Books published by publisher Avon

One bright spring day in 1925, Gabriela arrives from the poverty-stricken backwoods of Brazil to the lively seaside port of Ilhéus amid a flock of filthy migrant workers. Though wearing rags and covered in dirt, she attracts the attention of Nacib, a cafe owner, who is in desperate need of a new cook. So dire is his situation that he hires the disheveled girl. The savvy young woman quickly proves to be an excellent chef and--once well-scrubbed and decently dressed--an eye-catching beauty. Nacib quickly finds himself the owner of the most prosperous business in town--and the employer of its most sought-after woman. One bright spring day in 1925, Gabriela arrives from the poverty-stricken backwoods of Brazil to the lively seaside port of IlhEus amid a flock of filthy migrant workers. Though wearing rags and covered in dirt, she attracts the attention of Nacib, a cafe owner, who is in desperate need of a new cook. So dire is his situation that he hires the disheveled girl. The savvy young woman quickly proves to be an excellent chef and --once well-scrubbed and decently dressed--an eye-catching beauty. Nacib quickly finds himself the owner of the most prosperous business in town--and the employer of its most sought-after woman.

In the winter of 1951, a storyteller arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. The last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, the Seanchai enthralls his assembled audience for three evenings running with narratives of foolish kings and fabled saints, of enduring accomplishments and selfless acts -- until he is banished from the household for blasphemy and moves on. But these three incomparable nights have changed young Ronan forever, setting him on the course he will follow for years to come -- as he pursues the elusive, itinerant storyteller . . . and the magical tales that are no less than the glorious saga of his tenacious, troubled, and extraordinary isle.

“One of the most talented story tellers around.”—Associated Press“Clark has perfected the suspense novel…in classic Christie fashion.”—BooklistNew York Times bestseller Mary Jane Clark introduced readers to professional wedding cake decorator and amateur sleuth Piper Donavan in her acclaimed mystery novel To Have and To Kill. Piper’s back in The Look of Love, on cake creating assignment at a West Coast luxury spa for the wealthy and famous—where nip and tuck and murder are offered in equal measures. Clark really hits her stride with The Look of Love, providing a winning recipe for delectable mystery that combines chills, twists, humor and often very romantic suspense in the bestselling vein of Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark, Faye Kellerman, Elizabeth Lowell, and Jayne Ann Krentz. She even includes scrumptious pastry recipes and fabulous cake design tips.

Digging Her Own GraveLandscaper Nina Quinn makes her living from surprise garden makeovers. It's not her fault that someone duped her into digging up the wrong yard. And she certainly can't be blamed when her handiwork turns the unsuspecting real owner apoplectic and he drops dead from a heart attack . . . can she? Nina's got enough trouble already, with her divorce from faithless hubby Kevin nearing completion and her unruly stepson up to his teenage neck in possibly illegal mischief. Now she's in danger of losing her business! But there's something screwy about this rather convenient "accidental" death of a man whom apparently no one could stand -- not even the "grieving" widow who's threatening to sue Nina's overalls off. To save her livelihood -- and her skin -- Nina's going to have to dig deeper into the dirt than she ever has before . . . and see what sort of slimy secret things crawl out.

With her award-winning debut novel, Muder On Iditarod Trail, Sue Henry established herself as one of the most celebrated new mystery writers. In Termination Dust, her much-anticipated second Alex Jensen mystery, Sue Henry again seizes the rich history of Alaska and Canada's forgotten frontiers and delivers a fast-paced mystery with one of the most adventurous and charming detectives around. The virgin landscape along the Yukon River has hardly changed since the gold rush began in 1897. Frostbiting winds slice the rugged terrain, and, like a shroud, the first dusting of snow covers the low hills. Braving thick snow on the Top of the World Highway—where one slip could mean a fall down thousands a cold-blooded killer. His only witness is Jim Hampton, a rugged canoeist whose vacation has abruptly ended. And Jensen's only clue is an 1898 journal—detailing an eerily similar murder—that Hampton discovered on the killer's path. Set against nature's most beautiful, yet cruelest, elements, Termination Dust weaves together legend and reality in a tremendous display of imaginative talent and storytelling prowess. With her award-winning debut novel, Murder on the Iditarod Trail, Sue Henry established herself as one of the most celebrated new mystery writers. In Termination Dust, her much-anticipated second Alex Jensen mystery, Sue Henry again seizes the rich history of Alaska and Canada's forgotten frontiers and delivers a fast-paced mystery with one of the most adventurous and charming detectives around. The virgin landscape along the Yukon River has hardly changed since the gold rush began in 1897. Frostbiting winds slice the rugged terrain, and, like a shroud, the first dusting of snow covers the low hills. Braving thick snow on the Top of the World Highway—where one slip could mean a fall down thousands a cold-blooded killer. His only witness is Jim Hampton, a rugged canoeist whose vacation has abruptly ended. And Jensen's only clue is an 1898 journal—detailing an eerily similar murder—that Hampton discovered on the killer's path. Set against nature's most beautiful, yet cruelest, elements, Termination Dust weaves together legend and reality in a tremendous display of imaginative talent and storytelling prowess.

CatherineBorn to a prominent Boston family, Catherine Markham is a bit of a hellion despite her gentle upbringing. Stifled by the rules imposed by society, Catherine yearns for adventure. When her beloved brother is kidnapped, she decides to deliver the ransom herself -- with the help of a young man few others might turn to.The PirateDerrick St. John lives on the edge. The memory of his dead father tainted by treason, Derrick's life has been spent at sea in both legal and not-so-legal pursuits. Determined to clear his father's name, the last thing this young pirate wants is to embark on a voyage to Savannah in the midst of a war with the British, much less with a young lady who spells trouble at every turn.An emotion stronger than caution takes hold of Derrick, and he finds himself unable to refuse Catherine's pleas for assistance, even though the journey promises peril for them both. And so the headstrong girl and the daring sea captain sail into an exhilarating adventure that fast becomes a journey of the heart.