Lori Roy Knihy

On a dark Kentucky night in 1952, exactly halfway between her fifteenth and sixteenth birthdays, Annie Holleran crosses into forbidden territory. Everyone knows Hollerans don't go near Baines, not since Joseph Carl was buried two decades before, but Annie runs through her family's lavender fields toward the well on the Baines' place, hoping to see her future in the water. Instead, she finds a body, and Annie's future becomes inextricably tied with her family's dark past. In 1936, the year Annie's aunt, Juna Crowley, came of age, there were seven Baine boys. Before Juna, Joseph Carl had been the best of all the Baine brothers. But then he looked into Juna's black eyes and they made him do things that cost innocent people their lives. With the pall of a young child's death and the dark appetites of men working the sleepy town into a frenzy, Sheriff Irlene Fulkerson saw justice served--or did she? As the investigation continues and she comes of age as Aunt Juna did in her own time, Annie's dread mounts. Juna will come home now to finish what she started. If Annie is to save herself, her family, and this small Kentucky town, she must prepare for Juna's return and the revelation of what really happened all those years ago.--Publisher description

Nominated for a prestigious Edgar Award, this novel weaves a gripping narrative that captivates readers with its intricate plot and well-developed characters. It explores themes of mystery and suspense, drawing readers into a world filled with unexpected twists and emotional depth. The author's skillful storytelling and vivid descriptions enhance the reading experience, making it a standout work in contemporary fiction.

Two-time Edgar Award-winning author Lori Roy spins a twisted, atmospheric tale about a small Southern town where girls disappear and boys run away. When Lane Fielding fled her isolated Florida hometown after high school for the anonymity of New York City, she swore she'd never return. But twenty years later, newly divorced and with two daughters in tow, she finds herself tending bar at the local dive and living with her parents on the historic Fielding Plantation. Here, the past haunts her and the sinister crimes of her father--the former director of an infamous boys' school--make her as unwelcome in town as she was the day she left. Ostracized by the people she was taught to trust, Lane's unsteady truce with the town is rattled when her older daughter suddenly vanishes. Ten days earlier, a college student went missing, and the two disappearances at first ignite fears that a serial killer who once preyed upon the town has returned. But when Lane's younger daughter admits to having made a new and unseemly friend, a desperate Lane attacks her hometown's fa ade to discover whether her daughter's disappearance is payback for her father's crimes--or for her own. With reporters descending upon the town, police combing through the swamp, and events taking increasingly disturbing turns, Lane fears she faces too many enemies and too little time to bring her daughter safely home. Powerful and heart-pounding, The Disappearing questions the endurance of family bonds, the dangers of dark rumors and small-town gossip, and how sometimes home is the scariest place of all

"Two-time Edgar Award-winning author Lori Roy entangles readers in a heart-pounding tale of two women battling for survival against a century's worth of hate. On the day a black truck rattles past her house and a Klan flyer lands in her front yard, ten-year-old Beth disappears from her Simmonsville, Georgia, home. Armed with skills honed while caring for an alcoholic mother, she must battle to survive the days and months ahead. Seven years later, Imogene Coulter is burying her father--a Klan leader she has spent her life distancing herself from--and trying to escape the memories his funeral evokes. But Imogene is forced to confront secrets long held by Simmonsville and her own family when, while clearing out her father's apparent hideout on the day of his funeral, she finds a child. Young and alive, in an abandoned basement, and behind a door that only locks from the outside. As Imogene begins to uncover the truth of what happened to young Beth all those years ago, her father's heir apparent to the Klan's leadership threatens her and her family. Driven by a love that extends beyond the ties of blood, Imogene struggles to save a girl she never knew but will now be bound to forever, and to save herself and those dearest to her. Tightly coiled and chilling, Gone Too Long ensnares, twists, and exposes the high price we are willing to pay for the ones we love"

This award-winning debut novel captivates readers with its intricate plot and compelling characters. It weaves a gripping tale of suspense, exploring themes of mystery and human resilience. The author skillfully builds tension, leading to unexpected twists that keep the audience engaged until the last page. With a strong narrative voice and vivid descriptions, the book sets a high standard for future works in the genre, making it a must-read for fans of thrilling mysteries.

Set in the 1950s, this Southern Gothic thriller by Edgar Award-winning author Lori Roy reimagines the life of Marilyn Monroe, tying her fate to a dreamy teenager whose boyfriend runs afoul of the mob. Desperate to break free of small-town Florida, Addie Anne Buckley dreams of following in the path of her glamorous aunt Jean--known to the world as Marilyn Monroe. When Aunt Jean plans a trip to Hollywood for Addie's eighteenth birthday, Addie sees her chance to escape. One thing stands in her way: her boyfriend. Truitt Holt is Addie's first and only love and will be joining her in California. But days before Addie's due to leave, Truitt does an about-face and gives her a painful ultimatum: stay and marry him, or they're through. Addie chooses her dream. Hurt and angry, Truitt unwittingly exposes the illegal bolita game he's been running in mob territory. Now the Tampa mafia is after him, and he has until midnight to cut a deal that will save his life and Addie's. What he doesn't know...his trouble with the mob has already found Addie and her family. She's already in a fight for her life.