Spotlight of Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox

PHOTO CREDIT:

TYPORAMA
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PRETTY DEAD THINGS

KELSEY COX

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER’S WEBSITE AND THE AUTHOR’S GOODREADS PAGE.

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Secrets emerge as a Texas beauty pageant turns deadly in this rich and addictive novel with a jaw-dropping twist from psychological suspense author Kelsey Cox

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July 7, 2026

Minotaur

St. Martin's Press

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PRAISE FOR PRETTY DEAD THINGS:

"Riveting." —People

"Heart-pumping." —Nina Simon

"Jaw-dropping." —Amanda Eyre Ward

"Joins my auto-buy list forever." —Rachel Hawkins

"Cox’s second suspenseful outing serves the exact amount of treachery you’d expect, with lots of figurative backstabbing and a few literal deaths. The diverting characters parade their messes across the page for the reader’s judging, and there’s no shortage of options for who’ll be crowned killer in the end." —Booklist

"Cox builds to satisfying reveals and delivers well-honed critiques of pageant culture. Fans of suburban suspense will enjoy themselves." —Publishers Weekly

"As twisted as a Texas rattler, Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox will leave you breathless! I couldn’t put it down!" —Lisa Jackson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Tense, twisty, and impossible to put down, Pretty Dead Things builds from simmering small-town secrets to a high-stakes locked-room nightmare. As rising tensions collide on the night of a glittering pageant, no one is safe and nothing is what it seems. Gripping, propulsive, and full of surprises—a dazzling, unforgettable thriller.” —Tiffany Crum, New York Times bestselling author of This Story Might Save Your Life

"A juicy, addictive thriller packed with complicated women and a past that refuses to stay buried. Pretty Dead Things will keep you guessing until its jaw-dropping end." —Daphne Woolsoncroft, author of Night Watcher

"I couldn't put this book down! Set in the world of glittering Texas beauty pageants, PRETTY DEAD THINGS is compelling and layered, rife with rich characters, juicy twists, and secrets upon secrets. Cox expertly ratchets up the suspense with every page, building to a finish I never saw coming!" —Sophie Stava, author of Count My Lies

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ABOUT PRETTY DEAD THINGS:

2000: Isabelle Whitmore vanishes at Sherman Ranch in Anhalt, Texas, without a trace.

2025: The Lone Star Princess Pageant is about to begin, but this year it’s offering more than an annual dose of rhinestone heels and plunging necklines. Competition is stiffer than ever —and long standing grudges are about to resurface. Ingrid fled Anhalt in the wake of her sister Isabelle’s disappearance and has now returned, just in time for a construction crew to start digging up Sherman Ranch; the pageant brings up past traumas that Melanie can't forget; Cat, newly sober, starts to feel threatened in ways that bring back old demons; and Sarah Lynn, who comes from a long line of pageant winners, knows that losing is not an option.

When old resentments and new confrontations reach their boiling point, temperatures drop to deadly degrees as a record-setting storm brings down the state’s power grid. With everyone trapped under one roof, scores will be settled, and more than one person will end up dead.

Beauty dies. Secrets never do.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo Credit: Nick Pitarra

Kelsey Cox (she/her) received her MFA in fiction from Purdue University and works from home in the Texas Hill Country.

You can often find her writing at Mammen Family Public Library, chasing around her two young daughters, or watching British mysteries with her mom and aunts. 

On nights when bedtime goes as planned, she enjoys curling up on the sofa, glass of wine in hand, and a book with complicated characters and a killer twist in her lap.

Party of Liars is her debut novel.

**AUTHOR PHOTO AND

BIO TAKEN FROM 

THE PUBLISHER’S WEBSITE**

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SOCIAL LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Website

Facebook

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Spotlight of Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson

  

PHOTO CREDIT:

TYPORAMA
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MOST ARDENTLY YOURS

FREYA SAMPSON

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER’S WEBSITE AND THE AUTHOR’S GOODREADS PAGE.

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From USA Today Bestselling author Freya Sampson comes a swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romance inspired by Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudicethat begs the question: what if your book boyfriend jumped from the pages of their story and into your life?

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July 7

Sourcebooks

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PRAISE FOR MOST ARDENTLY YOURS:

"Most Ardently Yours is the kind of novel that feels like stepping into your favorite bookstore on a rainy afternoon and forgetting the rest of the world exists. Utterly charming, deliciously bookish, and threaded with a touch of magic, Freya Sampson delivers a premise so irresistibly fun it made me grin from the very first page. With sparkling wit and a swoon-worthy appearance from Austen's most beloved hero, this story is a heartfelt, romantic treat for anyone who loves books, bookstores, and the quiet wonder of getting lost in a story that feels like it was written just for you." — Ali Brady, USA Today Bestselling Author of Battle of the Bookstores

"Heartfelt, inventive, and hilarious, Most Ardently Yours is a sparkling celebration of the books and characters that shape us. It's a powerful reminder that finding our 'happy-ever-after' is ultimately up to us—as long as we have the courage to face our fears and pursue it. This is the perfect bookish read for Austen fans and book lovers!" — Shauna Robinson, author of Lauryn Harper Falls Apart

"Charming, witty, an absolutely delight - the perfect read for Austen fans and anyone who's daydreamed about a book boyfriend." — Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestseller author of Is She Really Going Out With Him?

"Delivered with Freya Sampson's singular wit and humor, Most Ardently Yours feels like the love child of two of my all-time favorites: Kate & Leopold and Pride and Prejudice. A romance novel for romance-lovers, this story is smartly self-aware and absolutely frothing over with what we treasure most about this genre. This was the most fun I've had with a book in quite some time. An absolute delight. I loved it—most ardently." — Ellen O'Clover, author of The Heartbreak Hotel

"Most Ardently Yours is the epitome of the Mr. Darcy hand flex and I devoured every page. Cozy, brilliant, and deeply romantic, this is every bookworm's dream!" — Amy Lea, international bestselling author

"A lively and unputdownable story that's up to its breeches in charm, Most Ardently Yours has all the best elements of a fantastic read: Romance, humor, and Mr. Darcy. Freya Sampson's writing is the perfect balance of wit and heart, leaving us laughing as much as we swoon. Readers who've always wondered what it would be like to date your favorite book boyfriend—this one's for you. You're going to love it." — London Sperry, author of Passion Project

"Most Ardently Yours is like a magical cross between Kate & Leopold and Notting Hill and I loved it so much! This book feels like a nineties romcom, in the very best way, and I am genuinely sad it's over. 10/10 would recommend!" — Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movie

"Watch out, Bridget Jones! I have a new favorite modern-day Pride and Prejudice. Sampson's Most Ardently Yours is a fantastically imaginative homage to the power of romance novels, indie bookstores, and, of course, the lifelong pursuit of Happily Ever After. I loved every minute." — Lucy Gilmore, author of The Lonely Hearts Book Club

"I love everything Freya Sampson writes, and Most Ardently Yours is no exception. It's such a sparkly, cozy, wonderfully fun book, and at the same time it connects with the reader on a genuine emotional level. Fans of Pride and Prejudice will adore it, but I just know everyone else will too. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments, so many gasp-worthy twists and heart-lifting scenes. And the romance is truly scrumptious. Freya Sampson has proven yet again that she is an absolute master storyteller and one of my forever favorites. " — USA Today bestseller India Holton

"Freya Sampson brings her trademark charm and wit to the romance genre and we are all so much richer for it. Inhabitants of romancelandia will find themselves smiling throughout as Sampson brings Fitzwilliam Darcy to life. Literally. Sweet, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny, this book is a love letter to the romance genre and deserves a keeper place on the shelf." — Elizabeth Everett, USA TodayBestselling author of Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel

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ABOUT MOST ARDENTLY YOURS:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend."

Zoe Knight, a struggling romance writer, has sworn off men for good. At least…the ones in real life. Once a believer in a happily ever after, she now curbs her loneliness with the help of the best book boyfriends in literature – and there is no better man than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. So when she stumbles into a classic London bookshop and argues with the annoyingly attractive store owner, Nick, who refuses to sell romance novels, she decides to liberate him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice abandoned on a top shelf.

But this is no ordinary book.

After reading from the pages, Zoe finds herself in a remarkable situation: she has accidentally summoned the Mr. Darcy to the real world. Now, she's face-to-face with the man she's loved forever, and he's everything she dreamed he would be. Handsome? Check. Brooding? Check. Talks like he swallowed a thesaurus? Check and check. But even in all his regency perfection, can he ever be as good as in the novel? And if he's here, in her London apartment trying to figure out how to work a shower , what will happen to the literary world he came from? With Nick—the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to work with—urging her to send the fictional Darcy back to his own story, Zoe will have to decide what she really wants from a happy ending, before it's too late.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

FREYA SAMPSON is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library, The Lost Ticket, Nosy Neighbors and The Busybody Book Club. Before writing full-time, Freya worked in television as an executive producer, making programs about everything from the British Royal Family to neighbors from hell. She lives in London with her husband, children and cats.

**AUTHOR PHOTO

TAKEN FROM HER GOODREADS PAGE

AUTHOR’S BIO TAKEN FROM 

THE PUBLISHER’S WEBSITE**

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SOCIAL LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Website

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Showcase of The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky and a Giveaway of ONE (1) US Winner of a $25 Amazon.com Gift Card

THE VANISHERS

by R. G. Belsky

June 15 - July 10, 2026

Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Megan Foley knows she saw the little boy. So why does everyone at the perfect seaside house insist he never existed? The house was perfect. That was its first lie.

When Megan and her husband Patrick accept an invitation to spend the summer at a luxurious house share in Stone Beach, Connecticut, everything seems too good to be true. The rent is absurdly low. The host, Mrs. Monahan, is attentive to the point of unease. The other guests are pleasant — until they aren't.

One day, Megan sees a boy, Tommy, playing… and the next, Tommy is simply gone. Not moved. Not spoken of. Erased, as though he never existed. All the other guests at the house look at Megan blankly when she asks.

One by one, the guests succumb to long hours in front of the television in a glassy trance. Patrick grows cold and distant. Something stirs in the attic.

Megan alone seems immune — but for how long? As she begins to doubt herself and the house tightens its hold, she must confront the terrifying truth about Mrs. Monahan, the attic room, and the price of a perfect summer.

A chilling gothic thriller for fans of atmospheric domestic horror — available in Kindle Unlimited.

Book Details:

Genre: Paranormal Gothic Thriller
Published by: dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS
Publication Date: May 7, 2026
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 978-1918343335
Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads | dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS

Read an excerpt from The Vanishers:

PROLOGUE

Hudson Lake, Michigan

I know everyone in this diner is looking at me like I’m strange.

Well, I’m sure used to that by now. It wasn’t always that way, of course. I mean I’m blonde-haired, just turned 30 and once – a million years or so ago before the terrible times happened – people said I was pretty. But now I realize that I look old beyond my years. I’ve lost a lot of weight, my face is pale and gaunt and I’m trembling noticeably right now even though it is the first real warm day of spring.

I make my way unsteadily over to a stool at the diner’s counter and sit there quietly, without talking, even when a guy comes over and asks for my order.

“What’ll it be, ma’am?” he smiles.

I stare at him with a confused look on my face. Nothing people say these days - even simple questions like that - seem to make sense to me anymore.

“Ma’am,” he repeats.

“Pardon?”

“My name is Danny. Danny Heller. I own this place. What do you want?”

I think about if for a second, then say: “Do you think I could have some tea?”

“Tea, sure.”

He walks over to the kitchen area, pours a cup and brings it back to me.

“How about something to eat?” he asks. “A sandwich. Some soup. Maybe a nice piece of pie. We got some nice pies today. Apple. Cherry. Lemon meringue.”

“Lemon meringue?”

“Sure. Want a piece?”

I nod. “Yes, that would be nice.”

Danny Heller cuts an extra large slice of the pie, places it onto a plate and carries it back to where I am sitting. I begin eating. Silently and without any emotion. Just like I do everything else now.

“Are you from around here?” he asks.

“No, not from around here.”

What’s your name?

“Uh, I’m Megan…

“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Megan. Are you just visiting around these parts?”

“I’m…,” I hesitate, because it’s painful to say the words., “I’m…looking for a vacation house.”

“Hey we’ve got some good ones. The lake this time of year is one of the prettiest spots in all of Michigan. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Have you looked at many houses?”

“Not here. Other places.”

“You’ve been traveling then?”

“Yes, I’ve been traveling quite a bit.”

The truth is I have been traveling for nearly a year. I started back east, moving from resort town to resort town along the New England coast. When fall came, I started moving down along the coast toward the winter resorts. Miami Beach. The Gold Coast. The Gulf Shore. Then, with the advent of spring, I had come north and inland to look at lake areas. Ohio. Minnesota. And now Michigan.

In all the places, I’ve done the same thing. Gone through ads for house rentals. Checked with real estate brokers. Driven aimlessly around shore areas looking.

Always looking.

Looking for the house.

The house I can never forget.

The house of my nightmares.

“We have some local house listings on that bulletin board over there,” Danny Heller says, pointing to a wall at the end of the counter. “People with a place to rent put stuff up there. Maybe you’ll find something you want.”

I get up from my stool and walk over to the bulletin board.

Looking through the ads posted on the bulletin board without really expecting to find anything.

But then I see it.

And I scream!

I scream so loudly that everyone in the diner stops eating and looks at me.

It’s a scream that keeps gathering momentum as it goes on like a runaway train, terrifying everyone there.

“What’s wrong?” Danny says, rushing over to where I’m standing by the bulletin board.

I point to a picture of a house in one of the ads.

“It’s here,” I whisper.

“What?”

“The house.”

And it is.

The house I’ve been looking for.

The house from Pleasant Street.

“I don’t understand,” Danny is saying.

“It’s the house,” I sob. “Oh, my God, it really is the same house…”

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Excerpt from The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky. Copyright 2026 by R. G. Belsky. Reproduced with permission from R. G. Belsky. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, THE VANISHERS, was published by dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS. Belsky has published 26 novels. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.

Catch Up With R. G. Belsky:

www.RGBelsky.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @dickb79983
Instagram - @dickbelsky
Threads - @dickbelsky
X - @DickBel
Facebook - @RGBelsky

 

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