Jenny Kidd by Laury A. Egan

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Jenny Kidd

Author: Laury A. Egan

Publisher: Spectrum Books

Cover Artist: Thomas Stewart, design by Laury A. Egan and Andrew May

Release Date: October 18, 2025

Pairing: FF and FFM

Tense/POV: third person/past tense, single POV

Genres: Mystery/Suspense

Tropes: Dangerous infatuation

Themes: Sexual awakening, dark romance, artistic achievement

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 66 682 words/182 pages

It is a standalone story and does the book end on a cliffhanger

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Plunge into a steamy, exotic Venetian tale with glittering façades that cloak murder, art forgery, and sexual perversion.

Blurb

While spending autumn in Venice, a young American artist, Jenny Kidd, hopes to create a portfolio of paintings to launch her career and establish her independence from her tyrannical father. At the Guggenheim Collec-tion, she encounters Randi, a colorful British woman, who invites her to a masked ball at the Palazzo Barbon. There, she meets the seductive Caterina Barbon and her brother, Sebastiano, who entice Jenny into a world of glittering façades that cloak sexual perversion, art forgery, and murder. As Jenny struggles between her attraction to Caterina and her growing awareness that she is in danger, Jenny discovers an inner strength and spirit worthy of her infamous pirate ancestor.

Excerpt 

Jenny Kidd stood at arm’s length from the Wassily Kandinsky painting, White Cross. She had an overwhelming urge to rotate it, so the upside-down “3s” were righted, just to satisfy her visual curiosity. Sometimes she felt the same way about her life. If only she could examine it, turn its orientation, and set off in another direction. That wish, and the opportunity to paint, had prompted her trip to Venice, a destination her grandmother had said was an enchanted place for artists. 

The city was lovely in late September—still monstrously crowded and expensive—but Jenny was staying in a flat off Campo Santo Stefano, furnished and hers for ten weeks, an apartment swap arranged with a Venetian friend studying in New York. Even with the free rent, the cost of living and airfare had depleted Jenny’s savings and was skyrocketing her credit card debt. It would be such a relief to have a wealthy and supportive patron, someone like Peggy Guggenheim, whose famous art collection she was now admiring.

As she mused on this, she began to leave the museum’s drawing room, then hesitated, sensing strange vibrations coming from someone nearby. She studied the visitors but didn’t see anyone staring at her or who looked odd. A few minutes later, when the museum was closing, Jenny reluctantly left. 

Strolling home, she attributed the odd feeling to a desire to be with people. Living in this romantic city by herself was surprisingly sad, as if Venice’s beauty couldn’t be assimilated into her being unless she shared the experience. Despite her shyness, she had attempted to make friends. First by chatting with tourists, but she soon learned this was pointless. They were like fruit flies: quickly gone. So, too, were most young Venetians, who scurried off at day’s end for Mestre and the mainland because they couldn’t afford to live in their own city. And even if she did meet someone, would it be a man or a woman?

Her ambivalence frustrated her, a confusion that had become more pronounced in recent months and had precipitated the end of her relationship with Greg, which occurred two weeks before she left for Italy. Now, in this foreign place, would she be liberated from her personal history and the overshadowing influence of her parents? Although she had always been too timid to act on her romantic feelings toward women, Jenny hoped Venice might open new doors. 

About the Author

 Laury A. Egan is the author of fifteen novels: Fair Haven; Jack & I; The Black Leopard’s Kiss & The Writer Remembers; The Psychologist’s Shadow; The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Wave in D Minor; Doublecrossed; Turnabout; The Swimmer; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd; two collections, Fog and Other Stories and Contrary: Stories and a Play, and four volumes of poetry: Snow, Shadows, a Stranger; Beneath the Lion’s Paw; The Sea & Beyond; and Presence & Absence. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey.

Author Links

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Beyond The Darkness by Thom Collins

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Beyond The Darkness (Basic Instincts Book 3)

Author: Thom Collins

Publisher: Entwined Publishing

Cover Artist: Kelly Martin

Release Date: October 7, 2025

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, Crime and thriller

Tropes: Celebrity, murder mystery, Erotic romance, Suspense 

Themes: Theatre, stalking 

Length: 64 453 words/259 pages

It is a standalone story that is part of a wider series (Basic Instincts)

It does not end on a cliffhanger

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A starring role in a new show could give Hudson the career boost he needs…

if he lives that long.

Blurb

American actor Hudson Rhodes enjoys working in the UK. After a successful career in film and TV in his twenties, he’s established himself as a bankable star in the theatre world. A month-long run in a new play at Blyham’s Empire Theatre has the potential to lead to a West End transfer and Hudson is ready for it. The only thing threatening to spoil it is a series of sinister letters that point to a role he would rather forget.

Rehearsals for the show are going smoothly until a local journalist, Luke Kamal, arrives to write a piece about the production. Luke is handsome and smart and highly regarded in his field, but Hudson hates reporters. He’s learnt the hard way that the press cannot be trusted.

When a member of the cast is murdered, the show is thrown into greater jeopardy. The victim is someone close to Hudson. As he struggles with his attraction to Luke, the menacing letters continue to arrive. The killer has Hudson in their sights, and he might not make it to opening night.

Excerpt 

The handsome man was still at the end of the bar. Their eyes locked once more as Hudson stood. Hudson gave him a friendly smile of acknowledgement and his cock stirred as he walked out of the door. Maybe another time, when he had less on his mind.

The sun was hidden behind the high buildings when he stepped out, but it was still a fine and clement evening. He decided to take the long way back. He would go down to the river and follow the waterfront for a while, before heading up into the city.

“Excuse me,” a voice called from behind. “Mr Rhodes.”

He turned, stunned to find the hot guy from the bar following him. The warm sensation returned to Hudson’s neck, climbing over his face. His balls tightened.

As the man approached, the dazzling smile was at full voltage. He was even more attractive than he had appeared from a distance.

And he already knew who Hudson was.

“Hi,” he said, coming closer. Was that a flush of red in his cheeks and neck? “Sorry to bother you. I didn’t like to disturb you earlier, I just wanted to say hello.” He had a strong accent that Hudson had come to recognise as being unique to this city. He was familiar with Geordie, and this was similar, but softer, sexier.

Hudson returned the smile, full on. This guy was not like the typical fans who approached him for selfies. On the whole, he mostly got recognised for a handful of cheesy romcoms he’d made in his late twenties and early thirties, and it was often women who flagged him down. 

Through the open neck of the man’s shirt, he caught a teasing glimpse of dark chest hair. Hudson’s dick swelled to a semi state.

“Luke Kamal,” the man said, thrusting his hand forward.

Hudson took it welcomingly, noting the firm, dry grip. “Hi, Luke. I guess you know who I am.”

Luke’s dark eyes focused directly on him, and it was quite disarming. Hudson had worked with some world-famous actors and heartthrobs and very few of them possessed the raw magnetism of this stranger.

“You’re quite a big deal around here. Everyone is excited about the play launching in Blyham.”

Luke was an apparent flatterer, but he was so good-looking Hudson took his comment as a compliment rather than pure bullshit. “You’re coming to see the show then?”

That smile again, then Luke broke eye contact, seemingly shy. It was quite endearing. “You could say that. Actually, I’ll be there tomorrow. That’s why I wanted to say hello when I spotted you. It seemed rude not to.”

For a second, Hudson wondered if he was so hypnotised by this hot man that he’d misheard what he’d said. And damn, he smells great too. “Oh, we don’t actually open for a couple more weeks. The first preview is early next month, I think.”

“I’ll be there for that too, but I’ll be there tomorrow for the rehearsals.” The blank expression on Hudson’s face seemed to confuse him too. He continued. “Luke Kamal, from The Blyham Chronicle. I’m the arts and culture editor. Well, editor is putting it grandly, but I cover all the major arts, music and theatre events for the paper. We’re going to run a major feature on Darkest Blue over the next few weeks—that’s why I’m sitting in on rehearsals for a few days.”

Again, Luke’s words were not computing with Hudson. “Wait, you’re a journalist…? You’re going to watch us put the show together?”

The smile wavered then disappeared. “It’s been arranged for weeks. I thought you knew.”

Hudson withdrew into himself, trying to make sense of what he’d heard. What the actual fuck? How the hell were they supposed to dig deep into themselves, to make themselves vulnerable in search of the characters and stories, with a reporter watching and taking note of every fuck-up, every misstep?

“That can’t be right,” he managed. “You’ve got it wrong.”

Luke fumbled in his trousers, pulled out a leather wallet and produced his press card. “It’s all legit. I’m due there at ten tomorrow and then in and out all the way to opening night.”

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Hudson muttered.

“I’m sorry. I thought they would have told you. Hasn’t it been cleared with the cast?”

“No, it fucking well hasn’t.” Hudson’s lust for Luke was on the verge of turning into anger. Not just at him but at Rav and Andie and this whole damn shit-show of a production.

About the Author 

Thom Collins is the author of the Jagged Shores series and the Anthem Trilogy as well as numerous standalone novels and novellas. 

His new series Basic Instincts launches in spring 2025 with the novel Now Comes the Dark.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night.

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