This Cursed House by Del Sandeen

In this Southern gothic horror debut, a young Black woman abandons her life in 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans, only to discover the dark truth. They’re under a curse, and they think she can break it. In the fall of 1962, twenty-seven-year-old Jemma Barker is desperate to escape her life in Chicago—and the spirits she has always been able to see. When she receives an unexpected job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans, she accepts, thinking it is her chance to start over. But Jemma discovers that the Duchon family isn’t what it seems. Light enough to pass as white, the Black family members look down on brown-skinned Jemma. Their tenuous hold on reality extends to all the members of their eccentric clan, from haughty grandmother Honorine to beautiful yet inscrutable cousin Fosette. And soon the shocking truth comes The Duchons are under a curse. And they think Jemma has the power to break it. As Jemma wrestles with the gift she’s run from all her life, she unravels deeper and more disturbing secrets about the mysterious Duchons. Secrets that stretch back over a century. Secrets that bind her to their fate if she fails.

The Pharaoh's Cat by Maria Luisa Lang

The Pharaoh’s Cat, a tragicomic fantasy narrated in the present tense by the cat himself, tells of a free-spirited, wise-cracking stray in ancient Egypt who suddenly acquires human powers and immediately captivates the young Pharaoh, making him laugh for the first time since his parents’ death. The cat becomes the Pharaoh’s constant companion and, at the royal palace and on a tour of Egypt, participates in the festivities, developing an insatiable appetite for good food, wine, and gossip. Gradually, he renews the Pharaoh’s ability to enjoy life and inspires him to become a stronger leader. The bond of selfless love they share will change Egypt’s destiny. The cat has a good friend in the High Priest of the god Amun-Ra and seeks his help in solving the mystery of his human powers and the supernatural manifestations that plague him. He has a mortal enemy in the Vizier—the second most powerful man in Egypt--who hates him for his close relationship with the Pharaoh. The Vizier’s persecution of the cat ultimately results in his fleeing with the High Priest to present-day New York City, where they find an ally in an Egyptologist’s daughter.

Secrets of Riverway by Ashley Hards

Hannah Edwards has a lot on her mind. For starters, her father—the Canola King—has been missing for months. And not her distracted mother, her meddlesome guidance counselor, nor her evil Uncle Fergus seem to care. Luckily, she has her secret journal and her best friend Sam Castillo for support. So when Sam tells Hannah he thinks he saw her father’s ghost down at the old Riverway Mill, Hannah decides to take matters into her own hands. She soon learns that Uncle Fergus has a plan to steal the family farm, drain the river, and find a hidden treasure. On the edge of going from being a "good kid" to a "bad kid", Hannah stops pretending to pay attention to her endlessly boring classes. With Sam, her journal, and eventually a whole lot of Riverway frogs, Hannah sets out to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance. A heartfelt story of a young neurodiverse girl with a whole lot of determination to do the right thing.

Last Night at the Beach House by Claire Harlow

Olivia Harper finds herself entangled in the lavish world of Richard Bennett, a man whose charm is as vast as his secrets. When Richard is found dead, the peaceful community is thrust into a web of intrigue and suspicion. With the help of her spirited best friend Milly, the irresistible Dr. Ethan Foster, and her lovable Golden Retriever Barkley, Olivia delves into a web of jealousy, betrayal, and hidden motives, where every acquaintance of Richard becomes a suspect with something to lose. As the investigation unfolds, a colorful cast of characters emerges, each with secrets of lies, love, and betrayal. From the enigmatic artist entwined in a troubling affair to a vengeful sister shadowed by family feuds, the suspects' motives are as murky as the coastal fog. Before a threat becomes deadly, Olivia must unravel the intricate web of deceit, exposing a truth more perilous than the stormy seas, and bringing a cunning murderer to justice.

Pond of Refelections by C A Russell

Content in her father’s wise kingdom, Princess Journee loves life but has one nagging question: Who is she? Yes, she is a mouse and a princess, but who is she really? With her adventurous spirit and her father’s mighty steed to protect her, she goes on a quest to find herself. The adventure takes an interesting turn when she befriends a toad and an owl who tell her about a legendary Pond of Reflection known to reveal one's true identity. But first they must find it, if indeed it exists. Their friendship and appreciation for each other grow as they encounter difficulties along the way, and strange happenings in the ancient Whoami Forest.

The Adventue of the Egyption Tomb by Agatha Chistie

n Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb," the widow of a famous Egyptologist consults Poirot on the suspicious death of her husband and an American financier, Bleibner. The mystery takes Poirot and Hastings to Egypt to investigate the site of an archaeological dig. But who could want the two men dead? This short story originally appeared in the September 26, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.

The Adventure of the Clapham Cook by Agatha Christie

Poirot is not interested in investigating some of the cases which appear in the newspapers when Hastings tries to bring them to his attention. These include ones about a bank clerk, Mr. Davis, who disappears with fifty thousand pounds of securities, a suicidal man, and a missing typist. He is put on the spot though when visited by a Mrs. Todd who is determined that he investigate her missing cook. Challenged, he decides, with some humour and to avoid an argument, to take the seemingly trivial case. Eliza Dunn, a middle-aged woman, walked out of her job and the Todd's house in Clapham two days ago without working her notice. She has not communicated with her employer since, except for sending for her trunk that very day. What can Poirot make of this?