Claire Morgan Series by Linda Ladd

After moving from Los Angeles to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, homicide detective Claire Morgan has at last adjusted to the peaceful rhythms of rural life. Until a grisly celebrity murder at an ultra-exclusive "wellness" resort shatters a quiet summer morning. One of Dr. Nicholas Black's high-profile clients has been found dead, taped to a chair at a fully set table. .. submerged in the lake. Back in L. A... moreAfter moving from Los Angeles to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, homicide detective Claire Morgan has at last adjusted to the peaceful rhythms of rural life. Until a grisly celebrity murder at an ultra-exclusive "wellness" resort shatters a quiet summer morning. One of Dr. Nicholas Black's high-profile clients has been found dead, taped to a chair at a fully set table. .. submerged in the lake. Back in L. A. , Claire investigated the rich, famous, and the deadly--but she never expected the problems of the privileged to follow her. .. just as she never imagined crossing the line with her prime suspect. Claire finds herself drawn to the charismatic doctor, spending time in his company--and in his bed. To catch a killer, Claire will have to enter the darkest recesses of the human mind. But is Black leading her there to help her. .. or luring her even deeper into a madman's grip? less

Missouri detective Claire Morgan is eager to get back to work after recuperating from injuries sustained on her last job. But the missing persons case that welcomes her home in the dead of winter soon turns more twisted and treacherous than Lake of the Ozarks' icy mountain roads. .. The woman's body is found suspended from a tree overlooking a local school. She is bleeding from the head, still alive - but not for long... moreMissouri detective Claire Morgan is eager to get back to work after recuperating from injuries sustained on her last job. But the missing persons case that welcomes her home in the dead of winter soon turns more twisted and treacherous than Lake of the Ozarks' icy mountain roads. .. The woman's body is found suspended from a tree overlooking a local school. She is bleeding from the head, still alive - but not for long. Someone wanted Professor Simone Classon to suffer as much as possible before she died, making sure the victim had a perfect view of her colleagues and students on the campus below as she succumbed to the slow-working poison in her veins. .. Frigid temperatures and punishing snows only make the investigation more difficult. And then the death threats begin - unnerving incidents orchestrated to send Claire a deadly message. Now, as she edges closer to the truth, Claire risks becoming entangled in a maniac's web - and the stuff of her own worst nightmares. .. less

“A cannot-put-down thriller that’s dark, edgy and intense .  .  . Another great addition to this stunning series” from the author of Dark Places ( Fresh Fiction ). Die Young. Hilde Swensen is a beauty pageant queen with a face to die for and a body to kill for. But by the time Detective Claire Morgan finds her in a shower stall—posed like a grotesquely grinning doll—Hilde is anything but pretty. She’s the victim of a sick, deranged killer. And she won’t be the last .  .  . Die Beautiful... more“A cannot-put-down thriller that’s dark, edgy and intense .  .  . Another great addition to this stunning series” from the author of Dark Places ( Fresh Fiction ). Die Young. Hilde Swensen is a beauty pageant queen with a face to die for and a body to kill for. But by the time Detective Claire Morgan finds her in a shower stall—posed like a grotesquely grinning doll—Hilde is anything but pretty. She’s the victim of a sick, deranged killer. And she won’t be the last .  .  . Die Beautiful. Brianna Swenson is the beauty queen’s sister—and the girlfriend of Claire’s partner. She tells Claire that Hilde had plenty of enemies, including a creepy stalker, an abusive ex-boyfriend, and a slew of jealous competitors. But what she doesn’t say is that they both shared a dark, disturbing secret. A secret that refuses to die .  .  . Die Smiling. From the after-hours parties of a sinister funeral home to the underworld vendettas of the Miami mob, Claire follows the trail with her lover, a psychiatrist with secrets of his own. But it’s not until she uncovers evidence of unspeakable acts of depravity that Claire realizes she’s just become a diabolical killer’s next target .  .  . Praise for the Claire Morgan series. “A tough, no-nonsense detective with a well-hidden vulnerable side .  .  . edgy, clever! ” —Beverly Barton, New York Times bestselling author. “Chilling, compelling suspense .  .  . be prepared to lose sleep! ” —Eileen Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author. “A feisty new heroine to root for .  .  . Ladd is a bright. less