Ellie Kline Series by Mary Stone, Donna Berdel

Say the words...In a dark basement, a cold-blooded killer pits friend against friend, torturing one until the other says the horrible words that will end their friend’s suffering. He’s gotten away with murder for years. Until now...Ellie Kline can’t remember most of her kidnapping when she was fifteen, but that night has shaped her life. Instead of cowering, that horrible night made her strong... moreSay the words...In a dark basement, a cold-blooded killer pits friend against friend, torturing one until the other says the horrible words that will end their friend’s suffering. He’s gotten away with murder for years. Until now...Ellie Kline can’t remember most of her kidnapping when she was fifteen, but that night has shaped her life. Instead of cowering, that horrible night made her strong. Determined to prove herself as a cop despite being heir to the Kline fortune, she never backs down, and she never takes no for an answer. When the daring takedown of a suspect catapults her into the spotlight, it earns her a promotion...and the admiration of a killer.Now a detective assigned to the Cold Case Unit, Ellie is drawn into the mysterious murder of a young, unidentified college-age woman with no missing persons’ report, no leads, and no evidence. Even more shocking is that, while she was tortured extensively, her death was quick. But as Ellie delves deeper, she discovers a startling connection between the woman found dismembered in a park and another Jane Doe case. Is there more?As hazy memories of her own past begin to surface, it’s not only her family and the brass at Charleston PD who are watching her every move. Someone lurks in the shadows, ready to kill if Ellie’s journey into history gets too close to the cold truth. less

Hunt or be hunted...On a farm in the backwoods of Charleston, South Carolina, a hunter stalks prey—the two legged kind. And it’s not the first time. New players have emerged in the underground human trafficking ring lurking in the shadows of the dignified city, ramping up the stakes... moreHunt or be hunted...On a farm in the backwoods of Charleston, South Carolina, a hunter stalks prey—the two legged kind. And it’s not the first time. New players have emerged in the underground human trafficking ring lurking in the shadows of the dignified city, ramping up the stakes.Coming off the high of solving her first case as a Charleston PD detective, Ellie Kline has linked several Cold Cases together, leading her to the chilling discovery that a serial killer has been watching her for years. Details from the night she was kidnapped when she was fifteen are surfacing, but not fast enough. The man whose voice she still hears in her head is a brutal killer, one responsible for countless murders of women. She has to find him, stop him.Assigned to a new John Doe cold case, Ellie is surprised to also find evidence of a missing woman. Suspicions that her beloved city of Southern charm is the center of an ever swirling circle of human trafficking become all too real.When a lead takes her into the darkest parts of the internet, she’s one step closer to solving her own abduction. Ellie’s case will take her on a cold and dangerous hunt that leads her to a truth no one could have predicted. less

Monsters hide in the dark until it’s time to feed.Puppets. Toys. That’s all his captives are to him. He’s the master, the one in complete control, and he’s planning on recreating the night he kidnapped Ellie when she was fifteen.Ellie Kline’s life has never been the same since that night thirteen years ago. Now a detective in the Cold Case Division of Charleston Police Department, she’s compiled a mountain of evidence against a dirty detective, revealing betrayal within the department... moreMonsters hide in the dark until it’s time to feed.Puppets. Toys. That’s all his captives are to him. He’s the master, the one in complete control, and he’s planning on recreating the night he kidnapped Ellie when she was fifteen.Ellie Kline’s life has never been the same since that night thirteen years ago. Now a detective in the Cold Case Division of Charleston Police Department, she’s compiled a mountain of evidence against a dirty detective, revealing betrayal within the department. Determined to reveal the truth, Ellie enlists the help of her best friend, CPD file clerk Jillian Reed, to help her prove she’s not just paranoid.But as the anniversary of the day she escaped a serial killer nears, the murderous villain is coming to finish what he started. She beat him once before, and when he takes someone close to her, she has to hope she can outplay him again.This time, she’s not a child. And the master is only a man. less

It’s judgment day...Charleston police detective Ellie Kline has been skating on thin ice since she overrode protocol to stop the Cupid Killer. But when a former drug dealer turned family man is knifed to death, her new boss pulls her in on the case.The new lead detective is convinced it’s just another gang-related murder. But this was intimate. Savage. Personal. And exactly like the homicide of another low-level gang member who’d recently been released from prison... moreIt’s judgment day...Charleston police detective Ellie Kline has been skating on thin ice since she overrode protocol to stop the Cupid Killer. But when a former drug dealer turned family man is knifed to death, her new boss pulls her in on the case.The new lead detective is convinced it’s just another gang-related murder. But this was intimate. Savage. Personal. And exactly like the homicide of another low-level gang member who’d recently been released from prison.There’s a vigilante out there, and he’s not finished crossing names off his list.Ellie is determined to find the connection between the two victims before the case gets shoved to the backburner and a possible serial killer roams free. But as her own emotional state spirals out of control, Ellie must face her own demons before she loses everything—and everyone—she loves.The stakes have never been higher than they are in Cold Judgment, the eleventh book in Mary Stone’s bestselling Ellie Kline Series. Justice will be served...one way or another.Scroll up to grab your copy today! less

On a crash course with death.Ellie Kline’s return to the world of crime investigation is heralded by two unexpected texts. The first bears unsettling news from her mother...a family friend has been found dead under mysterious circumstances. Was it an accident, suicide, or foul play?Before Ellie can process this family tragedy, the second text arrives, jolting her back into professional mode... moreOn a crash course with death.Ellie Kline’s return to the world of crime investigation is heralded by two unexpected texts. The first bears unsettling news from her mother...a family friend has been found dead under mysterious circumstances. Was it an accident, suicide, or foul play?Before Ellie can process this family tragedy, the second text arrives, jolting her back into professional mode. The Charleston Police Department, grappling with a case that could shake the city’s upper crust, lifts Ellie’s suspension but pairs her with a partner to investigate the case.A lone ranger at heart, Ellie isn’t pleased.But as a scion of a respected family, Ellie’s deep roots in Charleston’s elite circles make her the perfect choice to untangle the web surrounding one of their own’s tragic end. Embarking on a journey through the labyrinth of high society, Ellie’s search for the truth yields more questions than answers. Each interview leads to frustrating dead ends.And more dead bodies.With the line between ally and enemy blurring, Ellie’s quest for the truth turns into a race against a killer determined to keep the past buried.A killer’s vendetta turns eerily personal in Cold Crash, the thirteenth book of Mary Stone’s best-selling Ellie Kline series, thrusting Ellie into a deadly game where skeletons don’t just lurk in closets—they lie in wait. less