Payback (2015) 978-1-4328-3112-7
Wife and mother Marta Crawford is away on business when she stops at the hotel bar after a particularly difficult day. There she meets the charming Todd Wilson and, much to her dismay, wakes up the next morning in his bed. Filled with remorse and regret, she tells Todd she's made a terrible mistake and flees, hoping to put her reckless behavior behind her.

But Todd isn't willing to let go. To her dismay, he worms his way into all corners of her life, befriending her husband and her business partner and seducing her teenage daughter, Jamie. Marta knows there is only one way to stop Todd and save her daughter.

Payback is a frightening and emotionally gripping tale of deception, determination, and love.

"This taut psychological thriller holds the reader with its gripping portrayal of a woman determined to save her family at any cost."
–Booklist

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Lying With Strangers (2013) 978-1-4328-2731-1
Lying With Strangers is the provocative story of two very different women and the tragic event that brings them together, opening the door to second chances.

Against her better judgment, Chloe Henderson becomes the unwitting accomplice to a murder committed by her boyfriend. The victim's grief-stricken wife is shocked to discover the lies and secrets her husband has kept from her.

When her young son plows into Chloe with his bike, the women's lives become entwined in ways neither of them could have imagined. Joel Richards, an enthusiastic young journalist covering recent developments in an old murder, has his own reasons for being interested in the victim, and in Chloe.

"(Jacobs') plotting is clever and well executed, and her characters are complex and surprising, especially as they consider life choices and contemplate the possibility for redemption. A very fine mystery novel and a great choice for book clubs."
-Booklist, starred review

"Lying With Strangers is a surefire page turning suspense thriller by a great storyteller."
-Midwest Review

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Paradise Falls (2012) 978-1-5941-5378-5
Fifteen-year-old Caitlin Whittington, last seen waiting for a ride home from school, is the second girl in Paradise Falls to disappear in five months.  Fears grow that she won't be the last as the town begins to suspect a serial killer might be loose.

With her daughter's disappearance, Grace Whittington makes some surprising and unsettling discoveries about her stepson, Adam.  When she uncovers information that seems to implicate him, the fault lines of a happily blended family crack wide open.

The case falls to Detective Rayna Godwin, who is hampered by memories of her own murdered daughter and the suspicion that there is more to the string of unsolved disappearances than meets the eye.  When her ex-lover, FBI agent Jack Cody, is called in against Rayna's wishes, her job becomes even more difficult.

And Adam, scared and stung by the distrust of those closest to him, is afraid to speak the truth.

Paradise Falls is the riveting and provocative tale of a family torn apart by divided loyalties and a dedicated detective who meets her worst fears head on.  The razor sharp twists and turns will hold readers captive until its final, explosive conclusion.

"Details of police procedure, fast pacing, and multiple plot twists keep the pages turning in a story with well-drawn, sympathetic characters and a heartrending take on the horror of the loss of a child."
-Library Review

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The Only Suspect (2005) 978-0-7860-1669-3
Dr. Sam Russell's trial for the murder of his first wife ended in a hung jury.  Now his second wife is missing and Sam has no memory of the night she disappeared.  Detective Hannah Montgomery knows the husband is always suspect, but as she investigates, she discovers that Sam's wife has secrets of her own.

"Putting people you might meet any day into situations you can barely imagine gives Jacobs's latest tingler some powerful momentum." 
-Kirkus, starred review

"Highly entertaining and suspenseful, with an extra layer of depth."
-Booklist

"A topnotch page-turner."
-Chicago Sun Times

"Bedside reading at its best—but don't expect to get any sleep until you finish it."
–Chicago Tribune

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In this novella addition to the best-selling Kali O'Brien legal mystery series, attorney Kali O'Brien takes on the case of a young widow accused of murdering her much older, and very wealthy, husband. As evidence mounts and other possible suspects are eliminated, Kali's doubts about her client's innocence grow. As if that weren't troubling enough, Kali is also grappling with her feelings for long time boyfriend Detective Bryce Keating.

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"Kali's eighth case explores complex human attachments through a sharply focused plot that unfolds with beautifully controlled momentum."
-Kirkus, starred review

"Jacobs deftly juggles a large cast and a multilayered plot while compassionately depicting Kali's struggle with family issues."
-Publishers Weekly

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Intent to Harm (2003) 978-0-7860-1618-3
Following the murder of her mysterious new client, Kali is drawn into the tangle of an old murder and a missing young woman.

"Satisfyingly surprising conclusion."
-Booklist

"Intent to Harm is an excellent investigative thriller, with rapid and suspenseful pacing, a likable heroine, and great secondary characters. Never mind John Grisham; read Jonnie Jacobs instead."
-Chicago Sun

"Jacobs has a keen sense of pacing and a terrific ear for dialogue, and Kali O'Brien is a complex and sympathetic protagonist. Find a comfortable chair, plan to stay up late and enjoy the ride." -Sheldon Siegel, New York Times bestselling author

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Cold Justice (2002) 978-0-7860-1543-8
Kali is asked to join the D.A.'s office in the investigation of new murders bearing the signature of the Bayside Strangler, a serial killer Kali helped convict eight years earlier.

"The pace is fast, the mystery difficult to solve, the twisting plot delivers frequent adrenaline jolts, and the characters are uniformly well developed..."
-Booklist

"A thrill ride that gives readers Kali O'Brien at her best."
-Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

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Witness for the Defense (2001) 978-1-57566-828-9
When a controversial talk-show host claims paternity, a simple adoption becomes a high-profile murder trial involving Kali in ways she hadn't imagined.

"Jacobs has a knack for pacing and making the law suspenseful and compelling."
-Booklist

"...swift pacing, multiple motives and twisting plot lines will satisfy and keep readers guessing."
-Publishers Weekly

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Motion to Dismiss (1999) 978-1-57566-543-3
When a friend's husband is accused of rape, Kali agrees to defend him—and finds herself enmeshed in deceit, betrayal and murder.

"A sizzling page-turner jam-packed with tense courtroom drama and nail-biting suspense... A must read..."
-Booklist

"The best of Jacobs' novels to date."
-Kirkus Reviews

"Jacobs is a master storyteller. Her plot is intricate and compelling."
-The Piedmont Post

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Evidence of Guilt (1997) 978-1-57566-279-5
While defending an uncooperative client charged in the grisly murder of a woman and her young daughter, Kali uncovers a tangle of dangerous secrets—as well as a mysterious link to a long-ago tragedy.

"Slick, fact-paced and cleverly plotted ... gripping entertainment from start to finish."
-Booklist

"A confident, classic whodunit with a smart sleuth."
-San Jose Mercury News

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Shadow of Doubt (1996) 978-1-57566-797-5
(San Francisco Chronicle bestseller)
Despite her doubts, Kali agrees to help a childhood friend accused of murder, but she hadn't counted on the missing teenage girl and the envelope of incriminating photos—or the need to confront her own past.

"Jacobs writes with a sure sense of character."
-Publishers Weekly

"A great, engrossing read. You won't want to put if down until the final page."
-Rendezvous

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Murder Among Strangers (2000) 978-1-57566-647-2
Kate has trouble walking away from people in need, a bit that has landed her in some tight spots. Now it's the narrow confines of a murderer's car trunk.

"Jacobs provides more than a few breathtaking surprises before wrapping up this heart-pounding story."
-Publishers Weekly

"Gripping and dramatic... propels the author into new territory."
-The Contra Costa Times

"...elements of traditional cozies melded with the carefully detailed police procedural"
-Library Journal

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Murder Among Us (1998) 978-1-57566-398-8
The overlapping threads of two murders lead Kate from Cybersex to love sonnets, from a clandestine research project to the deepest of family secrets, and ultimately threaten Kate and those she loves.

"A polished, entertaining mystery that is also thought-provoking."
-Chicago Tribune

"This fine mystery is buoyed by rich characterization and a gripping plot."
-Publishers Weekly

"A facile mix of sleuthing and police procedure."
-Library Journal

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Murder Among Friends (1995) 978-0-7582-0098-6
Was Mona Sterling's death really a suicide? And who was that strange man lurking near Anna's school? As Kate searches for answers, she runs head-on into the unsavory side of suburban living.

"Jonnie Jacobs has taken the suburban mystery to new heights... well plotted and great fun."
-The Tulsa World

"Not to be missed."
-The Montclarion

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Murder Among Neighbors (1994) 978-1-57566-275-2
When her neighbor and fellow car-pooler is strangled, Kate finds herself drawn into the search for the killer—and a web of steamy secrets she'd be safer not knowing.

"Jacobs evokes the suburban milieu with tongue in cheek, and litters the story smartly with clues along the way."
-San Francisco Chronicle

"(A) slice of suburban life... with a dollop of romance and a twist of suspense... An entertaining debut."
-Publishers Weekly

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