drive past a yard sale without stopping. He’s filled their basement, attic, and garage with his finds. Like other professionals who make a living decluttering peoples’ lives, Emily has devised a set of ironclad rules. When working with couples, she makes clear that the client is only allowed to declutter his or her own stuff. That stipulation has kept Emily’s own marriage together these past few years. She’d love nothing better than to toss out all her husband’s crap. He says he’s a collector. Emily knows better—he’s a hoarder. The larger his “collection” becomes, the deeper the distance grows between Emily and the man she married. Luckily, Emily’s got two new clients to distract herself: an elderly widow whose husband left behind a storage unit she didn’t know existed, and a young wife whose husband won’t allow her stuff into their house. Emily’s initial meeting with the young wife takes a detour when, after too much wine, the women end up fantasizing about how much more pleasant life would be without their collecting spouses. But the next day Emily finds herself in a mess that might be too big for her to clean up. Careful what you wish for, the old adage says . . . now Emily might lose her freedom, her marriage . . . and possibly her life.

A Novel

Careful What You Wish For

Serves up a literary feast, sure to satisfy your emotional appetite. This is your must-have guide to hours and hours of reading pleasure, no matter what your mood!

A Bibliophile's Guide to Unwinding, Misbehaving, Forgiving, Celebrating, Commiserating

1001 Books for Every Mood

FINALIST FOR THE 2018 MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD An addictive novel of psychological suspense from the award-winning author of Night Night, Sleep Tight, about three generations of women haunted by a little girl’s disappearance, and the porcelain doll that may hold the key to the truth . . . Seven-year-old Lissie Woodham and her four-year-old sister Janey were playing with their porcelain dolls in the front yard when an adorable puppy scampered by. Eager to pet the pretty dog, Lissie chased after the pup as it ran down the street. When she returned to the yard, Janey’s precious doll was gone . . . and so was Janey. Forty years after Janey went missing, Lis—now a mother with a college-age daughter of her own—still blames herself for what happened. Every year on the anniversary of her sister’s disappearance, their mother, Miss Sorrel, places a classified ad in the local paper with a picture of the toy Janey had with her that day—a one-of-a-kind porcelain doll—offering a generous cash reward for its return. For years, there’s been no response. But this year, the doll came home. It is the first clue in a decades-old mystery that is about to turn into something far more sinister—endangering Lis and the lives of her mother and daughter as well. Someone knows the truth about what happened all those years ago, and is desperate to keep it hidden.

A Novel of Suspense

You'll Never Know, Dear

Solve the MYSTERY of how to write and sell a KILLER story! &break;&break;With the help of interactive exercises, mystery author and crime fiction critic Hallie Ephron gives you the momentum you need to turn a kernel of an idea into an intriguing mystery novel. You'll learn to capitalize on your writing strengths and shore up your weaknesses. &break;&break;This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of mystery writing, including: &break;&break; planning, twisting the plot, and constructing a credible surprise ending&break; creating a compelling sleuth and a worthy villain&break; deceiving and revealing with red herrings and clues&break; writing investigation, spine-tingling suspense, and dramatic action&break; revising - from sharpening characters, to optimizing pace, to smithing words&break; engaging the reader &break;&break;By the time you finish reading part one of this book, you will have a blueprint for your entire story. Parts two and there take your blueprint from idea to well-polished novel. Part four is an insider's guide to getting it into an agent's or publisher's hands.

Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel

There Was An Old Woman by Hallie Ephron is a compelling novel of psychological suspense in which a young woman becomes entangled in a terrifying web of deception and madness involving an elderly neighbor. When Evie Ferrante learns that her mother has been hospitalized, she finds her mother’s house in chaos. Sorting through her mother’s belongings, Evie discovers objects that don’t quite belong there, and begins to raise questions. Evie renews a friendship with Mina, an elderly neighbor who might know more about her mother’s recent activities, but Mina is having her own set of problems: Her nephew Brian is trying to persuade her to move to a senior care community. As Evie investigates her mother’s actions, a darker story of deception and madness involving Mina emerges. In There Was an Old Woman, award-winning mystery author Hallie Ephron delivers another work of domestic noir with truly unforgettable characters that will keep you riveted.

There Was an Old Woman

“[A] richly atmospheric tale. You can imagine Hitchcock curling up with this one.” —USA Today Author Hallie Ephron’s fast paced and disturbingly creepy Never Tell a Lie is a page-turning thrill ride that maestro Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud to call his own. A descent into gripping suburban terror, this stunner by the Ellen Nehr Award-winning mystery reviewer for the Boston Globe has been called “a snaky, unsettling tale of psychological suspense” by the Seattle Times. Fans of Mary Higgins Clark, Harlan Coben, and classic gothic mystery will adore this supremely suspenseful and consistently surprising story of a yard sale gone terribly wrong.

Never Tell a Lie

a novel of suspense

There was an old woman

What better way to start a day than with inspiration from a literary classic? Now you can do just that. In this book, praised author and critic Hallie Ephron delivers a daily dose of literary knowledge. A brilliant companion to the canon of great literature, it's perfect for anyone who wants a novel way to energize each day. Ephron's work is a secular twist on the traditional devotional and provides concise plot summaries, sketches of standout characters, quotations you should know, and more about hundreds of books by tried-and-true authors as well as new literary voices. Whether it's coffee with Austen, a quick lunch with Faulkner, or an end-of-the-day jolt with Chabon, this book proves a good book is a great source of daily inspiration.

365 Days of Literary Classics

The Bibliophile's Devotional

From the award-winning author of There Was an Old Woman comes a mystery tinged with Hollywood glamour, set in a town where fame and infamy are often interchangeable Los Angeles, 1985. When Deirdre Unger makes the drive from San Diego to Beverly Hills to help her father put his dilapidated house on the market, she's expecting to deal with his usual kvetching and dark moods. But she gets a lot more than she expected. . . . In a cruel Sunset Boulevard–in a twist, Deirdre arrives home to find her father facedown in his too-small swimming pool—dead. At first, Deirdre assumes her father's death was a tragic accident. But the longer she stays in town, the more Deirdre begins to suspect that everything isn't as open-and-closed as she first presumed. The sudden resurfacing of Deirdre's childhood BFF Joelen Nichol—daughter of the famous and infamous Elenor "Bunny" Nichol—seems like more than a coincidence. Back in 1963, Joelen confessed to killing her movie-star mother's boyfriend. Deirdre was at the Nichols' house the night of the murder, which was also the night she suffered her own personal tragedy. Could all these events be connected? As Deirdre digs deeper into the past, she becomes increasingly convinced that her father's death is merely the deadly third act in a story that has long been in development. And if she isn't careful, she might be its final victim.

Night Night, Sleep Tight

Guides readers in writing and publishing a book, including creating authentic characters, editing, and finding an agent.

All the Tools You Need to Write and Sell Your First Novel

The Everything Guide to Writing Your First Novel

Duane Foley thought shooting movie star Bunny Nichol's glamorous Hollywood party was going to be just another job. All the A-listers will be there, of course: Rock Hudson and Doris Day, not to mention Bunny herself and her current Argentine playboy, Tito Acevedo. And Duane's being paid up front, not working on spec like he usually does. (He's still smarting over having gotten that shot of Jack Kennedy and Marilyn all lovey-dovey over dinner, only to have a pair of goons tackle him in the parking lot and smash his camera.) Bunny's party is about what Duane expects—too many beautiful people, too much alcohol, Bunny's 15-year-old daughter looking too grown up—but what he doesn't expect is the shot he gets at the end of the night: a dead body. Nor does he expect to be left with an unsettling question: Is getting the shot his lucky break, or is he being played?

A Short Tale of Suspense

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A Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award Finalist for Best Critical/Biographical Work Discover the secrets to crafting an unforgettable mystery! To piece together the puzzle of your mystery novel, you need patience, resilience, a solid understanding of the craft, and a clear blueprint for combining the plot, characters, setting, and more. And while patience and resilience must come from you, the essentials of craft and the plan to execute them are right at your fingertips with Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel. This completely revised and updated edition features solid strategies for drafting, revising, and selling an intriguing novel that grips your readers and refuses to let them go. New York Times best-selling author Hallie Ephron shows you how to: • Create a compelling sleuth and a worthy villain • Construct a plot rich in twists, red herrings, and misdirection • Bring the story to a satisfying conclusion • Sharpen characters and optimize pace during revision • Seek publication through both traditional and indie paths Filled with helpful worksheets and exercises for every step of the process, Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel Revised and Expanded reveals the keys to writing a memorable story that will have fans of mystery, suspense, and crime clamoring for more.

The Complete Guide to Mystery, Suspense, and Crime

Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel Revised and Expanded Edition

“It takes a lot of chutzpah for a book reviewer to write books of her own….But Hallie Ephron…can hold her head high: She does it, and very well, too.” —Seattle Times A recluse who works and lives online must brave the “real world” when her sister goes missing in Come and Find Me—a gripping and ingenious novel of mystery and psychological suspense from Hallie Ephron, author of Never Tell a Lie. Writing about her sensational debut, USA Today noted, “You can imagine Hitchcock curling up with this one.” Aficionados of Rear Window, Vertigo, and North by Northwest—as well as the many fans of Harlan Coben and Mary Higgins Clark—will get a similar charge from Come and Find Me.

Come and Find Me

Solve the MYSTERY of how to write and sell a KILLER story! With the help of interactive exercises, mystery author and crime fiction critic Hallie Ephron gives you the momentum you need to turn a kernel of an idea into an intriguing mystery novel. You'll learn to capitalize on your writing strengths and shore up your weaknesses. This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of mystery writing, including: • planning, twisting the plot, and constructing a credible surprise ending • creating a compelling sleuth and a worthy villain • deceiving and revealing with red herrings and clues • writing investigation, spine-tingling suspense, and dramatic action • revising - from sharpening characters, to optimizing pace, to smithing words • engaging the reader By the time you finish reading part one of this book, you will have a blueprint for your entire story. Parts two and there take your blueprint from idea to well-polished novel. Part four is an insider's guide to getting it into an agent's or publisher's hands."

Was du fürchten sollst Seit ihr Mann Daniel bei einem Bergunglück ums Leben kam, leidet Diana Highsmith unter Panikattacken. Mit ihrem Geschäftspartner Jack führt sie zwar ein sehr erfolgreiches Computerunternehmen, doch ihr Haus verlässt sie nie. Dianas einziger Kontakt zur Außenwelt ist ihre quirlige Schwester Ashley. Als diese plötzlich spurlos verschwindet, bleibt Diana keine Wahl: Sie muss ihre Angst überwinden und sich auf die Suche begeben. Doch ahnt sie nicht, was außerhalb ihrer schützenden vier Wände wirklich auf sie wartet ...

Hallie Ephron

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