• Shop
My Account
  • Register
  • Login
Header Logo
You are here: Products The Fairest of Them by Heather Osborne
Cover image of the book
Cover image of the book

The Fairest of Them by Heather Osborne

Once upon a time, there was a murder…

Rae Hatting returns in her first, full-length novel, “The Fairest of Them.”

Detective Luke Thompson is a hero cop, with a string of solved serial killer cases under his belt. He comes to California, thinking he can disappear quietly into the forests, isolated from the rest of the world. His expertise is called upon to help with a mysterious serial killer, dumping bodies dressed like fairy tale characters in the woods outside of Mendocino County. With the help of a profiler, Luke finally gets the break he needs, as well as finding romance for himself. Tragedy strikes, and Luke is left despondent, unable to carry on as a detective. Can a fiery redhead from the FBI help him out of the slump?

Determined to leave the life of solving unsolvable homicides behind, Special Agent Rae Hatting tries to settle into a normal life with her adopted daughter, Grace. However, her reputation precedes her, and Rae finds herself back in the fray, called upon to help solve a series of gruesome fairy tale style murders in California. Her only obstacle is Detective Luke Thompson. Broody, stubborn, and an all-around pain in the ass, the pair must work together before another victim ends up never finding their happily ever after.

SKU: B00Y1JJO9E Category: Romantic Comedy Tags: Rae Hatting Mysteries, romance suspense, serial killer, series
  • Description
  • Reviews (0)

Description

Find more from this author on:

Buy this book on Amazon
Amazon
Author's Website
Author Site
Find this book on Goodreads
GoodReads
Find this author on Facebook
Facebook
Find this author on Twitter
Twitter


About the author:

Heather Osborne was born and raised in California. She has a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Victimology, as well as coursework in Early Childhood Education. In 2009, she met her husband and moved to Scotland, very much a dream of hers since she was a small child. Heather has been writing short stories for as long as she can remember. She also has written and directed several plays. In her spare time, Heather enjoys reading, writing (of course!), theatre, as well as caring for her young son. She also reviews for Readers’ Favorite.

What inspired you to write your book?

I had always been interested in working on novels involving serial killers. I came up with the fairy tale killer idea some time ago, but after I published the first Rae Hatting Mystery, “Crushed Gardenias,” I decided to continue the series.

Here is a short sample from the book:

The trail led to a clearing surrounded by redwood trees. They provided shade from the harsh afternoon July sun, their shadows dancing on the ground. In the very center of the ring, a woman lay, her hands folded over her abdomen. Blonde ringlets framed her face and her vivid blue eyes were wide open, staring blankly into the abyss. The slender form was draped in a pink dress with lace accents at the sleeves. Over it, she wore a stark white pinafore. Hikers had stumbled on the eerily staged scene in MacKerricher State Park, and called in the authorities.
Yellow crime tape was wound around the statuesque trees. It was as if they were standing guard, tall and silent. Upon closer investigation, a slim book was discovered, poking out of the pocket of the starched pinafore. It was quickly bagged and tagged as evidence before the body, carefully sealed in a black bag, was transported to the coroner’s office. I remember turning my face upwards, gazing at the majestic trees and wishing they could talk. If they could, my job would have been infinitely easier.
I had come to the small town in Mendocino County, California, early in 2003 with no intentions of taking up another job on the force. My legacy was safely tucked away in Dallas, Texas, after I solved a series of prostitute rapes and mutilations. The newspapers lauded me as a hero. The whole situation made me feel completely sick, not good for a detective. We were meant to be impartial and I found myself blaming the working girls I had so often warned about the dangers of streetwalking.
The circumstances leading me to resuming a position as a detective with the sheriff’s department were not something I wished to discuss with anyone. I would simply change the topic when brought up in conversation. I supposed that it was some sort of calling, unable to let me rest until I helped as many people as possible.
I drove back to the station, radio off, the red-taped evidence bag taunting me on the passenger seat. I knew what it contained, but I was reluctant to confirm it. I turned the bag over to the technicians at the lab and returned to my office with an off-hand reminder to let me know what they found. The book would be swabbed, submitted to latent fingerprint testing, and returned to my desk with the same report as last time: no conclusive trace evidence found. As I predicted, it’s what happened. I retrieved the book, setting it down on my desk in the plastic covering.
Snapping on a pair of latex gloves, I ran my hand over the leather cover. It was a first edition, like the rest. I carefully cracked the cover and the black print stood out on the creamy ivory paper: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Beneath it, penned in perfect cursive were the words: She should not have taken what did not belong to her. I slammed the book shut in frustration. The taunts were becoming more and more specific as time went on.
Throwing the gloves in my trashcan, I decided to take a walk and see if Dr. Sabine Lawson had found anything on the body. The glimmer of hope had long since faded that she actually would. The curvy, African-American coroner was meticulous in her reports, so I doubted she would be even down to the woman’s breasts at this point. I had to do something to settle my nerves, though, or I would snap.
The squeak of the metal swinging doors signaled my entry into the disinfectant-scented room. I grinned at the sight of Sabine in her element. She wore her hair in narrow braids, pulled back in a no-nonsense ponytail. Her skin was the color of coffee with cream. There were many days I lusted after Sabine, but she made it clear to me from day one she was committed to her job. There was no room for “torrid affairs with wild cowboys,” as she put it.
“Whatcha got for me, Doc?” I went through the motions of putting on another pair of gloves to avoid Sabine’s scowl.
“Nothing yet and you know it. You’re restless, cher.” The drawl of her New Orleans accent came out like liquid silk.
I leaned against the counter and watched her work. “Damn straight. I can’t wrap my head around this guy. He was sticking to the classics and now this jump. Why Goldilocks?”
Sabine was used to listening to my ramblings and offering her interpretations. “Perhaps, she merely fit the profile of that character.”
“He’s not like that though. He plans this all to the letter. Every detail. Stalks these women for weeks!” I jiggled my leg anxiously. The change in the killer’s modus operandi rattled me more than it should.
“Calm yourself.” She began to speak into a microphone positioned above her work station.
“Female victim appears roughly 20 to 25 years of age based on bone development and pelvic placement. She has never given birth. There are signs of sexual trauma, but no ligature marks on her wrists or ankles. A small needle mark indicates that the victim may have been drugged. Sending a sample of blood and urine to the lab for further analysis.”
I interrupted her. “No trace of semen, I take it?”
She frowned at me. “No, like the others.” Sabine carefully made her opening incision in the abdomen of the victim and drew back the flesh. She busied herself with the remainder of her work, and I knew I was dismissed without her saying so. Pinging the gloves into a bin by the door, I walked out

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “The Fairest of Them by Heather Osborne” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related products

Prev Next
  • Big Bad Wolf (in the Dangerous Dozen Boxed Set) by Gennita Low

    0 out of 5

    Out of the Darkness

    Killian Nicholas Langley has spent most of his life as a member of a covert team, living in the shadows, working among people who accept danger as part of their lives. When an explosion nearly took his life, he thought he'd do well in construction, hiding among the transients, keeping a low profile. However, he hadn't expected a boss quite like Jaymee Barrows.

    Into the Sunlight

    Jaymee Barrows knew the tall, dark stranger with clean hands and smart mouth looking for a job wasn't a roofer. He was going to be trouble…just like the big bad wolf. Best to stay far, far away from him. But the more he got to know Jaymee, the more Killian was intrigued by his new boss. She had secrets he wanted to know about. Her light tempted the darkness in his life. And after tasting her, he wanted more….

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Reverb by J. Cafesin

    0 out of 5

    James Whren is brilliant, beautiful, rich, and taken—with his genius for creating music. Desired by many, he commits to no one but his muse. On the eve of his brother’s funeral his father shatters his life, and James is left abandoned in hell with no one real to save him.

    Until Elisabeth, and her son, Cameron.

    Reverb is a love story, a psychological thriller paced with romantic suspense. Spun from The Magus (John Fowles), also about a man who learns to love someone other than himself, and way beyond 50 Shades of Gray (E.L. James), Reverb is told like Crime and Punishment, modern, tight, dark, edgy verging on sharp. It’s like nothing you’ve read, guaranteed.

    5/5 Stars / Top Pick! “This is one of those stories that pulls you in immediately and has you frantically turning the pages to see what happens next.”–Diana Coyle, Night Owl Reviews

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    The Secret History of Hatty Ha Ha … begins by S M Mala

    0 out of 5

    Hatty lives on an island in the Caribbean and is afraid of mosquitoes and the sea. She longs for friendship, love and the truth about her history. But nothing is easy for her and she is constantly met with a wall of silence and a general sneer from some of the locals.

    But when Jake visits his father Murray, who is also Hatty’s secret guardian, the young couple are instantly attracted to each other. He realizes there is a tale about this young woman which is heightened by speculation and gossip about her background… stories regarding her parents, his father and her.

    But unknowingly the young couple’s lives are closely intertwined and their bodies do the same, as the heat of the tropical sun is transferred to their lust for one another.

    There are too many secrets being hidden about her life and slowly but surely, each one is discovered, only hurting the people around until something is revealed making Hatty doubt her very existence.

    A mysterious and turbulent sexual tale of young love, deceit, jealousy and passion mixed in with the conflict of deep rooted prejudices and regret … The Secret History of Hatty Ha Ha … begins.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    DESTROY ME. (The Obsession Series Books 1-3 Complete.) by Laura Bailey

    0 out of 5

    How can someone save you when they threaten to break you in two? My captor, My enemy, My everything. He promises to save me. He tells me to leave while I can. A man as menacing as he is seductive, a man whose touch scorches me, a man whose moments of devotion are more heartbreaking than his callousness. From the moment his eyes held mine I had no choice but to surrender to everything he was; his dark desires, his passion, his strength. A powerful obsession and forbidden needs consume us both. Bound to his dark sexuality, we embark on a battle of wills. He pushes me to the edge. He seeks release in me, momentary escape from the pain and loneliness that fills him. He carries the scars of the haunting legacy of dark secrets. His desires are undeniable, our obsession inevitable, but he doesn’t trust me. Whatever it takes, he says he will protect me… but he will never let me in. He promises to save me. He tells me to let go. We can’t be together. Enemies are like ghosts and what he does for me will either bind us closer…or destroy us completely. (With strong scenes of an explicit sexual nature, this is suitable only for those eighteen and over) An erotic haunting powerful love story, with strong scenes of sexual acts. The Complete ‘Obsession Series,’ featuring ‘Surrender to Me’, ‘Break Me,’ and Part Three, ‘Destroy Me.’

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Masquerade by Hazel Kelly & Chloe Clark

    0 out of 5
    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Love is Underrated First Dose (Man Whore Diaries) by Ryan Krave

    0 out of 5

    Ryan, a 19 year old kid is a nerdy, quiet college student afraid of the world and most importantly, women. Spending his days playing Xbox video games, eating hot Cheetos, and masturbating non-stop to the women he always wished he could be busy fucking, his life is far from complete. One night Ryan comes across an AD on the internet that presents him the option to receive what he truly desires: a life filled with an abundance of pussy. The knowledge and secrets he learns takes him on a new journey to the life of a full-blown man whore that women pursue for sex. However, the secrets Ryan discovers come with a cost and before the life he always fantasized about can become reality he must be willing to give up every part of himself he has become comfortable with.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Double Blind (Vittorio Crime Family #2) by Vanessa Waltz

    0 out of 5

    I’m in so deep that I can’t see the way out.

    The boss of the Rizzo family needs me. I need to get closer to Carmine Lucchesi, a captain in his family. I need to steal information from him. He’s a sweet man, but underneath there’s something damaged, something deranged.

    The boss wants me to leave Vincent, the man I love. End the engagement. I’m with Carmine until he says so. Until I get what he needs.

    Or he’ll kill Vincent. He’ll kill my mother, and Vincent’s mother, and everyone I’ve ever cared about.

    I don’t have a choice. I need to end it with him, even though I love him. Even though it just might kill me.

    Read More
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Passion Patrol 2 by Emma Calin

    0 out of 5

    A sexy aristocrat. A wild-child inner city cop. A crime wave of passion.

    An erotic romance introducing Shannon Aguerri – a sassy police officer heroine who locks up criminals and always gets her man.

    Moved out from the city after one-too-many maverick missions, Shannon discovers there’s more going on in the sleepy country village than meets the eye. The son of a local aristocrat arouses suspicion of drug crime activity… but his widower father arouses more animal instincts!

    Could she really mix with the British royal family? Can she risk her heart and career on yet another high risk unauthorised investigation? Can she get justice for an innocent boy? Dare a kid from the gutter dream of being a countess?

    Another stand-alone story in the Passion Patrol Series of British detective mysteries featuring female sleuths, romantic adventures, thrilling suspense and a touch of humor.

    Please note: This is a sexy romance and contains explicit joyful erotic sex between adults in a consenting relationship as well as strong language in high-stress confrontations with criminals.

    Read More
    Quick View

Book Categories

  • Collections & Anthologies
  • Contemporary
  • Erotica
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Historical Romance
  • Multicultural & Interracial
  • Mystery & Suspense
  • Paranormal
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Science Fiction
  • Time Travel
  • Westerns
  • Romance
  • Author Interviews
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest

Top Rated Products

  • Crashing Into Me by R.L JACKSON
    5.00 out of 5
  • Bad at Love by Emeline Piaget
    5.00 out of 5
  • Captured by Conner Kincaid
    5.00 out of 5
  • Hidden Embers by Jane Burrelli
    5.00 out of 5
  • Driving the Billionaire Boss (An MFMM Menage) by Sienna Crane
    5.00 out of 5

Author Marketing Club

WantonReads.com supports indie authors!

for Authors

  • Submit Your Book
  • Submit an Author Interview
  • Get Featured Placement

for Readers

  • Discover New Books
  • Meet the Authors
  • About WantonReads

Thanks for visiting!

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
© 2017 - WantonReads.com