The Lily Bard Mysteries Omnibus Author:Charlaine Harris Lily Bard is starting over again. She's disguised herself as much as she can, cutting her hair short and wearing baggy clothes, and she's moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas, where, working as a cleaning lady, she can sweep away the secrets of her dark, violent past. But Shakespeare is not the peaceful little community Lily had hoped for, and... more » her idea of just fading into the background looks like it's doomed right from the beginning, when she discovers the dead body of her landlord ...Before long, everyone is going to know Lily Bard's name.
Shakespeare's Landlord (Lily Bard, Bk 1)
To Lily Bard, the sleepy town of Shakespeare, Arkansas, was the perfect place to hide from the violence that nearly destroyed her life years before. Today Lily is strong, confident in the martial arts she studies, her looks disguised by her closely cropped hair and baggy clothes. Working as a housecleaner, Lily comes and goes without anyone noticing -- until she witnesses a murder. What Lily Bard saw on that dark night has stripped away her, anonymity and earned her the unwanted attention of a homicide detective and a suspicious community. And with her intense, married, karate instructor showing a passionate interest of his own, Lily's plan of a private, well-ordered life is coming unhinged. The killer of an unlamented landlord is lurking close by. And while Lily knows the dirt on her neighbors' dust, drawers, and private live , must admit to a secret of her own: that in the shadow of a brutal murder, she is coming alive again...
Shakespeare's Champion (Lily Bard, Bk 2)
Lily Bard was running from shattering memories when she moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas. Now cleaning houses pays her bills. Working out helps her heal. Still protecting her scars, she hides a hard body and impressive skill at martial arts under baggy sweats. And nobody knows how strong she is until racial violence has her looking behind closed doors for a killer -- doors to which a housecleaner might have the key. When Lily uses her training in goju to help a black man jumped by white teens, she does it for justice...only to hear he's been abducted and beaten to death a few weeks later. Then a bodybuilder is killed at her gym. Both incidents jar Lily's need for security and refuge. Looking into closets, sweeping under rugs, she soon uncovers enough dirt to confirm that something sinister is growing in her adopted town. Getting involved could endanger her life. But Lily is seeing a new man and dreaming new dreams. And no one can make this strong woman run again.
Shakespeare's Christmas (Lily Bard, Bk 3)
Lily Bard is going home for the holidays. More comfortable in baggy sweats than bridesmaid's frills, Lily isn't thrilled about attending her estranged sister's wedding. She has moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas, to start a new life, cleaning houses for a living, trying to forget the violence that once nearly destroyed her. Now she's heading back to home and hearth -- just in time for murder. The town's doctor and nurse have been bludgeoned to death at the office. And Lily's detective boyfriend suddenly shows up at her parents' door. Jack Leeds is investigating an eight-year-old kidnapping and the trail leads straight to Lily's hometown. It just might have something to do with the murders...and her sister's widowed fiance. With only three days before the wedding, Lily must work fast to clean up the messy case before her sister commits...marriage!
Shakespeare's Trollop (Lily Bard, Bk 4)
Shakespeare, Arkansas, is home to endless back roads, historic buildings, colorful residents -- and the occasional murder. It is also home to Lily Bard, the local karate expert/cleaning woman with a particular knack for finding skeletons in closets. But when Deedra Dean -- the local woman of ill repute -- is found murdered, her promiscuous lifestyle leaves more than a few suspects. And being familiar with Deedra's dirty laundry could make Lily the next Shakespearean to die...
Shakespeare's Counselor (Lily Bard, Bk 5)
Cleaning lady Lily Bard is a pro when it comes to keeping the exteriors of Shakespeare, Arkansas, absolutely spotless. But it's the dirt below the surface that really keeps her busy. Even Lily herself has her share of secrets. That's why she's joined a weekly group therapy session -- to open up and finally face the past. That sounds positively enlightening, until the gruesome murder of a fellow member sends a terrifying warning. But which person in the group is the message meant for? Why? And who next will suffer the consequences of a killer's head games?« less