New Release Books by Misty Simon

Her number is up . . . This Christmas, Tallie Graver would like to take a break from running her cleaning business to be with her boyfriend, Max, and enjoy their first holiday together--alone. Instead, she’s stuck keeping her mother and grandmother from duking it out during the town’s annual Christmas Eve bingo game. As for festive spirit, she’ll have to settle for her mean-spirited Aunt Ronda, whose mouth could use some soap. The night only gets worse after Tallie discovers Ronda’s body. It seems someone cleaned her clock with a can of varnish. While all the evidence points to Ronda’s husband, Tallie doesn’t believe her beloved Uncle Hoagie could do such a dirty deed. Of course, his sudden disappearance doesn’t help his case. If Tallie hopes to clear his name, she’ll need to dig up some dirt to locate the real killer. Otherwise, someone else could get rubbed out . . . Praise for Cremains of the Day “Simon kicks off a new series that combines a bit of humor and romance with a heroine who knows no boundaries while searching for the truth that will keep her out of jail.” –Kirkus Reviews “An amusing new series with an engaging, spirited sleuth.” —Library Journal “You’ll be cheering as the clues pile up in this creative cozy mystery.” —New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

Mel Hargrove is getting married to her fiancé, Becker—on a night when all her relatives, both living and dead, can attend—Halloween. The bride and groom to be are hosting the entire town at their nuptials. And as a treat for the ghosts attached to her junkyard, she is allowing them a night out. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words. Her cousin shows up with an agenda of her own, and the portal between worlds slams shut with a noise loud enough to wake the dead. Mel and Becker must figure out what went wrong and how to sneak in their vows before all Hell breaks loose.

Live and let dust . . . Now that Tallie Graver’s cleaning business is starting to shine, she’s ready to go squeegee to squeegee against Audra McNeal for a major contract at the Astercromb mansion. Tallie’s not afraid of a little friendly competition from the new cleaner in town. In fact, Tallie likes Audra, though she wonders how her glamorous rival manages to clean house and maintain her fancy manicure. Tallie has her rubber-gloves full staying one step ahead of her nemesis. Until she finds a well-polished hand poking out of a rolled-up carpet, rendering her competition . . . dead. Though it lands Tallie the big job, there’s nothing tidy about Audra’s death. So between polishing and scrubbing, Tallie’s determined to find the killer. Hopefully the police chief doesn’t mind her cluttering up his investigation with the filthy dealings she discovers. Turns out Audra was not as squeaky clean as she appeared. And confronting her killer could bring Tallie to a very foul end indeed . . . Praise for Cremains of the Day “Simon kicks off a new series that combines a bit of humor and romance with a heroine who knows no boundaries while searching for the truth that will keep her out of jail.” —Kirkus Reviews “An amusing new series with an engaging, spirited sleuth.” —Library Journal “You’ll be cheering as the clues pile up in this creative cozy mystery.” —New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon

Washing the grime off a window can be very satisfying—until you see a body on the other side . . .“An amusing new series with an engaging, spirited sleuth.” —Library Journal Most housecleaners don’t do windows, but Tallie Graver loves leaving a pane of glass streak-free and sparkling. After a dirty divorce from a filthy-rich jerk, she's started her own cleaning business to make ends meet. On her latest job, prepping a renovated bed and breakfast for a grand re-opening, she's standing outside on a ladder, wiping off a grimy pane, when she spies a man on a bed through the glass. But the B&B isn’t open for business yet—and the man’s not sleeping. Her family owns the Graver Funeral Home, so Tallie knows a corpse when she sees one. The victim is a shady building inspector with a reputation for handing out passing grades for a greased palm. With the local police resistant, Tallie launches her own investigation, before she gets a rep as a town crank. But it’s going to take more than a squirt bottle and a squeegee to clean up this mess. With the help of her gal pal Gina, Tallie searches for a killer’s motive. But she’d better be careful, or it’ll be curtains for this window cleaner . . .

Mel Hargrove sent her father out for one ghost, and he came back with truckloads… Things are rarely simple in the Hargrove junkyard full of wayward ghosts. But when those spirits and the book where she lists their names to keep track of them start acting out more than usual, she knows she has a crisis on her hands. Then everything in the junkyard disappears, including the ghosts attached to the objects. Calls from angry townspeople wondering why she’s returning all their junk clue her in to where everything is but not why. Come to find out, it’s all a big distraction created by a vicious ghost her father brought home without realizing it. Now it’s a race against time as Mel tries to figure out the ghost’s end game before all hell (literally) breaks loose.

A “down-to-earth heroine” juggles working at her family’s funeral home and digging for clues to the murder of her best friend’s ex (Kirkus Reviews). Best friends Tallie Graver and Gina Laudermilch both seem to spend a lot of time around urns. For Tallie, they’re part and parcel of the family business, Graver’s Funeral Home. Even though she’s traded ashes for dusting with her own cleaning business, she still works part-time for her folks and lives above the funeral parlor. But for Gina, they’re the vessels that contain her heavenly brew at her coffee shop, Bean There, Done That. And both women are learning that owning a business can make finding time for romance challenging. But when Gina’s new beau turns out to have a wife, who barges into the coffee shop to take him home, she can’t contain her bitterness and loudly threatens to poison his cup or boil him in a vat of coffee. So when Mr. Wrong turns up dead at the bottom of a staircase inside Gina’s locked home, she finds herself at the top of the police’s suspect list. Tallie needs to sweep in to save her friend. But she’ll need to watch her step, or she may go from being a funeral home employee to becoming their next client . . . “An amusing new series with an engaging, spirited sleuth.” —Library Journal

All Died Out Mel Hargrove sent her father out for one ghost, and he came back with truckloads. Things are rarely simple in the Hargrove junkyard full of wayward ghosts. But when those spirits and the book where she lists their names to keep track of them start acting out more than usual, she knows she has a crisis on her hands. I Wear My Ghost Goggles at Night Mel Hargrove has one mission tonight--to formally invite her dead relatives to her upcoming wedding. But when a new menace arrives on the scene, taking her ghostly friends hostage and trying to run roughshod over her business, there's only one thing for Mel to do--call in the troops and go to war, right after she deals with her irritating grandmother. Ghost Just Want to Have Fun Mel Hargrove is getting married to her fiancé, Becker--on a night when all her relatives, both living and dead, can attend--Halloween. As a treat for the ghosts attached to her junkyard, she is allowing them a night out. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words. Her cousin shows up with an agenda of her own, and the portal between worlds slams shut with a noise loud enough to wake the dead. Mel and Becker must figure out what went wrong and how to sneak in their vows before all Hell breaks loose.

There’s no reverse on the hearse . . . “You’ll be cheering as the clues pile up in this creative cozy mystery.” —Lynn Cahoon, New York Times bestselling author of Murder in Waiting For Tallulah Graver, marrying wealthy Waldo Phillips seemed like the best way out of the family business, the Graver Funeral Home. But when her marriage falls apart and Tallie is left with next to nothing, she turns to cleaning houses to make ends meet. As humbling as it is to tidy the mansions of the snobby socialites she used to call friends, at least she doesn't have to be around dead bodies. Until . . . She discovers one of her employers lying in a closet with a knife sticking out of her chest. This unpleasant shock seems to be part of a web of weird experiences: Her friend’s shop is broken into, her ex is stun-gunned where it hurts the most, and now she’s receiving flowers from the dead woman. Granted the deliveryman is handsome, but seriously, that’s enough to cast a pall over anyone’s day. Now Tallie needs to dig deep to clean up this mess—before she finds herself in a grave situation. “Simon kicks off a new series that combines a bit of humor and romance with a heroine who knows no boundaries while searching for the truth that will keep her out of jail.” —Kirkus Reviews

They’ve faced a crazy ghost and a madwoman, gained new friends, and sent foes to their final resting place, but Mel Hargrove and her boyfriend Becker are not sure what to do with this new situation. Every year Mel takes a reliable (and portable) ghost to do a routine bad-mojo cleaning for a lovely woman who lives in town, and all goes well until she comes out to the car and finds a new, unknown ghost sitting in her back seat. How can she be just roaming around unattached to any object, unlike any ghosts Mel knows? Is she a brand-new ghost? Where did she come from? And why is she singing a theme song from an ’80s television show? Mel and Becker will have to find the answers — and the dead girl’s body — before it’s too late to help this lost maiden-ghost in distress.

Things at the ghostly junkyard have calmed down since Mel Hargrove and her boyfriend, Becker, destroyed a nasty ghost bent on mischief and mayhem. So when Becker brings a stray dog to her house, one that seems to understand far more than it should and might have brought along a ghostly friend, she is not exactly happy. A junkyard full of ghosts is no place for a pet — or for ghosts she can’t see or talk to. She tries everything she has in her arsenal to get answers, but time is running out when she finally realizes what they’re up against. No amount of hairspray, jelly shoes, or lace gloves is going to get her out of a confrontation that threatens not only her home but possibly her very life.

Absolutely No Returns or Exchanges Years ago Jocelyn Moreland fled to Kissinger with a broken heart. When she’s asked to choreograph a surprise dance for an upcoming wedding, she has no idea it will lead to Sam Locke turning her life upside down. Designs on a Dame Logan West’s had his eye on Adele Dame but fears it’ll cause issues if he pursues her. When they catch the garter and the bouquet, respectively, at a wedding, he starts reconsidering. Now if he could only find the right time to ask her out. Maybe This Time A set of unfortunate events led to Mason Nottingham missing the “Christmas” he’d hoped would get his life back on track. He wants to see his son and have another chance with his ex, Paige Barton, but he’s messed up a lot. First, he has to convince her to at least give him a chance to start making amends.

Danner Tenley's stroll through a thrift store nets her a fortune-telling ball that reminds her of her youth. It's all fun and games until it starts using her name and giving her very direct messages. But that's nothing compared to the completely rude gnome with a perma-smile who pops out of her wall to tell her how to use the ball. On top of that, a troll has threatened to take over Danner's life if he doesn't get a certain book. Toby Nelson, Danner's friend and landlord, doesn't know what he's being roped into, but if she needs help, he'll be there for her. Meeting a gnome is quite the experience, and fighting a troll is something he's not looking forward to; falling in love with his best friend isn't even on his radar. In a race against time, Danner has only a bad-tempered gnome and her hunky landlord to help her. How bad can it be?

Mel Hargrove, eighties enthusiast, is the protector of much more than random cars and broken washing machines. Each piece in her precious junkyard has a ghost attached to it. No one in Frysville is aware of the secret that’s just down the road from them, and she wants to keep it that way. But when she finds naked statues of aging townspeople in the main square, she must figure out if someone, or something, is missing from her junkyard and out causing havoc. With a host of ghosts behind her and her new boyfriend beside her, Mel is ready to take on almost anything. Almost being the operative word…

The last place Lorena Weber wants to be on Valentine's Day is a singles party thrown by her newlywed best friend. But how can she say no? She'll give it an hour—two, tops—and then she's heading back to her normal life. But she didn't plan on seeing the one man who had turned her world on its side New Year's Eve with one kiss that opened doors she had firmly locked. Caleb Manning got coerced into attending this ridiculous party by a co-worker. He'll stay for an hour at most and then he'll head home. That was the plan until he recognized Lorena across the room and had to see if that kiss was only New Year's Eve magic or something more.

Ivy Morris' best friend, Bella Landry, is in trouble, thanks to a surprise she finds in the walk-in freezer at her hair salon. Calling amateur sleuth Ivy is a no-brainer for Bella. She can't trust her policeman boyfriend—he's the one who cuffed her and booked her, and not in a sexy kind of way. Ivy might be in over her head this time, with Bella's ex showing up wanting to help and only making things worse. Who is he secretly promising to pay? And does it have anything to do with the person stealing picture frames but leaving the pictures around town? Ivy's got a convoluted mess on her hands—secret lives, secret agendas, and a lot of unexplained money. To top it off, the decidedly delicious Ben Fallon has turned gourmet cook and chief bottle washer in her house...while stealthily taking over a few of Ivy's drawers. What's a girl to do?

With the Tasty Tomato Tournament just days away, the small town of Martha’s Point is all abuzz. This is the first year without a sure winner, and the competition is fierce to gain the judges’ approval, even before the tournament starts. But when Ivy finds one of those judges dead in a shed across the street, things go from bad to worse. All she wanted was seven glorious, kid-free days of messing around with her husband. Instead, she’s going to be tracking down a killer, staying out of the way of a pickle-obsessed farmer, and dodging the new cop who seems out for her blood.

Ivy Morris never thought she'd be walking her new stepmother down the aisle to her father. Not a flawless event, because, really, when is anything in Ivy's life flawless? At least she avoids tripping. It's the reception that has the flaw. The wedding singer nearly chokes to death on a glass of water, and then Ivy's sister finds something unexpected in the parking lot. And that's not all. Something odd is going on in the sleepy little town of Martha's Point — for some reason, no female under the age of fifty can keep her hands off Ivy's boyfriend. Ivy's little shop enjoys a tremendous increase in business as those women keep running in to buy more new sexy lingerie, but her heart is anything but happy. What will it take to solve these mysteries? Is Ivy up to it? Well, she's about to find out.

It's a recipe for disaster... Take one incurable womanizer Mix in one pregnant mistress and one delusional fiancée Add a dash of chef gone haywire Stir in one newly assertive shop assistant Toss with an amateur sleuth who doesn't want to get involved and the love of her life who is in up to the tips of his spiky hair And garnish with a couple of detectives who are not amused. Serves one crazy, homicidal maniac. Ivy is back and she's stellar, except for trying to kick a nagging cold and the bad habit of being in the middle of every Martha's Point murder. Unfortunately, they're both kicking her as she is harangued by her favorite chef to find out who torched his restaurant and one of his waiters along with it. Ivy knows what she should do, but when has that ever stopped her from wading in? Only this time she could very well sacrifice everything…for love and cheesecake.

Garrett Blackwell is not a superhero, and his tattoos aren't just ink. They're the weapons he uses to hunt those who hurt the innocent as he tries to atone for his dark past of violence and crime. And he pays a price every time he uses his gift to summon the darkness around him. Dory Miller has lived beside Garrett for two months and is torn by her feelings toward her sexy, reclusive neighbor. He's the hottest man she's ever met, but as more women in her building become targets of a stalker, she doesn't know who she can trust—especially after she finds Garrett bleeding from a knife wound. Despite her fears that Garrett might be the one responsible for the violence, she feels compelled to help heal his wounds. Garrett reluctantly lets her, and is shocked to discover that she can heal not only his physical wounds, but also the darkness brought by his powers. But if letting her in means putting her in danger, Garrett may have to keep his distance to keep her safe.

Ivy Morris may be an adult, but she still lives at home with her widowed father long after her sisters have all left—until she gets a letter with the words "your inheritance" offering her a home and a business of her own 3000 miles away. When she arrives to assume her new life as homeowner and proprietress of a popular costume shop, she is bombarded by a slew of people looking for the perfect outfit for the upcoming Harvest Ball. Between overpowering biddies and stolen lingerie from the worst-kept-secret side of the business, things get even more complicated when a woman is murdered at the ball—a woman wearing the same costume as Ivy. With the help of her new friends, including a cute guy trying to rev up his journalism career to private eye status with this mystery—and revving up her heart in the process—she must solve the murder before someone succeeds in the quest to poison Ivy.

Four spellbinding tales at one amazing price—$4.99. Indulge your desire for urban fantasy and paranormal romance with these captivating new books: Reap & Repent by Lisa Medley: Deacon recognizes Ruth for what she is: a fellow soul reaper. Their chance meeting sparks an undeniable attraction—and it draws the attention of an ancient evil that would destroy them both. Wicked Ink by Misty Simon: Garrett's gift for violence is tattooed on his flesh. Dory looks like the typical girl next door, but she has dark secrets of her own. When a predator strikes, Garrett learns that Dory is the only one who can save him. But first, he'll have to save her…. Witch's Awakening by Neely Powell: Generation after generation, a Connelly woman—one of a long line of witches—is sacrificed to maintain the magical community of New Mourne. Brenna wants to stop the cycle. Jake, lawman and shifter, wants to help her, but it will take more than his love to break the curse. Her Wild Protector by Naomi Bellina: A freak accident leaves Tara with powers that capture the notice of two shape-shifters—one who wants to kill her, and one who can't help falling in love with her.

Dexter Zegray is up to his eyeballs in diapers and formula. That's what happens when a baby that isn't even his gets dropped off on his doorstep and his teenage brother - the father - decides to run off to "figure stuff out." Dex wishes he could run away, too, but that's not an option. Zoe Bradley has for months successfully avoided getting caught in the Casanova trap that is Dex Zegray. But when he comes into Decadence with baby in tow, asking for help, she can't resist the little girl or the man who might just be more than the philanderer name tag she's assigned him. Dex needs a nanny, and Zoe's the only one with the time to do it. But will forced togetherness open Zoe's eyes to his true charms? And why does it have to be precisely when he's unavailable?

"There's a wedding in the works and it's going to be a killer!" Ivy Morris never thought she'd be walking down the aisle, especially to take her new stepmother to her old father. It's not flawless because, really, when is anything in Ivy's life flawless? But she does manage it without tripping. It's the reception that has her all atwitter when the wedding singer nearly chokes to death on a glass of water. On top of that almost-catastrophe, something is going on with the women in the sleepy little town of Martha's Point, Virginia. For some reason no one under the age of fifty can keep their hands off of the delicious Ben Fallon. Ivy's little back shop isn't suffering from all the females running in to get that perfect tiny something to wear under their clothes, but her heart is another matter. What will it take to get to the bottom of these mysteries? And is Ivy up to it? Well, she's about to find out. Who knew it would be so hard to deal with a live victim this time? And what about when her sister finds something unexpected in The Barn's parking lot?

Friends. Allies. Lovers? Jackson Freeling lost his sense of purpose when he left the Marines. Lissa McLaughlin gave him a new one: protecting a man with the ability to forge weapons from his tattoos. Together, they defend the innocent from the criminals vying for control of their city's drug trade. Lissa inked those tattoos. After watching her friend risk losing a piece of himself every time he used his powers, she decided to suppress her own strange gift. But, without quite understanding how, she has given Jackson a tattoo that lets him become invisible... While Jackson and Lissa do their best to save their ally, they also fight with the growing passion between them. Everyone they care about is in danger. And they have to decide whether their feelings for each other are a strength or a deadly weakness. With this sequel, Misty Simon continues the bewitching tale she began with her urban fantasy debut, Wicked Ink.

Single mom Chelsea Moore may not have had a happy marriage herself, but she's bound and determined to pull off the wedding of the year for her sister. It should be a piece of cake as long as she can keep her mother from trying to hook her up with every eligible guy in the county. Jack Barton has no qualms about hosting his sister's best friend for the final week before the wedding, along with said best friend's adorable daughter. But when Chelsea asks him to be a shield against the impending bachelor parade, he doesn't think it through before agreeing. That's when he finds out how little it feels like pretend and how much he wants to make room for these two wonderful females in his life and at his inn.

Ivy Morris is back, and this time she’s determined to stay out of trouble. She’s comfortably ensconced in her costume shop, happy as a clam. Happy as a clam can be, anyway, when her father has moved in with her for an indefinite amount of time, putting her love life frustratingly on hold. So when her best friend asks for help with an in-home demonstration party, Ivy jumps at the chance to get out of the house and away from Dad. She has no idea of the subject until she gets a look at the cookies. But that becomes the least of her troubles when she walks straight into another murder scene. One where she’s the prime suspect. What else could go wrong? When you’re Ivy Morris, the only right answer is “everything.” With the help of hunky Ben Fallon, this girl will try to figure out why she’s being framed and what it has to do with her getting THE WRONG DRAWERS.

Have you ever wondered what you'd do if you were given a second chance with the one who got away? Join three women as they discover how to thrive and love when an old flame is REIGNITED. Tunnel Of Love Heather Winston knows she made the right decision two years ago when she left town for an important job promotion. But she's never stopped thinking about Kevin, who'd let her walk out of his life without a single word. When she unexpectedly sees him at her family reunion, she's thrown for a loop, and yet still very attracted. Why does he have to look so damn good? And how far can she take a little payback without losing her heart again? First and Last Kiss Rebecca Thompson's whole life has taken a turn for the worse. She's lost her job, put her dreams on hold indefinitely, and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel for the emotional train wreck barreling down on her. Enter a sexy stranger with the killer smile that entices her into a one-night stand that turns out to be a whole lot more than she ever bargained for. Eyeing Candy Candy, er, Candace Derringer is back in her small hometown for her high school reunion and she's determined to snag the man she's crushed on for years. Unfortunately, he is a total dud and completely self-absorbed. It seems her whole trip (not to mention all her fun) will be a complete loss. Until a nerd turned sexy bed and breakfast owner shows her a new meaning for the phrase "room service." Three courageous women, three gorgeous men, three fun stories about getting another chance at love and grabbing it with both hands. Come along with Heather, Rebecca and Candace as they experience the rides of their lives.

Cake maker and single mom Claudia Bradley thinks she has life all figured out -- until her best friend Nate starts looking like a mouth-watering dessert and her son's father comes strolling back into the picture as if he'd never left ten years ago. Throw in a case of preteen angst and a family with lots of well-meant advice, and, well, she's whipping up a recipe for chaos! Nate West has always been there for Claudia, a basic ingredient in her life, but suddenly she is flirting outrageously with him when she's never looked that way at him before -- despite his dreams. With her ex-lover back in town, Nate isn't about to renege on his years-old promise to always be the friend Claudia needs, but does she want more? She's as tempting as butter cream frosting with sprinkles, and he's mighty tempted...

Who's To Say What Shape Is Normal... Join three voluptuous women as they open their hearts and minds to possibilities beyond the normal...and straight into the paranormal. Who's Your Alpha? by "Vicky Burkholder" Sunny Clark always thought she was the only shape shifter in the town where she grew up. But when she returns for her high school reunion, she is shocked to find that nearly the whole town can turn into one thing or another. Including her teen crush, David Maxwell. After a challenge for position in the pack, where Sunny defeats the town's Alpha female, the real question becomes does David only want the new Alpha female, or has he always wanted Sunny just as she is? Out of the Storm by "Misty Simon" Sarah James' quiet, almost solitary life changes when she rescues a wet, bedraggled cat out of a raging storm. But he always seems to disappear without explanation, only to return at the oddest times. Is he really lost, or does he have a secret life outside her apartment walls? Trenton Cutlass has been forced to roam ever since he was cursed into the form of a fat, tabby cat after dusk. No one has ever taken him in...until Sarah. Suddenly, breaking the curse is more important than ever, or he'll have to abandon the lovely Sarah forever. Sheltered by "Victoria Smith" Drugged and lost after escaping a deranged kidnapper, Dane Masters is stuck as his hereditary alternate form. While wandering the streets on four wobbly paws, he's taken in by vet tech Izzy Burnett. Once he has regained his strength, and his memories, Dane realizes he has found his predestined mate. But will he have time to convince Izzy before the kidnapper turns killer?

When the Moon is New by Misty Simon Morlana Remington sees her chance for love-or at least manufactured lust-when Grant Evans rides into town on his Harley. He doesn't know who or what she is and she wants it to stay that way. So, against her better judgment she charms him, blinding him to her faults. But what happens when she becomes the one charmed and falls in love? And how will she let him go when she's told only disaster will ensue if she doesn't release him before the moon is new? The Devil, You Say by Alice Gaines Cynthia Redmon would sell her soul to be thin, or so she thinks. When she offers to do exactly that, she finds herself whisked off to a very strange place and into the arms of a very mysterious and very sexy man. Is she forever damned? Or will she learn to love herself just the way she is? Predator-Match.com: Alpha v. Alpha by Francesca Hawley Serena Goldwolf's life revolves around making matches for her fellow shapeshifters through her mate service, Predator-Match.com. She's thriving in the business world, if not her private one, until a match goes awry. That's when she comes face to face with Damien Blackwolf, a very unhappy customer. He's the hottest male on two legs, or four, she's ever met. Life just got interesting. Damien is looking for his perfect Mate and is startled when he first catches the scent of the voluptuous Serena. He knows he's found his True Mate, but how will he convince her of their destiny when she won't even give him the time of day? He needs to bring out her baser desires and he knows just how to do that-by dragging her off someplace private to get to know her.intimately.

Three novellas in one print book! Join Verla Faeth and her merry band of misfit paranormals at the Ren Faire as they figure out whodunnit and sometimes howdunnit, all while navigating relationships and situations galore! A Faire to Remember - Verla is so not ready to face her ex coming back to town, but when he brings a special dog and her powers finally manifest, she'd better learn fast... Whatever Ales You - Dealing with demons was not on Verla Faeth's list of things to handle today. But she has no choice when they show up at her Ren Faire at the same time a dead body is found in the basement of the Tavern on the Line. An Inkling of Trouble - Verla is seriously out of her depth when she finds a gargoyle in the maze, a kelpie in her favorite fountain, and a phoenix at the forge. Where are these creatures coming from and who brought them in?