Al Stone's Blog

You Don’t Belong HereAuthor: D.M. SicilianoPublication Date: October 13th, 2025Genre: Adult Horror / Paranormal / Suspense
Book Description:A girl who feels invisible finally faces her worst fear on her sixteenth birthday and hastily makes a dark deal.
An old man returns to the same place every year on the anniversary of his wife’s death, to have one last moonlit dance with her.
A woman’s health concerns are ignored, and it leads to global chaos.
A young woman goes home to bury her father and sell his house but finds that the home is no longer hers.
An old man with Alzheimer’s becomes increasingly lost in his own house, which seems to be doing its own forgetting.
Two young girls find an Ouija board, thinking they’re communicating with a deceased relative, but find something much more cunning.
A woman, grieving the loss of her baby, takes a trip to a remote cabin in Tahoe. Her worried sister goes after her and isn’t prepared for what she finds.
A woman’s drive through California’s winding roads leads her to a perilous and sinister discovery lurking in the woods.
A woman takes a job as a nanny for two troublesome kids, only to find that the children aren’t the problem.
Buy Links:Amazon US | UK
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Royal Danger(The Mystique Series, #2)Author: Avishai ElPublication Date: October 15th, 2025Genre: Adult / Mystery / Psychological / Thriller
Book Description:Something happened to Vaughan.
Those closest to her speak in half-truths and glances. One moment, she was walking among them—intuitive, brave, haunted. The next, she was part of something no one can explain. A fracture in time. A storm no one saw coming. Some believe she stumbled into it. Others believe she was always meant to be its center.
They say she inherited a crown, but no one saw it placed on her head.
They say she vanished during the final seal, but no one witnessed her fall.
And they say the darkness never stopped chasing her… even now.
There were signs. Whispers. Visions. A golden ticket that kept appearing in strange places. A man named Eli who stayed by her side long after others fled. And a mother who saw too much, too late.
Was it destiny? Madness? Or something that lives in the shadows between?
Royal Danger is a slow-burning psychological mystery thriller laced with horror, surreal visions, and eerie spiritual phenomena. It is a story about intuition, unraveling identity, and the thin, terrifying veil between love, legacy, and annihilation.
Buy Links:Amazon US | UK
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Old Ghosts(Saoirse Kennedy, #1)Author: Janina FranckPublication Date: October 7th, 2025Genre: Adult, Crime, LGBTQ+, Suspense
Book Description:Notorious crime boss Saoirse Kennedy finds herself entangled in a web of mystery when she receives orders to eliminate a detective and faces the resurgence of her haunting past.
In the midst of this city plagued by crime, Detective Lily Rose sets out to apprehend Saoirse, but their paths intertwine when a new, sinister force emerges, prompting an uneasy alliance to protect their city.
Buy Links:Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
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The Itch of Greed(Izzie Di Sante Mysteries, #6)Author: Christa NardiPublication Date: September 22nd, 2025Genre: Adult Cozy Mystery
Book Description:A dark cloud hangs over baseball season in small town Rosedale when star pitcher Randy Kampton is taken out of the game for good.
The DA is determined to pin the crime on Cole Rigley, a friend’s brother and fellow pitcher, citing the fierce competition for a major league trade as his motive for murder. Rigley’s brother, asks Henry and reluctant restaurant owner Izzie Di Sante to help prove his innocence. Adding fuel to the fire, Kampton stole Rigley’s girlfriend months earlier.
While Kampton’s pitching skills are universally acknowledged, no one, not fans or teammates, has a kind word to say about him, making for a long list of suspects. Rigley, on the other hand, is respected for his talent and team spirit. The wild card is another pitcher recovering from a car accident, whose open roster spot has all three men vying for the same prize.
In Rosedale, loyalty to the minor league team runs deep, and Izzie’s digging into the players’ pasts draws resentment from fans, police, and management alike. When the team’s PR person is targeted after meeting with her, the threats become all too real. The closer Izzie gets to uncovering the truth, on and off the field, the higher the stakes, and the more dangerous the game becomes.
Buy Links:Amazon US | UK
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Open to Death(A DI Rena Hunt Mystery, #1)Author: Sophie MattisPublication Date: September 16th, 2025Genre: Adult Mystery / Romance
Book Description:In the picturesque town of Rucklesby, peace is shattered when a young woman is found brutally murdered in her home. Detective Inspector Serena “Rena” Hunt is called to the scene, still haunted by her last case and questioning her instincts.
The victim, Sicily Avery—a wife and mother—has been stabbed through the heart with chilling precision. When another woman is killed in the same way, Rena realises a calculated murderer is on the loose, leaving cryptic notes on the victims as part of a twisted agenda.
With the body count rising, Rena and her team race to stop the killer before they strike again. Tensions mount with the arrival of new forensic pathologist Dr. Lucas Mann—bringing both friction and unexpected chemistry—as they work together to outwit a murderer who always seems one step ahead.
Open to Death intricately combines themes of murder, betrayal, and the unyielding quest for justice, all while subtly developing a slow-burn romance.
Pre-Order Links:Amazon US | UK

About the AuthorSophie Mattis is a British mystery author known for her suspenseful, character-driven stories that keep readers turning pages. Born and raised in the UK, she writes contemporary mysteries featuring complex investigators, layered intrigue, touches of romance, and flashes of humour. When she’s not plotting her next twist, Sophie enjoys travelling, cycling, and curling up with a good crime drama.
Follow her on her socials at: @sophiemattisbooks
Author Links:Website | Goodreads | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram

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A trio of reckless and impulsive young people devise risky car accidents to collect insurance blood money, get caught up in the seamy underworld of crime and auto insurance fraud and suffer the nightmarish descent as events spiral out of control…

 

CRASHERSAuthor: Lindy S. HudisPublisher: Project X PublishingPages: 269Genre: Crime ThrillerFormat: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited
Book Description:How far would you go to get rich?
What if you were desperate? What if you were completely out of options? Would you cut in front of a sparkling, new Mercedes on the busy L.A. freeway and slam on the brakes? What if it were that easy?

Enter the world of Crashers…

The con is simple: Get in a car accident. Collect the insurance blood money. What could go wrong? That’s what Shari believed when she found herself in dire need of cash. When she meets the sexy and mysterious Bryce, the teaches her all about how to be a “capper.”

Soon, Shari realizes that by staging more of these accidents, she’ll have more money than she knows what to do with.

But as she becomes more and more obsessed with her strange new world, she discovers there’s no such thing as easy money. And what started out as a simple payout soon turns into a deadly game.

Read sample here.

Crashers is available at Amazon and is currently in film development with Face 2 Face productions.

 

Book Excerpt

For KXXX TV and KXXX AM Radio News, this is Katie Carlson with your mid-morning eye-in-the-sky traffic report, and it’s an easy one: It’s messed up EVERYWHERE! So far, the 405 South is backed up all the way to the 101. So, if you are going into Hollywood this morning, you are going to be late for that audition. Also, there is an injury crash on the Eastbound 10. So, if you are heading into downtown LA, you might want to bring a magazine or get some knitting done. If you are going to LAX, forget it, call mom back east and tell her you will be driving out instead. Just Kidding! Any way, this is Katie Carlson with the Los Angeles mid-morning traffic report. Enjoy your commute everybody, NOT!

* * *

As the blare of the clock radio on the night table jolted her awake, Shari  Barnes rubbed her eyes, blew her long brown hair out of her face, and snuggled into Nathan Townsend’s chest. She curled her body around his middle and took a deep whiff of his salty, masculine neck.

But she couldn’t ignore the voice on the radio.

“Monday morning traffic,” she sighed.

Nathan matched the sigh and put his arms around her. “At least you don’t have to drive over the hill.”

“Yeah, I would just die if I had to drive into Beverly Hills every day to work in a beautiful office.” Shari giggled and disappeared under their thick blue comforter for a few more moments of sleepy-headed bliss. She felt Nathan stretch up, and a moment later the radio shut off. Then he slid down next to her in the single bed they shared in their Studio City apartment, a few blocks north of Ventura Boulevard. The constant drone and rumble of another L.A. morning came clearly through the open window: cars honking, rock music blaring, the frantic scurrying sounds of the film shoot a few blocks away. Shari ran her bare feet up the inside of Nathan’s thigh.

He jumped. “Shit, your feet are cold.” He pushed her legs off of him.

“What time is it?” she murmured between kisses.

“Um, seven.” He nuzzled her neck and she felt him becoming erect against her.

“No time for that!” She threw off the covers. “Gotta be at work on time for once; gotta get my asp out of bed.”

“There’s a snake in the bed?” Nathan grabbed her with both hands and gave her belly gentle nips.

“Yeah, of the one-eyed variety.” Shari leaped to the floor and padded naked into the bathroom. She turned the hot water in the shower to high and stepped in, filling the small bathroom with steam.

She had just poured a green drop of shampoo into her palm and was running her hands together when the flimsy yellow and white shower curtain flew back and Nathan grinned in at her. She smiled back, surprised by neither his arrival nor the partial hard-on that preceded him.

“Mind if we join you?” he asked.

“There’s enough shampoo for everybody,” Shari said as she rubbed her hands across her scalp.

He stepped into the stall, pulled the curtain closed and began to lather her hair for her. She put her hands on his back, feeling the taut muscles and the water streaming there, but did not reach down between them. It took him about five seconds to realize it and hold her away.

“You okay?”

“Fine….”

“Don’t lie; I can always tell when you have something on your mind.”

“You know me better than I know me,” she said.

“You know it.” He pushed her wet hair over her shoulders. “Come on, give.”

“I was thinking maybe I should get a second job.”

“You’re worrying about money again?”

“Well, I have to shoot my student thesis film this year or I won’t graduate. But where am I going to get the money I need?”

“How much do you need?”

“At least five figures.”

– Excerpted from Crashers by Lindy S. Hudis, Project X Publishing, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Lindy S. Hudis is an award winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City.
She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld – A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime, mystery series.
In addition, she has written several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”.
Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including ‘Best Short Film’ at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
She is also an actress, having appeared in the indie film Expressionism, the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children” , “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film “Indecent Proposal” . She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
Author Links:Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | Goodreads | | YouTube 

 Sponsored By:

The Sweetest GetawayAuthor: Sasha PrestonPublication Date: August 26th, 2025Genre: Adult Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Book Description:Jennifer used to be a wholesome daydreamer who’d never broken a law in her life.
In a moment of weakness, she lets her roommate, Nari, rope her into a money-making scheme that isn’t exactly…legal.
How could she have known that stealing from bad guys would be so much fun?
Soon, Jennifer is so busy leading a double life that she barely has time to fantasize about the hot, dimpled stranger she met at one of Nari’s parties.
Everything is going smoothly, until someone rats them out to the cops.
Now, Jennifer and Nari need help from a team of seasoned criminals to pull off a heist that’ll either set them up for life…or get them locked up for a very long time.
Can Jennifer find a path to happily ever after that doesn’t include an ugly prison jumpsuit?
There’s only one way to find out…
The Sweetest Getaway is a no spice, cozy heist novel with laughs, a diverse cast, and the smartest heroines since Ocean’s 8. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction and crime capers. Get it today for a criminally good time.
On sale for $2.99 for a limited time!
Buy Links: Amazon US  | UK | Kobo | Apple Books | Google Play Books | B&N
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Stalled Descent(DAG Team Series, #4)Author: Kel O’ConnorPublication Date: August 25th 2025Genre: Adult Romance / Suspense / Thriller
Book Description:A man forced to work for the enemy and a woman on the run from her past…
For years, ace pilot Archie McKinley has been living a double life. Now that his role as a mole within DAG has been exposed, he has one chance to make things right: take down Elliot Essa, the man who’s held him captive with threats and manipulation for over a decade.
To infiltrate the impenetrable Red Winter compound, Archie needs help from the team he deceived and the one person who truly knows him—Meret Shahid, his childhood partner-in-crime turned photographer. The girl who once earned the nickname “the Imp” in their small Iranian village might be his only shot at redemption. But Meret has her own demons from Red Winter, and returning to the organization she barely escaped could cost her everything.
As Archie grapples with guilt over his betrayal and his growing feelings for Meret, they must navigate new threats, uneasy alliances, and shocking revelations. The mission is clear: destroy Red Winter’s empire and free the innocent families trapped within it.
But the price of redemption may be higher than either of them is willing to pay.
This book is a full-length romance with a happy ending. It is part of a 4-book interconnected series where each book features a different couple.
This is a steamy romance for readers 18+
Buy Links: Amazon US  | UK
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ProtopiaAuthor: John CaliaPublication Date: May 15th, 2025Genre: Adult Dystopian Thriller
Book Description:America’s cultural divide turns deadly.
When lifelong friends Olivia and Alexandra find themselves in opposing camps, the bonds of their friendship are tested like never before.
Olivia seeks solace in a socialist utopia that promises protection and belonging, but at what cost?
Meanwhile, Alexandra chases freedom. But can she survive in a community with few, if any, rules?
As their worlds collide and tensions escalate, secrets and lies threaten to destroy the foundation of their relationship.
Can they bridge the gap between them, or will their differences tear them apart forever?
In this gripping tale of loyalty, adventure, and human connection, the stakes are higher than ever. Protopia is a thought-provoking thrill ride that explores the power of friendship in a world on the brink.
If you devour the complex characters of Emily St. John Mandel or the visionary world-building of Octavia Butler, you’ll be captivated by this latest masterpiece by the author of the Amazon best-seller The Awakening of Artemis.
Buy Links: Amazon US  | UK
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Mr. Not Your Savior!(The Seattle Svenssons, #2)Author: Alina JacobsPublication Date: August 5th, 2025Genre: Adult Comedy / Contemporary Romance
Book Description:When your mean boss asks you if you’re ready to admit defeat—and move out of his car…you wonder where you went wrong in life.
Two weeks ago, I was an optimistic office girl with a Pinterest vision board and a dream.
Now? I’m standing in a billionaire’s penthouse office, trying not to throw a donut at his smug, perfect face.
McCarthy Svensson is my new boss-slash-personal tormentor.
Though he thinks he’s my only protector.
He’s wrong. He’s way worse than the merry-go-round of ex fiancés who may or may not be stalking me, including ex-fiancé number one of three, who fakes his death then pops up out of a casket. Alive.
Yes, I have a messy dating life.I like to think it makes me unique and quirky!He doesn’t seem to think so.
When he growls, “I’m not helping you until you admit you need me,” I slam a binder against his chest and smile sweetly.
“Pick your fake girlfriend, buddy. Deadline’s midnight.”
He smirks. “As long as she’s nothing like you.”Cool.Now all I have to do is convince this ice-cold bastard that I’m exactly what he needs…No not like that! I’m trying to save his reputation and my job.
And I’m not saving either if I keep letting him finger me in the back seat of his limo…gulp.
Stalkers, hot but toxic bosses, a granny with a flamethrower… This full-length, stand-alone, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy with all of the crazy laughs and of course the perfect happily ever after!
Buy Links: Amazon US  | UK
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