COMING IN MAY 2006!

Abby Northup finally has the quiet life she’s dreamed of, living in Carmel at the former monastery she purchased and renovated. But The Prayer House is more than a peaceful home for Abby--unofficially, it is an underground safe haven for abused women and children. The work is a gratifying antidote to her own terrifying past. And best of all, she’s able to share her happiness with Ben Schaeffer, her police detective fiancé, who keeps her life interesting in and out of the bedroom….

But the fine threads of tranquility begin to unravel when a mother and daughter appear on Abby's front step unannounced, looking for safe haven. The mother, an old friend of Abby's, is the wife of a wealthy business tycoon with strong connections to the political world. Abby agrees to take them in, but when the FBI swarm the building looking for Alicia, Abby finds herself up against a deadly foe. Suddenly, she is trapped in a world of intrigue involving murder, conspiracy, and threats to national security. On the run from government agents who make their own rules, and betrayed by the man she loves, Abby finds herself up against a deadly foe. Injured, weak, and fighting for the life she once knew, Abby must decide which of her beliefs are worth dying for—and which ones are not.

THE LAST CHEERLEADER
ISBN: 1-55166-723-1
Publisher: MIRA Books, December 2003

Successful Los Angeles literary agent, Mary Beth Conahan, has come a long way from her troubled past. But when her best-selling author and ex-husband are killed, Mary Beth finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Then, as if that's not bad enough, an old friend—Lindy Van Court—shows up with troubles of her own.

In high school, Lindy was everything Mary Beth was not: a cheerleader who dated and finally married Roger Van Court, the wealthiest boy in town. Now, however, Roger has thrown Lindy out of their pricey San Francisco home. She's living on the streets, denied access to her only child.

Mary Beth can't turn her old friend away. Almost immediately, though, the two women's lives are threatened. Caught up in a series of terrifying events, Mary Beth will uncover more than she bargained for—a sinister plot and a heartbreaking secret, one that will change her life forever.

...a pace any locomotive would envy…and many convoluted twists…snare readers like a siren's call…" –Publishers Weekly on The Last Cheerleader  

"O'Brien's writing style is very accessible…and her heroine is someone most women can certainly identify with."--Romantic Times on The Last Cheerleader

CRIMSON RAIN
ISBN: 1-55166-932-3
Publisher: MIRA Books, September 2002

Paul and Gina Bradley did all they could to create the perfect family. When they discovered they could not have children of their own, they adopted twin girls, intent on giving them a good home. But something was terribly wrong with Angela, one of the twins, and after a terrifying event, Paul and Gina returned five-year-old Angela to St. Sympatica's Orphanage, assured that she would get excellent psychiatric care.

Now, sixteen years later, the Bradley family is crumbling, Paul and Gina have drifted apart and are only going through the motions of a marriage for Angela's twin, Rachel. But Rachel is beginning to act like a total stranger, and they begin to wonder if she isn't suffering from the same problems that plagued her sister.

When Rachel disappears just after Christmas, Paul and Gina are forced to pull together—for the sake of their family, for their very survival. Because someone has unleashed a vengeful fury on the Bradleys.

GATHERING LIES
ISBN: 1-55166-807-6
Publisher: MIRA Books, April 2001

"Riveting, sharp . . . sure to keep you guessing" is how our staff reader described this hot new hit from the author of (Doubleday Book) Club favorite I'll Love You Till I Die . . . Sarah Lansing was a successful public defender with a handsome boyfriend, until she took the wrong case. Now she';s been arrested on bogus charges, her boyfriend has dumped her and her "vacation" takes her to an island with six women who can't stop snapping at each other. When an earthquake strikes, the women are left alone . . . until two men wash ashore. Then one of the women mysteriously dies, and Sarah fears they are captives of a heartless killer. But who? And which woman hides a secret so devastating that it puts them all in grave danger? . . . Can anyone survive this island?" . . . Doubleday Book Club

***** Five Stars. "Action packed. A winner! GATHERING LIES is a strong romantic suspense tale that centers on the action. The story line is fast-paced and filled with many surprising twists and turns . . . Sarah is a courageous lead character and the secondary cast especially on Esme Island augments the growing unease that she and the reader feel because whom does the heroine trust? Meg O'Brien has written an absorbing suspense thriller that never eases up until the reader completes the final pages." . . . Harriet Klausner

" You can think of it as an episode of 'Survivor' on paper. GATHERING LIES, though more mellow than the intense, dark, CRASHING DOWN, and SACRED TRUST, is still compelling, edgy reading. It's not a quick read while you wait on the children at ball practice, it's an absorbing, relentless read from the first page to the last." ... Mary Lowery, The Courier Herald

" . . . a must read, for one and all." . . . MLB, Rendezvous

SACRED TRUST
ISBN: 1-55166-586-7
Publisher: MIRA Books, May 2000

"Meg O'Brien has written another exhilarating thriller . . . The exciting story line contains numerous twists and turns that leaves the reader wondering what will happen next. In the hands of a lesser talent, the lead protagonist would be a victim, but Ms. O'Brien turns her into an intrepid but frightened survivor. SACRED TRUST is a powerful work that should reach all the bestseller lists." . . . Harriet Klausner

"Sacred Trust is tightly drawn romantic suspense that is told from one point of view only... that of Abby's. But Meg O'Brien is a highly skilled writer who keeps things interesting . . . to maintain a change of pace. The characters are very well defined and each is integral to the plot. Abby is bold, witty, and cynical and evokes just the reaction I'm sure the author was seeking. Her romance with Ben is very necessary to her character . . . As the mysteries in Sacred Trust multiply, the reader begins to realize that the truth is distant and often inaccessible, and not every question will be answered." . . . The Romance Reader

CRASHING DOWN
ISBN: 1-55166-516-6
Publisher: MIRA Books, May 1999

"Even though this book is a mystery with many deep secrets and surprises, it is not the mystery that will remain with the reader, but the emotions exposed by a writer of great talent. I highly recommend this book." . . . PK, Rendezvous

**** Four stars: "CRASHING DOWN will grab readers' hearts as they experience the pain and shame of this hideous crime." . . . Romantic Times

" . . . O'Brien realistically captures the devastating psychological aftermath of childhood trauma. She illustrates its far-reaching effects by giving voice, through intelligent dialogue, to the perspectives of both victim and abuser." . . . Publishers Weekly

I'LL LOVE YOU TILL I DIE
ISBN: 0-312-95586-3
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press, 1995

"A spectacular and magnificent psychological suspense thriller . . . like a Du Maurier classic. " . . . Affaire de Coeur

"Extraordinary . . . a new novel of mesmerizing suspense . . . filled with dark, twisted secrets and deadly terror, this powerful and wrenching journey into the human psyche grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the final sentence. An unforgettable reading experience." . . . Rave Reviews

"Author Meg O'Brien has penned a sensual modern-day gothic romance that will delight fans of the genre. The mystery is intellectually challenging and full of surprises. The romance is sizzling and compelling. The realism and suspense are captivating." . . . Gothic Journal

"Riveting . . . a page turner from start to finish." . . . Faye Kellerman

"The plot is as twisty as anything Hitchcock ever filmed . . . Daphne Du Maurier with a very nineties spin!" . . . The Purloined Letter

"Mystery and romance will only get better with Meg O';Brien at her computer." . . . Bell, Book and Candle

Available in the US through rare-and used-book search services. French translation available through Edition du Club France Loisirs, Paris, France, and Editions du Rocher, Paris, France (1998)
Title in France, Aimer a en mourir.

TAKE MY BREATH AWAY
ISBN: 0-312-96158-8
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press (1997)

**** 1/2 Four and a half stars. "Soul stirring and compelling sum up this reading experience, as the outstanding Meg O'Brien outdoes herself with this unforgettable new mystic tale. If you are looking for a unique and powerful read, this is the book for you!" . . . Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times

A DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP
ISBN: 0-312-95775-0
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press (1996)

"A novel that begins innocently enough with a suspicious death will in the end have reveled in the surreal psychological and emotional manipulation that women and men visit on each other. It's a cracking good yarn, and you won't have a 'deep and dreamless sleep' until you finish it. " . . . Dan Barnett, Chico Enterprise-Record

****1/2 Four and a half stars. "Looking for a complex psychological thriller that delivers mesmerizing suspense? Look no further than the poignant A DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP." . . . Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times

Hard to find. Available on some online rare-and-used-book search services.

Suspense Novels:

Web Designs by Greg Koenig
Email: webmaster@gregkoenig.com