Jess Lourey

Twenty-five years ago, a brutal unsolved crime shattered the quiet town of Alku, Minnesota. Now, the nightmare is starting all over again. When a fresh homicide connects directly to that decades-old cold case, you are pulled into a chilling investigation alongside forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and rogue agent Van Reed. But Harry has a dark connection to this freezing northland: it is the same place his own sister was abducted years ago. As you follow their desperate search for answers, the stakes turn impossibly high. The children of Alku are vanishing one by one, and a terrifying sensation settles over the investigators. Someone is watching their every move. The trail of the elusive killer twists toward a truth far more sinister than anyone could have guessed. To stop the disappearances and crack the case, Harry must finally confront the traumatic secrets of his own past, even if it costs him everything. Step into a heart-stopping psychological thriller filled with dark secrets and relentless suspense.

In the summer of 1980, three girls walk into a dark Minnesota forest where local legends say a monster called the Bendy Man hides. Only one girl walks out. She is completely silent, her memory wiped clean, and her friends are gone without a trace. The terrifying mystery of the Taken Ones captivates everyone, then goes completely cold. Decades later, a shocking new crime brings the nightmare back to life. A woman is found buried alive, clutching a unique heart necklace that belonged to one of the missing girls. Cold case detective Van Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck must team up to stop a ruthless killer from striking again. Van relies on her sharp instincts, while Harry trusts only hard evidence. But both investigators are hiding dangerous secrets. They each have deep, personal ties to the original disappearances that they refuse to share. As they dig deeper into the chilling connection between the past and present, Van is forced to confront her own deeply buried childhood trauma. You will be kept guessing as Van and Harry race against time, risking everything to uncover a truth so twisted it might destroy them both.

It is the summer of 1984, and fourteen-year-old Frankie Jubilee has just been sent to live with her estranged mother in the rural town of Litani, Minnesota. From the moment she arrives, Frankie knows something is deeply wrong. The tight-knit locals are secretive, her mother is distant, and there are strict warnings to stay out of the dense woods surrounding their home. But the most unsettling part of Litani is the whispers about a mysterious activity known only as The Game. When a group of intimidating local girls invites Frankie to participate, her curiosity gets the better of her. She wants to uncover the truth behind the town's strange behavior, but stepping into The Game reveals a reality far darker than she ever imagined. As paranoia sweeps through the small community and horrifying secrets are dragged into the light, Frankie must navigate a treacherous landscape of lies. She begins to realize that the monsters in Litani do not just hide in the shadows; they walk in the bright light of day. Inspired by true events, this gripping story plunges you into a chilling mystery where trust is a dangerous weakness.

Salem Wiley is a brilliant cryptanalyst who has been courted by the world's top security agencies since making a massive breakthrough in quantum computing. But she is also agoraphobic, confined to a strict routine by her intense fear of public spaces. Her carefully controlled life shatters when her mother disappears, a terrifying event directly linked to a dangerous plot to assassinate the country's first viable female presidential candidate. Suddenly, Salem is forced out of her safe zone, becoming both a target and a detective in a high-stakes, modern-day witch hunt. As you follow her desperate search, you will be drawn into a complex labyrinth of clues, including messages encrypted by Emily Dickinson and centuries-old secrets hidden inside the infamous Beale Cipher. To save her mother and stop a ruthless ancient organization hell-bent on world domination, Salem must decipher the ultimate truth. It becomes a thrilling race against time, proving that even when you are terrified of the outside world, you might be the only one who can save it.

Growing up in 1980s Minnesota, Cassie McDowell thinks her life on a rural farm is perfectly normal. She enjoys school, has a crush on a nice classmate, and does her best to ignore her parents' strange, unsettling parties. But the illusion of safety in her quiet town of Lilydale shatters when local boys begin to vanish one by one. When the missing boys finally return, they are entirely changed. Once friendly neighbors are now violent, withdrawn, and brooding. As shocking rumors spread through the community and wild accusations fly, dangerous secrets hidden by the town's adults begin to surface. The terror hits too close to home when Cassie's own sister starts to show the same dark changes. To survive the growing nightmare, Cassie must navigate a dangerous world where the people she trusts most might be hiding the worst sins. This chilling, suspenseful mystery will keep you guessing as Cassie races to uncover an unforgivable truth before it is too late.

Recent college graduate Mira James is desperate for a fresh start. After dealing with a cheating boyfriend and a dead-end job in the city, she packs up and moves to the quirky, rural town of Battle Lake. Her new life seems to be looking up when she sparks an unexpected romance with a guy who feels absolutely perfect. Everything changes when her new crush turns up dead between the reference stacks at her part-time library job. Refusing to let the mystery go unsolved, Mira decides to investigate the murder herself. As you follow her amateur sleuthing, you will uncover the town's surprisingly dark secrets, from an old land deed hiding ancient history to bitter, decades-old high school grudges. Beneath the polite, small-town exterior lies a web of hidden dangers and eccentric characters. This gripping and humorous mystery proves that revenge is a dish best served cold, and Mira must use all her wits to find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

In the summer of 1977, the teens of a close-knit Minnesota town spend their nights enjoying swimming parties at the local quarry and exploring the dark tunnels beneath the city. But for best friends Heather and Brenda, the carefree summer takes a terrifying turn. They see something horrifying in the dark, a secret they vow to never tell a living soul. Their promise is pushed to the limit when another friend suddenly disappears, becoming the second girl to vanish in just one week. When the local authorities show a strange reluctance to investigate, Heather realizes she is entirely on her own. Terrified that the missing girls are connected to the secret they uncovered, she begins a desperate search for answers. As Heather digs deeper, she discovers that no one in her community can be trusted, not the police, not her friends, and not even her own parents. You will be on the edge of your seat as Heather races to expose the killers hiding in plain sight, knowing she might be their very next target.

For as long as seventeen-year-old apothecary Rose Allgood can remember, the towering stone wall surrounding Noah's Valley has kept her people safe. Inside the gated community, the rules are simple: no one leaves, no one fights, and no one ever questions why things are the way they are. But this supposed paradise is hiding dark and dangerous thorns. When Rose's mother becomes the first murder victim in the history of the Valley, the community swiftly condemns Rose's twin brother for the crime. Knowing her brother is innocent, Rose sets out alone to find the real killer. Her investigation leads her down a dangerous path of hidden messages, forbidden knowledge, and whispers of a forgotten past. The deeper Rose digs into the mystery, the more she realizes that her mother's death was far from an accident. You will be gripped by this chilling dystopian thriller as Rose discovers that the massive wall was never meant to keep danger out, it was designed to keep the residents trapped inside.

Claudette the dragon likes to be in charge. She knows exactly what food everyone should eat, what clothes they should wear, and exactly where they are allowed to color. Being bossy makes Claudette feel safe and smart, and she is never afraid to tell others what to do! But life takes a surprising turn when Claudette realizes she is not actually the boss of anyone except herself. This heartwarming and hilarious interactive story invites you to grab your favorite crayons and markers to help Claudette learn a valuable lesson. Instead of hoarding treasure and making rules, Claudette discovers that life is much more fun when we share and create together. Perfect for young artists and readers, this unique picture book encourages you to draw right inside the pages. It is a wonderful, giggle-filled adventure that teaches kindness, compassion, and the joy of letting your imagination run wild.

Journalist Joan Harken is ready to leave her chaotic life in the city behind. Pregnant and eager to settle down, she follows her fiance back to his picturesque Minnesota hometown of Lilydale. At first glance, the village seems entirely perfect, boasting friendly neighbors, beautiful homes, and an inviting atmosphere that makes Joan feel welcome. But it does not take long for Joan to realize that something is deeply unsettling about her new home. The constant friendliness begins to feel intrusive, and she cannot shake the terrible feeling that her every move is being watched by the townspeople. As she looks closer, Joan uncovers an archaic organization that controls the town and a sinister secret regarding a little boy who vanished decades ago. To make matters worse, a frighteningly familiar figure from Joan's past seems to be lurking in the shadows. Though her fiance insists she is just being paranoid, Joan must uncover the truth to protect her growing family from what might be the deadliest small town on earth.

Aine thinks she is just a regular teenager living in 1930s Missouri. But when a terrifying monster named Biblos suddenly attacks, her entire reality is turned upside down. She discovers that the reclusive woman raising her is not actually her grandmother, and even more shocking, she has been living inside the pages of a novel for the past five years. Forced to flee the only home she remembers, Aine and her blind brother, Spenser, must escape the book to survive. With Biblos and his dark magic hot on their trail, their only chance is to find three powerful, magical objects before the monster does. As you join Aine on her dangerous odyssey, you will plunge into the worlds of classic literature, traveling through famous stories like The Time Machine and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Aine must embrace her true heritage and navigate these treacherous fictional worlds to restore the balance of the universe, if she can stay alive long enough to reach the end of the story.