Books with author Mary-Jane Riley

A darkly compelling psychological thriller, full of twists and turns, perfect for fans of SISTER SISTER by Sue Fortin and INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins.We all have our secrets, some are just darker than others.Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha's two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

In sunshine the old deserted house is a friendly landmark, and Gail even uses a shed on its grounds as a secret haven where she can write her poems. But by moonlight the house becomes eerie and terrifying. One night as Gail walks past it, a sudden sharp sound of knocking makes her whirl around. Someone seems to be trying to catch her attention, yet there is nothing but moonlit lawns and ghostly white walls to be seen. Where did that knocking sound have come from? And the weird voices -- whose can they be?When Gail wakes the next morning, she jumps out of bed. It is Saturday and she plans to do some writing. Then suddenly she remembers. Perhaps she shouldn't use the old shed as her secret room after hearing those noises and voices the night before...The highly original and intriguing explanation of this mystery leads Gail and her friend, Conan, to the solution of a series of robberies as well. A picturesque New England setting and some unusually attractive and believable characters make this suspenseful story one of Mrs. Jane's best.

When Neale and Margie Lawson hear that their father will have to sell his shore land and their beloved horse, Firefly, they are miserable. They can find no way to help until a strange red car, a lost cat, and the odd behavior of an eccentric old man draw them into a mystery involving the lost letters of a famous New England artist.The Lawsons and their friend Rupert Reed, son of the Ranger at the camp across the lake, are plunged into a bewildering tangle of strange doings. Neale thinks that his robot-burglar alarm might help to solve the mystery, and Margie is sure that her grandfather's books hold the key to the problem. Both children are right, but it takes two discoveries -- one in a cave on the mountain and one in the middle of Shadow Pond -- to set things straight.Mary Jane’s earlier mysteries, all exciting and fun to read, have found an appreciative audience. "Mystery at Shadow Pond" will add new friends to the large number of boys and girls who look forward to a book by this favorite author.

A darkly compelling psychological thriller, full of twists and turns, perfect for fans of SISTER SISTER by Sue Fortin and INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins.We all have our secrets, some are just darker than others.Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha's two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

When Janice and Tommy Brooks are invited to visit their Aunt Annabelle and her son Hubert at their new house in Maine near the Canadian border, they expect to have a wonderful summer. What they don’t expect is to hear galloping hoofbeats in a rock or to see an old man with a flickering light appear out of nowhere in the middle of a midnight storm. They don't expect to have a guest who creeps around the top floor when he thinks the family is asleep. And they never dream that they might get involved in the dangerous adventures of the Border Patrol!These puzzling and frightening events increase the general feeling of mystery that surrounds Mountain View House. Aunt Annabelle bought it to run as a guest house, but both local visitors and tourists keep away. The children have to find the explanation for these strange happenings before Fall, or Aunt Annabelle will have to give up her dream of running a guest house!

In sunshine the old deserted house is a friendly landmark, and Gail even uses a shed on its grounds as a secret haven where she can write her poems. But by moonlight the house becomes eerie and terrifying. One night as Gail walks past it, a sudden sharp sound of knocking makes her whirl around. Someone seems to be trying to catch her attention, yet there is nothing but moonlit lawns and ghostly white walls to be seen. Where did that knocking sound have come from? And the weird voices -- whose can they be? When Gail wakes the next morning, she jumps out of bed. It is Saturday and she plans to do some writing. Then suddenly she remembers. Perhaps she shouldn't use the old shed as her secret room after hearing those noises and voices the night before... The highly original and intriguing explanation of this mystery leads Gail and her friend, Conan, to the solution of a series of robberies as well. A picturesque New England setting and some unusually attractive and believable characters make this suspenseful story one of Mrs. Jane's best.

A mongrel pup helps two children unmask a clever deception!Kerry and Mark get a special excuse from school to spend ten days in Quebec with their father. From the moment they step into the hall of the rooming house where they are to stay, though, they have a sense of things not being quite right. Kerry hears sounds of crying; her sweater disappears and reappears in a mysterious manner. The children receive a strange communication, and the landlady behaves in a most unfriendly way. All of this adds up to a baffling problem that the children set about solving. There are other things to do in Quebec besides solve mysteries, and Kerry and Mark find time for sight-seeing and for making a new friend -- who turns out to be helpful in their job of detection...Here is a timeless story that is just right for the reader who loves mysteries!

Moody's Island, set like a jewel in Nine-Mile Marsh, is a valuable piece of property. When the widow who owns it dies and leaves the island to an absolute stranger, everybody wonders why. There is still one living relative, Clyde Moody, who was not even mentioned in the widow's will. Public opinion runs high in Clyde's favor, especially when incriminating rumors and evidence begins to mount against the new owner of the island who, after all, is not even a local Maine resident.Lucille and Brent Pierce, young people who live nearby, become intrigued with this mysterious situation. Just as they begin to know and like their new neighbor, they make a terrifying discovery on Moody's Island. Could Clyde Moody be plotting against their friend, or have they accepted and trusted a probable criminal?In this classic mystery by Mary C. Jane the young reader is again plunged into moments of suspense and anxiety as he races from one exciting chapter to the next. As in all of Mrs. Jane's books, the pace never flags."

Amy and Freddy Connors can't believe their ears when their Uncle Ken tells them he is going to stay in Mr. Sargent's big old house in Hidden Hollow all winter. And, when their father says that they can stay with Uncle Ken, they can't believe their luck. They can be near their friends, Marcia and Jim, and best of all, they won't have to stay in their father's trailer and be part of "that shiftless Connors tribe." Mr. Sargent wants Ken to take care of his house and his dog, but Amy and Freddy decide that being in the house will give them the chance to look for a lost inheritance. Before they have time to search for it, other mysteries pop up.Who is the young woman whose portrait hangs in the Sargent house? Who is sneaking around the house at night? And why is someone trying to make trouble for Amy and Freddy?The two children, with help from their friends, must find answers to all the mysteries -- and, in the process, learn how to hold up their heads and keep their self-respect in spite of what neighbors might think of their family.

Amy and Freddy Connors can't believe their ears when their Uncle Ken tells them he is going to stay in Mr. Sargent's big old house in Hidden Hollow all winter. And, when their father says that they can stay with Uncle Ken, they can't believe their luck. They can be near their friends, Marcia and Jim, and best of all, they won't have to stay in their father's trailer and be part of "that shiftless Connors tribe." Mr. Sargent wants Ken to take care of his house and his dog, but Amy and Freddy decide that being in the house will give them the chance to look for a lost inheritance. Before they have time to search for it, other mysteries pop up. Who is the young woman whose portrait hangs in the Sargent house? Who is sneaking around the house at night? And why is someone trying to make trouble for Amy and Freddy? The two children, with help from their friends, must find answers to all the mysteries -- and, in the process, learn how to hold up their heads and keep their self-respect in spite of what neighbors might think of their family.

By Sunday evening Prue Tenney was despondent. She and the others in her class were supposed to write about something exciting that had happened over the weekend. All of her friends had either found an adventure or caused one to happen, but Prue had thought of nothing. Suddenly she remembered the one exciting event in her town -- an unknown young man had been mysteriously shot eight years earlier. Although he was never identified, every year, on the anniversary of his death, someone placed red carnations on his grave. Neither the mystery of the shooting nor that of the flowers had ever been solved. Perhaps Prue could make an adventure out of visiting the grave.She slipped out into the waning daylight, and hurried over to the cemetery. As she started toward the wooden grave-marker, Prue realized that someone else -- a man -- was already there. He turned and strode away. Prue tiptoed closer. A bouquet of red carnations was lying on the dead stranger's grave!This was the beginning of real adventure for Prue, her brother, and two friends, one that lasted much longer than a weekend.As in all Mary C. Jane's mysteries, the excitement and pace of her story build up to a satisfying climax. While her characters are confronted with a hidden gun, a strange woman prowling around an empty house, and a suspicious neighbor, these details fit plausibly into the everyday world of a small New England town.