It's always nice to discover a new North Carolina author, and I recently ran across a mention of Susan Whitfield's mystery series.

Whitfield is a native of Atkinson, who now lives in Dudley with her husband.

As a former teacher and principal, Whitfield completed three degrees from East Carolina University.

The first of Whitfield's series featuring SBI agent Logan Hunter is "Genesis Beach" (iUniverse, 2008, $13.95).

When readers first meet Logan, she is doing an internship at the Genesis Beach Police Department.

In spite of her inexperience, Charlie, the police chief, and Max, another officer, look to Logan when Rick Teater, the local millionaire, is murdered. Logan stumbles her way through the investigation, eventually solving the mystery.

The second book in the series is "Just North of Luck" (Infinity, 2008, $15.95). Logan joins Moos County detective Chase Railey in the community of Trust, just north of Luck. School system employees are turning up dead.

The most recent book in the series is "Hell Swamp" (L&L Dreamspell, 2009, $15.95).

Logan, an SBI agent, finds herself back down on the east coast of North Carolina to investigate a murder. Readers will find themselves cringing as Logan comes in contact with all sorts of gruesome characters (and snakes).

Logan is also dealing with her personal demons. She and fellow agent Chase Riley are supposed to be getting married in a few months, but Logan has trust issues.

There's a lot of action in this small volume.

Author Lisa Jackson always gives readers plenty of bang for their bucks, and "Malice" (Kensington, 2009, $25) is no exception.

"Malice" revisits Jackson's characters Rick Bentz, a former L.A. detective now living in New Orleans with his second wife, Olivia. When he begins seeing his former wife, Jennifer, in and around New Orleans, Rick gets a little concerned -- since Jennifer is dead.

Rick heads back to L.A. to investigate and see who is trying to gaslight him into believing that Jennifer is still alive -- and why.

Wendy Corsi Staub is another writer with whom thriller lovers can't go wrong.

In "Dead Before Dark" (Zebra, 2009, $6.99), psychic detective Lucinda Sloan has helped catch all sorts of criminals, but in particular serial killers. When the Night Watchman, who has been silent for many years (mainly because he has been in jail for another crime), sees Lucinda on television, he decides a game of cat-and-mouse is in order.

A page-turner of the first order.

For a little romance with a touch of mystery, there's "The Seduction of a Duke," by Donna MacMeans (Berkley, 2009, $7.99).

American heiress Francesca Winthrop is horrified to learn that her parents, more particularly her mother, have arranged her marriage to an English duke. She is waiting for Randolph, a childhood friend who works for the law firm that handles her father's account. Randolph is in Germany, and although she hasn't had any responses to her letters, she is sure that he loves her.

William Chambers must marry a great deal of money in order to restore his family's home and good name, which were run into the ground by his father. He is pleasantly surprised to find his new bride is quite attractive, but suspects that since her mother is insisting on a quick ceremony that perhaps she is with child. He determines that he will not consummate the marriage until he's sure that's not the case.

The trouble begins when Francesca, who wonders why her new husband is ignoring her, tries her hand at seduction.

There are lots of little intrigues in this spicy romance.

Contact Faye Dasen at 693-2475 or fdasen@thepilot.com.