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Books published by publisher Shoal Creek Publishers

  • When the Stars Fall

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, Aug. 11, 2015)
    Named 2016 Best Mystery Series by the Association of Texas Authors. Madison Reynolds is rebuilding her life, one obstacle at a time. But the building blocks aren’t standard issue: widowed at thirty-nine
betrayed by her late husband
mother of teenaged twins
finances in shambles
living with her eighty-year-old grandmother
still attracted to her teenage crush Brash deCordova, who just happens to be the Chief of Police in The Sisters
embroiled in yet another murder mystery
 How will she ever get all the blocks assembled and stacked one upon another, in order to build a future for herself and her children?Madison’s newest client at In a Pinch Temp Service is a suspicious wife, up against a formidable foe—the lovely Caress Ellingsworth, former soap opera queen. When the star is murdered and Madison is eyewitness to the deed, she wonders if the shadowed person she saw commit the crime might really be her client. Now Madison is torn between uncovering the truth and keeping her client’s name off the suspect list. Caress is not the only star in town these days. With a little help from Granny Bert and Madison’s best friend Genesis, the popular television show Home Again arrives, with some crazy notion about remodeling the Big House for Maddy and her twins. The problem is, Madison can’t afford to buy the house, much less pay to have it renovated. No matter how tempting the offer—or how tempting the show’s star, Nick Vilardi—Madison sees it as just another block that will not fit. Even if she manages to stack the blocks in a semblance of order, even if she climbs her way up and reaches for the sky, what happens when the stars fall? Book Two of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series. Homegrown characters, mystery and romance.
  • Stipulations and Complications

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, June 15, 2016)
    Named Best Mystery Series of 2016 & 2017 by the Association of Texas Authors. "Life comes with stipulations.If you want to fit into last year’s swimsuit, you can’t eat ice cream and a Gennydoodle cookie after every meal.If you want to go to Heaven, you can’t raise Hell on Saturday night and show up in the church pew on Sunday morning, hungover and reeking of cheap perfume.And if you want your hundred-year-old mansion completely updated and remodeled for free, you have to sacrifice.Stipulations, my child."-Granny Bert CessnaNow that Madison Reynolds has agreed to be part of a reality-television home remodeling show, she barely recognizes her own life. The show is an instant success, bringing cameras and reporters right to her doorstep, eager to chronicle her every move in the small Texas town. With In a Pinch Temporary Services hovering on the thin line between prosperity and extinction, Madison takes on another quirky case, this one concerning a property dispute. Complications turn a simple mission into all-out danger, and once again Madison finds herself embroiled in an intriguing mystery. Between her cantankerous grandmother, a moody teenage daughter, an ever-starving son, townspeople eager to grab their fifteen minutes of fame at her expense, and a mother-in-law appalled by her undignified foray into the public eye, Madison had her hands full, long before the skeleton was discovered. Now work is interrupted at the Big House, ghost stories abound, more secret passages have been unearthed, and someone is trying to scare her away from her new home. What she needs is another session of Brash deCordova’s unique ‘river therapy’
 not to mention the kiss that eludes them with frustrating regularity. What she gets is another round of stipulations and complications. Here’s what readers are saying about this popular new amateur sleuth series that delivers clean romance, humor, and true-to-life characters in a small town setting, without sacrificing action-packed excitement and suspense. “This is one of my new favorite authors.”"I love this The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Stipulations and Complications is my favorite book so far!"“I loved the book and can't wait to read the next one in this series. I am not a big fan of mystery, but there is way more to this book than that alone. The mystery was excellent, but mostly I loved the part about small town life, families, and friends in The Sisters. There is so much to this book would be hard to put it all in this review and I just don't like giving away any of the story. I will tell you this, however, it is about going home...who says you can't go home again? A lot of humor and love of families and friends made this book very special. Thanks Becki.”“This is not the kind of book that I would normally read, but it sounded good so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. From the very beginning I couldn't put it down. The story flowed along and characters were so likeable. It was so wonderful to find an author who knows that you don't need to use bad language and sex to sell a book. I would recommend this book to anyone young and old. Thank you Becki Willis.”"I really love this series! Stipulations and Complications had the right amount of everything: mystery, romance, comedy and of course, a dead body."“Another hoorah for Becki Willis! I loved the setting of rural Texas and the characters. They were well developed and the story line kept me guessing until the last page. I look forward to learning more about the main characters past and future in the Sisters!”“Once again the characters of The Sisters, Texas have won my heart. When the Stars Fall was even better than Chicken Scratch! I hope this series is intended to be a long one.”
  • Home Again: Starting Over: The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Book 4

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, Nov. 21, 2016)
    Named "Best Mystery Series of 2017" by Texas Association of Authors Things in The Sisters are heating up, and Madison Reynolds is in the hot seat.When a local woman dies in a most unconventional way, In a Pinch takes on the quirky case and once again, Maddy finds herself in the middle of a would-be murder investigation. Even with the help of her grandmother and best friend Genny, this case may be too hot to handle. As summer scorches its way across Texas, drama as thick as the August humidity rolls through the twin towns of Juliet and Naomi. Granny Bert reveals a secret that rocks Maddy’s foundation. A celebrity designer joins the renovation crew at the Big House, bringing twice the chaos and twice the fans. Madison’s estranged mother-in-law convinces the twins to spend the summer with her in Dallas. As if all of that isn’t enough to wreak havoc in Madison’s life, Barry Redmond continues to propagate his ridiculous grudge against her. Things really start smoking when Cutter’s grandfather, rodeo legend Sticker Pierce, returns to The Sisters and tries to rekindle a romance with old flame Belle, aka Granny Bert. And Maddy’s latest brush with death prompts Brash to finally make his move. With renovations almost complete and the love of a good man behind her, Maddy is ready to tell the world: I’m home again, and starting over. Don’t miss Book Four in the award-winning The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series. Reader favorite!
  • Forgotten Boxes

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, Dec. 13, 2015)
    Named Best Suspense Fiction 2016 and Best Audio Book 2017 by the Association of Texas Authors. Named sole heir to her aunt's estate, Charity Gannon arrives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, hoping to find a link to her past. She's not looking for lost treasures; she is searching for a connection to the aunt she barely knew.What she finds is a thirty-something-year-old mystery and questions with no answers. A sad, secluded cottage, all but hidden amid the vines. A man's suit of clothes, tainted with dried blood and a bullet hole. Four forgotten boxes, stuffed into a large bag and buried in the far corners of the shed.These are not just any boxes. These are unopened, undelivered boxes, left behind by the now-defunct Kingdom Parcel. All four boxes are marked March 14, 1984... the very day her uncle, president and driver for the delivery service, was said to have committed suicide. Four forgotten boxes, whose owners might still be out there, waiting for a delivery that never arrived.The undelivered boxes haunt Charity, tugging at her conscience. Hadn’t someone noticed them missing? Hadn’t anyone wondered about the failed delivery? Thinking it might be fun to surprise the recipients after all these years, Charity sets out to deliver the packages to their rightful owners. The story behind one box is delightful. Another is heartbreaking.And one might very well be the death of her.
  • Light from Her Mirror

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, Dec. 12, 2014)
    She thought her past was behind her, until a single photograph changes life as she knows it. Again. Now, secrets long hidden come back to haunt Kenzie Reese.Kenzie knew her past was full of secrets and half-truths. But this photograph reveals the biggest secret of all. Bigger than discovering she has a long-lost twin. Bigger than learning her father is involved in organized crime. This secret changes her future.As danger moves in and her life begins to unravel, Kenzie and Makenna set out on a quest for answers, but will it cost the sisters the men they love? Of all people to fall for, Kenzie loses her heart to Travis Merka, the newest Lieutenant for the Texas Rangers. Always a stickler for the rules—and now undercover on a dangerous mission infiltrating a biker gang—Travis, aka Stix, isn’t happy with how far Kenzie goes to bend the rules. And Hardin can’t get past the fact that Makenna lies in order to help her sister.Risking everything, including their very lives, the headstrong sisters search for closure and the happy ending they so richly deserve. Smart, sexy, full of mystery and adventure, this gripping thriller remains a clean romance while delivering plenty of satisfaction! Readers say the third book of the Mirrors Don’t Lie Series is “just the right mix of mystery, intrigue, romance, passion, heartache, and joy. I alternately laughed and cried. Just like Travis, this book has heart and soul. Heart and soul.”Also from readers:“Do not miss this series if you like romantic suspense. The story is complex and layered. The characters are believable and likeable. The mystery will have you on the edge of your seat. Five stars all the way!” “I have now completed the Mirrors Don't Lie Book trilogy and I loved every line of every page!!!”
  • Inn the Spirit of Legends

    Becki Willis

    eBook (Clear Creek Publishers, March 2, 2018)
    From the author of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, comes an intriguing new book series, the Spirits of Texas Cozy Mysteries. When the tiny hamlet of Hannah, Texas goes up for auction, Hannah Duncan’s fun-loving uncle sees it as the perfect gift for her thirtieth birthday. After all, what’s more fun than a town bearing your own name? Nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, the ‘town’ isn’t much — a dozen or less buildings in various stages of disrepair—but it comes with a dedicated pair of caretakers, a menagerie of farm animals, a surprisingly generous trust fund, enough stipulations to make her head spin, and a handsome but maddening attorney to oversee the handling of the estate.Originally a stagecoach stop, Hannah, Texas resolves around the historic and rather charming Spirits of Texas Inn. The old inn comes with a colorful past, the mystique of hidden treasure, loyal guests who still book summer vacations there, and three surprise residents: true spirits of the past, who didn’t cross over as expected. Now Hannah has her hands full, coming to terms with her unexpected status as an innkeeper, adjusting to life in the country, fighting her attraction to attorney Walker Jacoby, plus dealing with ghosts! To top it off, two fortune hunters arrive to search for the hidden treasure, and they don’t care who stands in their way. They’ll stoop to any means—including murder—to get their hands on the legendary stash of gold.Don’t miss out on the excitement, right from the beginning. Book your visit to Hannah, Texas today!
  • When the Stars Fall

    Becki Willis

    Paperback (Clear Creek Publishers, March 27, 2018)
    Madison Reynolds is rebuilding her life, one obstacle at a time. But the building blocks aren’t standard issue: widowed at thirty-nine
betrayed by her late husband
mother of teenaged twins
finances in shambles
living with her eighty-year-old grandmother
still attracted to her teenage crush Brash deCordova, who just happens to be the Chief of Police in The Sisters
embroiled in yet another murder mystery
 How will she ever get all the blocks assembled and stacked one upon another, in order to build a future for herself and her children? Madison’s newest client at In a Pinch Temp Service is a suspicious wife, up against a formidable foe—the lovely Caress Ellingsworth, former soap opera queen. When the star is murdered and Madison is eyewitness to the deed, she wonders if the shadowed person she saw commit the crime might really be her client. Now Madison is torn between uncovering the truth and keeping her customer’s name off the suspect list. Caress is not the only star in town these days. With a little help from Granny Bert and Madison’s best friend Genesis, the popular television show Home Again arrives, with some crazy notion about remodeling the Big House for Maddy and her twins. The problem is, Madison can’t afford to buy the house, much less pay to have it renovated. No matter how tempting the offer—or how tempting the show’s star, Nick Vilardi—Madison sees it as just another block that will not fit. Even if she manages to stack the blocks in a semblance of order, even if she climbs her way up and reaches for the sky, what happens when the stars fall? Book Two of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series. Homegrown characters, mystery and romance.
  • Forgotten Boxes

    Becki Willis

    Paperback (Clear Creek Publishers, March 12, 2018)
    Named sole heir to her aunt's estate, Charity Gannon arrives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, hoping to find a link to her past. She’s not looking for lost treasures; she is searching for a connection to the aunt she barely knew.What she finds is a thirty-something-year-old mystery and questions with no answers. A sad, secluded cottage, all but hidden amid the vines. A man's suit of clothes, tainted with dried blood and a bullet hole. Four forgotten boxes, stuffed into a large bag and buried in the far corners of the shed.These are not just any boxes. These are unopened, undelivered boxes, left behind by the now-defunct Kingdom Parcel. All four boxes are marked March 14, 1984... the very day her uncle, president and driver for the delivery service, was said to have committed suicide. Four forgotten boxes, whose owners might still be out there, waiting for a delivery that never arrived.The undelivered boxes haunt Charity, tugging on her conscience. Hadn’t someone noticed them missing? Hadn’t anyone wondered about the failed delivery? Thinking it might be fun to surprise the recipients after all these years, Charity sets out to deliver the packages to their rightful owners. Along the way, one of the love stories she discovers is her own. Fate throws her into the sturdy arms of Tarn Danbury, a burly sugarmaker with eyes as beautiful as the mountain pond from which he was named, and a voice as smooth and rich as the dark syrup he produces. The story behind one box is delightful. Another is heartbreaking.And one might very well be the death of her.
  • Wildflower Wedding: With a Killer Reception

    Becki Willis

    Paperback (Clear Creek Publishers, June 1, 2019)
    It’s the most anticipated wedding of the year in The Sisters, when Madison Reynolds and Brash deCordova finally tie the knot! Wedding preparations are underway, but the aisle to the altar gets rockier by the minute. Their friends’ and family’s support is humbling, but the community’s enthusiasm soon hijacks the wedding. Squeeze in a suspicious death during a Texas Independence Day celebration, the needy new widow Madison befriends, and an unscrupulous politician trying to unseat Brash as chief of police, and the path seems littered with obstacles. Madison will move mountains, however, to marry the man of her dreams. All they really need is each other, their children by their side, and a preacher to make it official. In an effort to please everyone, the couple opts for a private ceremony followed by a public celebration. It’s the perfect Wildflower Wedding, but who knew it would end in a killer reception? Cantankerous Nigel Barrett hired In a Pinch Professional Services to find his estranged family, but it takes more than a home DNA test to find his next of kin. Madison suspects he was searching for an heir, but when the wealthy rancher is killed at their reception, she’ll settle for finding someone to attend his funeral.From the author of Forgotten Boxes, Plain Roots, and the Spirits of Texas Cozy Mysteries, enjoy Book Eight of the award-winning reader favorite The Sisters, Texas Series. For maximum enjoyment, follow the series from the beginning. Readers say “it’s like visiting with old friends!” Chicken ScratchWhen the Stars FallStipulations & ComplicationsHome Again: Starting OverGenny’s BalladChristmas in The SistersThe Lilac CodeWildflower Wedding with a Killer Reception
and more to come!
  • A Collection of Facts and Documents, relative to the Death of Major-General Alexander Hamilton, with Comments: together with the Various Orations, Sermons, and Eulogies,

    William Coleman

    Hardcover (Shoal Creek Publishers, March 15, 1972)
    This is a rare facsimile reproduction of the 1804 edition of A Collection of Notes and Documents, Relative to The Death of Major General Alexander Hamilton; with comments together with the various orations, sermons, and eulogies, that have been published or written on his life and character. By William Coleman,The Editor of the Evening Post.
  • Stipulations and Complications

    Becki Willis

    Paperback (Clear Creek Publishers, Jan. 31, 2018)
    Named Best Mystery Series of 2016 & 2017 by the Association of Texas Authors. Life comes with stipulations. If you want to fit into last year’s swimsuit, you can’t eat ice cream and a Gennydoodle cookie after every meal. If you want to go to Heaven, you can’t raise Hell on Saturday night and show up in the church pew on Sunday morning, hungover and reeking of cheap perfume. And if you want your hundred-year-old mansion completely updated and remodeled for free, you have to sacrifice. Stipulations, my child. - Granny Bert Cessna Now that Madison Reynolds has agreed to be part of a reality-television home remodeling show, she barely recognizes her own life. The show is an instant success, bringing cameras and reporters right to her doorstep, eager to chronicle her every move in the small Texas town. With In a Pinch Temporary Services hovering on the thin line between prosperity and extinction, Madison takes on another quirky case, this one concerning a property dispute. Complications turn a simple mission into all-out danger, and once again Madison finds herself embroiled in an intriguing mystery. Between her cantankerous grandmother, a moody teenage daughter, an ever-starving son, townspeople eager to grab their fifteen minutes of fame at her expense, and a mother-in-law appalled by her undignified foray into the public eye, Madison had her hands full, long before the skeleton was discovered. Now work is interrupted at the Big House, ghost stories abound, more secret passages have been unearthed, and someone is trying to scare her away from her new home. What she needs is another session of Brash deCordova’s unique ‘river therapy’
 not to mention the kiss that eludes them with frustrating regularity. What she gets is another round of stipulations and complications.
  • Mr. Jellybean

    Vivian Montgomery

    Hardcover (Shoal Creek Publishers, March 15, 1980)
    Though the children called him Mr. Jellybean, the tall, kindly man from the neighboring ranch who came periodically to visit the school children, see their work, talk and sing with them, and pass out jellybeans was also known as President Lyndon B. Johnson.