“[A] white knuckle thriller…Burke expertly weaves real-life headlines into her plot…without ever sacrificing originality.”

- Publishers Weekly

Cybercrime is in the news almost daily, sometimes moving beyond the usual email scams into the horrific realm of the Craig’s List Killer. In today’s Free Fridays selection, 212, thriller writer Alafair Burke creates a truly terrifying story ripped straight from the headlines.

A young NYU student suspects that her life is in danger—a series of hateful anonymous web postings suggest that someone is watching her every move. Her friends assure her it’s only a prank, but they soon find out how wrong they were, when she turns up murdered.

When NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher and her no-nonsense partner J. J. Rogan begin digging into the murder, they find some strange connections to a seemingly unrelated case. As they peel back the layers, it becomes clear that the web is the ideal place for strange bedfellows to connect, and an even better place for a motivated murderer to find their next victim.

This fast-paced introduction to Burke’s thrilling Ellie Hatcher series will have you ready to download Hatcher’s other adventures as soon as you turn the last page.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Alafair recommends:

I love the inside-baseball details of a good police procedural. I also love strong characters who continue to evolve and reveal themselves to us, years after we first met them. Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series is about as good as they come. I've read them all, but The Black Echo was the beginning.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Alafair Burke” to download her thrilling detective novels.

“Laird Barron is horror’s new messiah. If you want to experience this guy’s singularly brilliant writing...read this collection now.”

- Paul Goat Allen, B&N Explorations Blog

Today’s Free Fridays selection is a groundbreaking short story collection from horror master Laird Barron: Occultation and Other Stories. Since I don’t read a lot of horror myself, I’m turning to an expert in the field, book reviewer Paul Goat Allen, to introduce this week’s book:

“Inducing real fear in readers is no easy task—I can probably list the authors that have actually scared me in one breath: Lovecraft, Poe, King, Barker, Koontz, Matheson, and Campbell, although I’m most definitely forgetting a few… A lot of contemporary horror isn’t scary at all: it’s just gross. Shocking readers is easy. Scaring them takes talent.

Reading Laird Barron reminds me of what it was like discovering works from the aforementioned horror masters. The nine stories featured in his latest collection are painstakingly constructed—a darkly poetic narrative fuels these deftly plotted stories of existential angst…I’ll say it right now. Laird Barron is horror’s new messiah…And after you’ve devoured these nine dark gems, make sure you check under the bed before you go to sleep. As Barron wrote in “Mysterium Tremendum,” 'there are frightful things lurking in the shadows...' " (You can read Paul’s full review here).

Unsurprisingly, Paul also loved Barron’s new novel, The Croning, available now for NOOK.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Laird recommends:

House of Windows by John Langan—it's among the finest supernatural horror novels to appear this young century. Stylish and lushly imagined, there is a hypnotic quality at play that intensifies the dread as events unspool within the narrative. Ghosts, hauntings, and visions of the arcane and the numinous richly accent a twisting tale of love, loss, and damnation. An acknowledged master of the short form, Langan arrives with a first novel that is remarkably assured, and most assuredly a chiller.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Laird Barron” to download his incredibly haunting books.

"I defy anyone who doesn't fall in love with [Pillow Talk]."
-Glamour

For all they do for us all year long, our moms surely deserve a few perks now and then. Today’s Free Fridays selection, Pillow Talk by Freya North, is a lighthearted and fun contemporary love story that’s a perfect Mother’s Day read.

This charming story of love lost and regained follows the unlikely path of two weary people who thought that their chance at love had passed them by. As teenagers, Arlo and Petra knew they had chemistry, but eventually went their separate ways. Fast-forward 17 years, and Arlo’s a reformed rocker who’s chosen the quiet life, and Petra’s a talented jeweler with a loser boyfriend. Each is struggling to put a troubled past behind them. By chance they meet again and are confronted with a choice: fall back on all their old excuses, or throw caution to the wind and give true love one more chance.

Once you’re enchanted by Freya North’s storytelling, be sure to explore Secrets, available now for NOOK.

And if you’re a mom who’s expecting to receive your first NOOK this Sunday, you can set up your BN.com account now and download Pillow Talk—as soon as you register your NOOK, you’ll be able to access your Free Fridays book right away.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Freya recommends:

Laurie Graham is a superb writer who seamlessly blends fact and fiction in novels that are as sensitive and fascinating as they are warm and witty.  Two of my favourites are the gloriously titled Gone with the Windsors (the story of Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII told in diary form by a make-believe American in London) and The Importance of Being Kennedy - the clan's history recounted by a fictitious nanny to all nine Kennedy offspring.  Miss Graham has the most wonderful turn-of-phrase and her novels are pacey, warm and incredibly funny.  I learn something new with every one of her books. Seek her out - and enjoy.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Freya North” to download her irresistible books.

Today’s Free Fridays selection—The Billionaire's Curse with Bonus Material by Richard Newsome—is aimed especially at young (and young-at-heart) readers. (NOTE: There are two editions of The Billionaire's Curse available--only the Bonus Edition is free).

What kid wouldn’t be overjoyed to inherit a fortune from a long-lost aunt? Think of all the candy and video games you can buy with that kind of scratch! But when 13-year old Gerald Wilkins lucks into a gigantic inheritance, he quickly learns that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

It turns out that there are some pretty substantial strings attached to this unlikely windfall—including a letter implying that Gerald’s aunt was murdered, and imploring him to track down the killer. Even more disturbing is Gerald’s realization that the killer may actually be tracking him.

Now this Australian teenager is off to England for the adventure of a lifetime. And as the investigation gets more dangerous at every turn, Gerald’s just hoping he’ll live long enough to enjoy life as a newly-minted billionaire.

Two more adventures await new fans in the action-packed Archer Legacy adventure series, including the soon-to-be-released The Mask of Destiny. Get a sneak peek at excerpts from both books in today's special free edition.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Richard recommends:

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.

The tale of Bilbo Baggins and his journey there and back again is a yarn that covers so many aspects of great story-telling. It is a quest, a memoir, an adventure, a tale of temptation and bravery, a fish-out-of-water saga of a stout fellow who only discovers his inner-strength when faced with great challenges. It is a book that rewards re-reading several times through life, as there are new treasures to be found in the prose each time it is visited.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Richard Newsome” to download his exciting adventures.

"The Wars of the Roses come spectacularly to life in Susan Higginbotham's compelling new novel about Kate Woodville, sister to Queen Elizabeth of England. A sweeping tale of danger, treachery, and love, The Stolen Crown is impossible to put down!"

-Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Cleopatra's Daughter

Today’s Free Fridays selection, The Stolen Crown by Susan Higginbotham, is a fascinating fictional take on England’s infamous War of the Roses.

Higginbotham’s protagonist, Katherine, is based on the little-known sister of Elizabeth Woodville—who secretly married King Edward IV. Much like the modern day Pippa Middleton, Katherine quickly learns that because of her sister's marriage, she'll never again lead a normal life.

With a front seat to the tumultuous civil conflict—the War of the Roses—that culminated in Tudor rule, Katherine is an astute and observant narrator, bringing to life one of the monarchy’s most fascinating periods.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Susan recommends:

Anne Tyler is my favorite living novelist, and Saint Maybe is one of my favorite novels. Tyler takes a grim premise--an irritated teenage boy's careless words lead to the deaths of two people--and turns it into a witty, compassionate, and moving tale about change, redemption, and love.When I feel like re-reading a novel, this is one I always turn to.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Susan Higginbotham” to download her books.

Today’s Free Friday’s selection is The Devil's Cradle—the second entry in Sylvia Nobel’s award-winning southwestern Kendall O’Dell mystery series.

Always on the lookout for the next big scoop, reporter Kendall O’Dell jumps at the chance to help a young woman claim her intriguing inheritance—in exchange for an exclusive story. After her father’s death, it appears that Angela Martin is heir to an Arizona gold mining town, but she needs some help staking her claim. Kendall goes along for the ride, sniffing a chance at a unique story.

But the more the intrepid reporter finds out about the Martin family, the less likely it seems that everything about Angela’s acount is on the level. A single closet wouldn’t be big enough to hold all of the skeletons haunting the Martin clan, and soon Kendall wonders whether Angela’s father’s death may not have been an accident after all. Kendall might get the scoop, but now she’s wondering if she’ll live to tell the tale!

In her newest contemporary romance novel, A Scent of Jasmine, Nobel takes a step away from her popular mystery series, as she explores a strong friendship between two women that’s tested when an alluring man comes between them.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Sylvia recommends:

Perhaps because two of my Kendall O'Dell novels are set in southern Arizona and I spent many a day wandering through the high desert, crumbling ghost towns, listening to stories from long-time residents and soaking up the rich history of this amazing and beautiful state, I found Nancy Turner's novel, These Is My Words, to be an extraordinarily fascinating and captivating read.  This intricate tale, based on actual events written in an old diary, gives the reader a crystal clear picture of the incredible odds that early settlers to the Arizona Territory had to overcome.  In this well-written tale of a young woman called Sarah Prine, the reader experiences what it must have been like to deal with the unforgiving Arizona heat, the harsh desert landscape, bands of roaming Apaches and the day to day struggle to simply survive in such primitive living conditions. We feel Sarah's hunger, the pain of childbirth, her fear, her bravery, her joys and sorrows. The book is just simply wonderful and I highly recommend it and the two other novels that follow: Sarah's Quilt and The Star Garden.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Sylvia Nobel” to download her books.

Today’s Free Fridays selection—The Rules of Life  by Richard Templar—is an international bestseller that has inspired millions of readers worldwide.

While many self-improvement books offer advice that seems overly abstract or too daunting to even take the first step, Richard Templar does an excellent job of distilling his wisdom into easy-to-execute common sense rules. Templar’s code focuses on building a better, happier, more successful life, both in business and your personal relationships. You can implement his easy, direct advice immediately, helping you master important skills like forgiving without being a pushover and having big dreams while still making practical steps to achieve them.

Once you’ve implemented Templar’s rules, you can explore his guides to more specific categories like Money, Management, Love and more here.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Richard recommends:

Jon M. Huntsman's Winners Never Cheat is much more than a book on business.  It's a book about how to business effectively, ethically, and generously. Huntsman teaches us that as times change, situations change, and our lives change, our basic values must never change. These values will see you through hard times and help make you, and the rest of the world, better off in the end.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Richard Templar” to download his inspiring books.

This week’s Free Fridays book, Leaving Before It's Over by Jean Reynolds Page, is a compelling family drama that explores the difficult choices we make for love and family.

When Roy Vines married his second wife Rosalind, he paid a high price—forgoing his part of the family fortune, and severing ties with his parents and twin brother Mont. But when Rosalind falls ill, and he desperately needs money, Roy must return hat-in-hand to his hometown. The plot grows more intense when Roy’s son from his first marriage reappears and accuses him of abandoning his original family to chase after Rosalind.

The author excels at building a believable and sympathetic family facing everyday challenges that many readers will find familiar.

Jean Reynolds Page's upcoming family drama, Safe Within, is available for pre-order now.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Jean recommends:

City of Thieves by David Benioff is a book I keep buying and giving to friends. Lev and Kolya – a teenager and a soldier – are sent on a quest to find fresh eggs during the siege of Leningrad. The humor and compassion in this novel elevate a wartime adventure tale into something very special. The theme of basic human decency pulses under the surface on every page. Amazing.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Jean Reynolds Page” to download her wonderful novels.

“If I were teaching a course on how to write a mystery, I would make Carolyn Hart required reading.”

—Los Angeles Times

With over 40 books—and Agatha, Anthony & Macavity Awards—under her belt, Carolyn Hart has been delighting cozy mystery fans for decades.

Today’s Free Fridays selection, Dare to Die, is a great introduction to Hart’s writing for new readers, and a wallet-friendly treat for her many current fans. In this Death on Demand mystery, Annie and her Private Investigator husband Max find themselves wrapped up in a local scandal when a troubled woman is found dead following one of their parties. Annie tries to let the local law enforcement handle the case, but soon she and Max seem to be the murderer’s next target—leaving her no choice but to launch her own investigation.

Hart’s irresistible book—set in the quirky town of Broward's Rock, South Carolina, has everything that a cozy mystery fan could want.

Be sure to check out Hart’s newest Death on Demand mystery, Dead by Midnight, available now.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Carolyn recommends:

I always look forward to the newest entry in Ann B. Ross's delightful Miss Julia series. This spring's wonderful Miss Julia to the Rescue will be my reward for finishing the current manuscript. Ann Ross's Southern novels evoke a smile while they touch the reader's heart.

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Carolyn Hart” to download her bestselling books.

Today's Free Fridays selection, Robin Spano’s Dead Politician Society, is a light-hearted mystery featuring a no-nonsense mechanic-turned-cop who goes undercover on a college campus to unmask a dangerous student group.

After the mayor keels over during a speech, and a group of radical students take credit for the murder, a town is in turmoil. Enter Clare Vengel—a new cop who’s already tired of walking the beat. Yearning for some excitement, Clare volunteers to infiltrate the student group and expose their nefarious ways. But her ingrained distrust of authority (and higher education) presents some stumbling blocks along the way.

As more bodies begin to drop, readers will root for Clare as she finds an idiosyncratic way to track down the killers.

In her next adventure, Death Plays Poker, Clare finds herself wrapped up in a high-stakes gambling conspiracy.

Free Fridays Recommends

Each week, we ask our featured author to recommend a book or author that you may want to check out. Since authors are such passionate readers themselves, we thought you might like to find out what they love to read, too! Here’s what Robin recommends:

Rock Paper Tiger by Lisa Brackmann. “I see Lisa as an emerging literary genius. She's original, she's not afraid to get gritty, and she's full of both natural talent and practiced writing skill. Her first book takes you into the head of an unlikely heroine, around China on a wild ride both virtually (inside a video game) and physically (on trains, on buses and by foot). It's social commentary without preaching. It's hilarious in a dark, sarcastic way. I see her as both an important voice and a really fun one to read.”

NOOK owners: go to shop and search for “Robin Spano” to download her entertaining whodunits.