WHAT IF YOU, AS A GHOST, HAD TO SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER?From internationally acclaimed and New York Times best-selling author Raymond Benson comes a novel that is a ghost story with a distinctive noir sensibility mixed with David Lynchian surrealism.The year is 1985. Manhattan's Times Square area is sleazy, and the streets are full of what Coleman Sackler calls "New York Street Skunk." Cole is the night manager and self-proclaimed hotel detective for the transient Hotel Destiny, which has been plagued with scandals over the century, including several murders, gangster occupation and ownership, and fleabag status during the 1960s and 70s. Five recent slayings in the building have been attributed to—the police believe—one killer.During the gala grand re-opening Halloween party, Cole Sackler himself is murdered by a masked man. But hold on! Cole "awakes" and is still in the hotel—as a ghost. Prior to his death, a mysterious woman had told him...

New digital edition of the classic 007 reference book from the 1980s, complete with a new Foreword by the author.

A free short story "teaser" to Raymond Benson's upcoming thriller THE BLACK STILETTO (September 2011) from Oceanview Publishing. In 1958, the legendary vigilante crimefighter, the Black Stiletto, made an unnannounced appearance in a bar in New York City--and Joey, one lucky patron, obtained her autograph. But what else happened that fateful night, and how did it change Joey's life?A free short story "teaser" to Raymond Benson's upcoming thriller THE BLACK STILETTO (September 2011) from Oceanview Publishing. "Benson has created one of the most original heroines I've read in a long time" -- Sandra Brown, author of LETHALIn 1958, the Black Stiletto, the legendary vigilante crimefighter, made an unnannounced appearance in a bar in New York City--and Joey, one lucky patron, obtained her autograph. But what else happened that fateful night, and how did it change Joey's life?The Black Stiletto was a legend in her own time, an underground heroine who made a name for herself during the late Eisenhower years and early Kennedy years as a New York City vigilante. Although she was wanted by the law and would have been arrested had she been caught or had her secret identity been revealed, the Black Stiletto was a competent and successful crime-fighter. A feminist before the term was in everyday vernacular, she battled common crooks, Communist spies, the mafia, and worse—and was responsible for their capture and, in some cases, their deaths. But the Stiletto disappeared midway through the sixties and was never heard from again. Most people thought she had died, and no one ever knew her identity. Like pinup queen Bettie Page, her mythical image resurfaced in comics and other media during the 1980s and 90s. Millions of dollars were made by others exploiting her likeness and persona. Today, the questions remain. Who was she? Is she still alive? If so, where is she now? Raymond Benson is the author of 25 published books, including nine James Bond novels written between 1996-2002. THE BLACK STILETTO is the first of a new thrilling series.

From Raymond Benson, author of the acclaimed James Bond continuation novels between 1996-2002 and other works of suspense, comes a new and edgy noir thriller.Imagine a world where you don't recognize the human face. That's Hannah's condition—"prosopagnosia," or "face blindness"—when the brain center that recognizes faces is inoperable. The onset of the condition occurred when she was attacked by an unknown assailant in the inner lobby of her New York City apartment building. And now she thinks he's back, and not just in her dreams.When she also attracts the attention of a psychopathic predator and becomes the unwitting target of a Mafia drug ring, the scene is set for a thrill ride of mistaken identity, cat-and-mouse pursuit, and murder.FACE BLIND is a twisting, turning tale of suspense in which every character has a dark side. The novel will keep the reader surprised and intrigued until the final violent catharsis.

From the New York Times bestselling and internationally acclaimed author comes a Hollywood crime drama set in the 1940s and present day that tackles racism, sexism, and murder. Karissa Glover is a movie producer who moves into a decrepit but functional old mansion in the West Adams Heights area of Los Angeles, where black celebrities of yesteryear—Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers, and others—once resided. The former owner was a white actress, Blair Kendrick, who often starred as the "bad girl"—a femme fatale—in films noir of the 1940s. However, Blair's career was cut short when she was tragically killed by the mob after allegedly witnessing the slaying of a corrupt studio head in 1949. As Karissa and her producing partner decide to develop a modern film noir about Blair Kendrick, malevolent forces from the past attempt to stop them—first with intimidation, and then with the thread of murder. Is...

THE OFFICIAL, ALL-ORIGINAL, ALL-OUT THRILLING PREQUEL TO THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED NEW GAME HITMAN: ABSOLUTION Since the devastating conclusion of Hitman: Blood Money, Agent 47 has been MIA. Now fans awaiting the return of the blockbuster videogame and film phenomenon can pinpoint the location of the world's most brutal and effective killer-for-hire before he reemerges in Hitman: Absolution. When the Agency lures him back with a mission that will require every last ounce of his stealth, strength, and undercover tactics, they grossly underestimate the silent assassin's own agenda. Because this time, Agent 47 isn't just going to bite the hand that feeds him. He's going tear it off and annihilate anyone who stands in his way.From the Paperback edition.

From internationally acclaimed and best-selling author RAYMOND BENSON comes a wry and darkly comedic work in which a quaint suburb of Chicago finds itself rocked by more than just the uncertainties of 2020. Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and the twisted prose of Tom Perrotta.For Scott Hatcher, a former television writer turned struggling novelist with a failing marriage to boot, social-distancing and mask-wearing feel like fitting additions to his already surreal life. When his wife Marie and neighbor John Bergman disappear in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Scott is naturally mystified and disturbed, but he is also about to learn that his picturesque neighborhood hides more than just the mundane routines of suburban life.When a fire claims the empty house for sale next door, the entire community is shocked when the charred remains of Marie and John are found inside. Stranger still, stockpiles of valuable Personal Protection Equipment, clearly stolen, were...

FROM THE ESSENTIAL RAYMOND BENSON COLLECTIONWINNER OF THE 2006 "BEST THRILLER" AWARD (THE LOVEY) AT THE LOVE IS MURDER CONFERENCE FOR AUTHORS AND READERS!From the internationally-acclaimed former author of continuation James Bond novels and other works of suspense comes a new and exciting thriller.Diane Boston lives with her Marfan syndrome-afflicted 13-year-old son in a suburb of Chicago and teaches social studies at the high school, with the students even voting her Teacher of the Year. But she has some dark secrets. Her ex-husband Greg always suspected that Diane kept things from him, but he has no idea just how right he is. When Diane's son, David, finds a box of unmarked videotapes and watches one of them out of curiosity, he discovers that it's a hardcore adult movie from the late 1970s. The star, Lucy Luv, was an actress that mysteriously disappeared in 1980. Some suspected she'd been murdered. David recognizes the actress as his mother. Then, somehow, the news of Diane's involvement in the adult film business hits the streets and causes chaos at her school and at home. It also attracts the attention of the West Coast porn czar who has ties with organized crime. Apparently when Lucy Luv disappeared, she took a cache of stolen diamonds with her. This is the catalyst for a non-stop roller-coaster ride of suspense and mystery that involves the dark side of the adult film industry, the mob, kidnapping, and murder.PRAISE FOR SWEETIE'S DIAMONDS:"A pulse-pounding edge-of-your-seat thriller with more twists and turns than a roller coaster." - Parnell Hall, author of Stalking the Puzzle LadyWINNER OF THE 2006 "BEST THRILLER" AWARD (THE LOVEY) AT THE LOVE IS MURDER CONFERENCE FOR AUTHORS AND READERS!"Plays out like a Hitchcock film. These Diamonds are priceless!"--J. A. Konrath, author of BLOODY MARY"Benson… proves here that he is equally adept at more realistic thrillers. This ever-more-intricate story (which involves a two-decade-old murder and several buried secrets) may remind some readers of the novels of James Grippando… The relationship between David and his mother, Diane (aka Lucy Luv), is key to the drama, and Benson layers enough twists and turns to keep mother and son, not to mention the reader, searching desperately for the truth." – Booklist"Sweetie's Diamonds is a gem!"--Chicago Sun-Times"A gem of a thriller one would have expected to come from the pen of someone like James Patterson."--The Strand MagazineBIO: Raymond Benson is the highly acclaimed author of twenty-five books, including six original James Bond 007 novels, three film novelizations, three short stories, and two anthologies on Bond. He is a sought-after lecturer on film genres and history. Writing as David Michaels, Benson is a New York Times best-selling author, an Edgar Alan Poe Award nominee, and a Readers' Choice Award winner.From BooklistWhen a teenage boy discovers that his mother once starred in pornographic films, he is, predictably, shocked. This is a side of his mom he'd never suspected, but the truth is far more complicated than even young David can possibly imagine. Benson, best known for his popular James Bond novels, proves here that he is equally adept at more realistic thrillers. This ever-more-intricate story (which involves a two-decade-old murder and several buried secrets) may remind some readers of the novels of James Grippando, who tends to structure his high-octane thrillers on families with closets full of secrets. The relationship between David and his mother, Diane (aka Lucy Luv), is key to the drama, and Benson layers on enough twists and turns to keep mother and son, not to mention the reader, searching desperately for the truth. David PittCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedReview"A pulse-pounding edge-of-your-seat thriller with more twists and turns than a roller coaster."- Parnell Hall, author of Stalking the Puzzle Lady

It is 1961 in the fourth book of the "Black Stiletto" series. Judy, the Stiletto, meets Leo, a charismatic man who convinces her to move to Los Angeles when she is "run out" of New York by increasingly hazardous police heat. But soon Judy suspects that Leo is not the white knight she first thought. Leo, who has connections with the West Coast mobs, has plenty of skeletons in his closet. His mysterious sister, Christina, who once served time for armed robbery, could also be a threat to the Stiletto's new life in California. Meanwhile, in the present, Alzheimer's-stricken Judy takes a turn for the worse as Martin comes to grips with the imminent end of his mother's life. And when elements from the Stiletto's past once again appear to threaten Martin's family, it is up to his daughter Gina to step up and take matters into her own hands. In a novel bristling with mysteries, secrets, and lies, the Black Stiletto saga takes a dark left turn into even more treacherous territory.

It's at a dinner party with his old friend the former Governor of the Bahamas that James Bond first encounters the deadly new criminal organization known simply as ‘The Union.’ An international group, they specialize in military espionage, theft, intimidation, and murder. When information vital to Britain's national security is stolen, M and 007 suspect that the Union is behind it. Bond's pursuit of the crucial microdot takes him from one of England's most exclusive golf clubs to the frozen heights of one of the world's tallest mountains. His every step is dogged by Union assassins. Their presence alone confirms Bond's worst fear--there is a traitor in Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Could Martin Talbot's elderly, Alzheimer-stricken mother, Judy, really have been the Black Stiletto? When Martin discovers several volumes of her diaries hidden by his mother, he is stunned beyond all imagination. His mother, the underground heroine of yesteryear? The famed, still unidentified woman who battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and preyed on common crooks? The woman who exacted punishment on evildoers without mercy?But it is all described, in great detail, in the diaries. What caused her to begin her quest for justice. Her decision to act outside the law. Her feats as the famed and feared vigilante. How her reputation exploded. In short, how it all played out. Could it be true? Talbot is filled with doubt and disbelief. But the reappearance of one of the Stiletto's old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge makes the story more than real and could imperil the life of not only the Stiletto, but her son and granddaughter as well.

In a plot for revenge, an intricately organized crime group makes James Bond, 007, believe he is going mad. The only way Bond can regain his sanity is to embark on a personal mission that will lead him to the ultimate face-to-face confrontation--with himself.