Nobody's Baby Now

Fifteen-year-old Olivia, unhappy because she is overweight and because she must care for her invalid grandmother after school every day, at first denies, then struggles to come to terms with both problems.

Teen & Young Adult

Benjamin, Carol Lea

Literature & Fiction

Atheneum

Celebrated author Carol Lea Benjamin broke bold new ground in 1996 with her award-winning fiction debut, This Dog for Hire, elevating the canine mystery novel out of the lighthearted realm of cozy and into the grittier, more emotionally substantial arena of serious crime fiction. Now, in the seventh spectacular appearance of private investigator Rachel Alexander and her pit bull partner, Dashiell -- a gripping and unforgettable tale of heroes, survivors, and those who fall between the cracks -- a shocking death is scrupulously examined in the harsh glare of a violent past.
Rachel Alexander hardly knew the dead man, NYPD Detective Timothy O'Fallon, who had a fatal "accident" while cleaning his service revolver in his Greenwich Village apartment. As a member of Rachel's 9/11 support group, O'Fallon had sharedlittle, spoken rarely, and revealed nothing except a strong attachment to Rachel's dog, Dash. Yet for some unknown reason, in his will he named Rachel as the executor of his estate.
Accepting the unexpected responsibility with her trademark dedication, Rachel undertakes the strange, unsettling task of getting the late detective's affairs in order -- and in the process begins to piece together the sad, disparate pieces of Timothy O'Fallon's life. And with each new demon she exposes, Rachel comes to believe more and more that this fatality was no accident at all ... or even, in some dark and disturbing way, the suicide that most of his colleagues suspect.
Hidden deep in the shadows of the O'Fallon family's history is a bizarre, three-decades-old tragedy that left a legacy of violence, grief, and guilt -- and uncovering it could put Rachel's life at serious risk. But it may already be too late for her to turn away because a terrifying vengeance must be served ... and more victims will surely fall before a harrowing day of reckoning ultimately arrives.

Fall Guy: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander & Dash Mysteries)

United States

William Morrow

Former detective turned noted author and dog trainer, Carol Lea Benjamin, returns with her celebrated dark and edgy suspense series featuring smart and compelling private investigator Rachel Alexander – a new addition to the Morrow/Avon list.
 A New York City police officer nearing retirement dies "accidentally," while cleaning his service revolver in the bathroom of his Greenwich Village apartment. Private investigator, Rachel Alexander, is stunned to learn she's been named the executor to his will––after all, they'd only met when she was doing pet therapy with her pit bull, Dashiell. A member of Rachel's 9/11 survivors group, the officer never spoke at meetings––a really hard case. But then there was the one time he took Dash for a walk around the block. When Dash returned, the fur on his head was soaked with tears....
 Was this death really a suicide? And why would the deceased have chosen a near stranger to perform such an intimate task––especially when he's survived by a brother and sister? As Rachel sets about her work, she soon discovers a mystery from the deceased's childhood that may have led to this terrible tragedy....

Fall Guy: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

AVON.

Critics around the country have consistently praised Shamus Award-winning author Carol Lea Benjamin for her razor-sharp writing, stylish plotting, and characters so rich and fully fleshed that you feel as if you've known them all of your life. Now, in a tale of family secrets and heartbreaking betrayals, Benjamin lifts the private-eye novel to new heights -- planting herself firmly in the ranks of the most respected crime novelists writing today.
In a city where enemies are as easy to come by as friends and where paranoia is the norm, private investigator Rachel Alexander is surprised to see someone waiting for her at New York City's Washington Square Park dog run, where she takes her pit bull, Dashiell, for his daily R&amp;R. When the distraught man asks her to find his missing wife, Rachel accepts the case reluctantly. After all, the chances of finding a woman who disappeared without a trace -- and without a word -- five years earlier are slim. But Rachel is touched by the missing woman's daughter, a troubled young girl who has been mute since her mother disappeared and who is now suspected of the brutal stabbing murder of her doctor.
Although the girl can't, or won't, speak for herself, Rachel believes she is innocent and is determined to find a way to communicate with her in order to discover the truth and clear her name. Against a backdrop of infidelity, neglect, and a city at times as lonely and frightening as a child's worst nightmares, Rachel's involvement in the case uncovers issues more complex, and more tragic, than she's ever seen, eventually exposing problems that someone is willing to die, or even kill, for.
Mining the underbelly of New York City's oldest and most fascinating neighborhoods and exploring its rich tapestry of people, Without a Word is a gripping and unforgettable work from one of mystery's most talented authors.

Without a Word: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander & Dash Mysteries)

Private investigator Rachel Alexander and her pit bull Dashiell return in this stylish, dark, emotionally complex seventh mystery from former detective and noted dog trainer Carol Lea Benjamin.  When a distraught father approaches private investigator Rachel Alexander in a New York City park, asking her to help find his missing wife, Rachel accepts––reluctantly. After all, the chances of finding a woman who disappeared without a trace––and without a word––five years earlier are slim. But it's the missing woman's daughter who touches her most deeply––a troubled young girl whose mother's disappearance has rendered her mute. The child is also suspected of the murder of her doctor, a rich neurologist who was brutally stabbed one night while he was alone in his office. Rachel knows the disturbed girl can't be a murderer, but her investigation reveals that against all odds, it could be someone from her past. And against a backdrop of betrayal, neglect, and a city at times as lonely and frightening as a child's worst nightmares, Rachel's involvement in the case uncovers issues more complex, and more heartbreaking, than she's ever seen––problems that someone was willing to die, or even kill, for.

Without a Word: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

A lifelong New Yorker, Rachel Alexander has seen her city change shape through the years. But while New York has never been cleaner and crime is rapidly in decline, a vestige of grittier days remains. When wealthy business owner Eleanor Redstone approaches Rachel to ask if she can investigate her father's murder—a brutal slaying that occurred when he was pushed onto the subway tracks—Rachel takes the case, plunging herself into parts of the city only its poorest residents have ever known. Because to solve Gardner Redstone's murder, Rachel must disguise herself as a homeless woman and live on the streets, searching for the dispossessed man witnesses say made the fatal push. In one of the coldest winters New York City has seen in years, Rachel is helped by a homeless Iraq War veteran, a man whose sad circumstances leave Rachel pondering her own fortunate life. This is a once-in-a-lifetime case that, before it's over, will engulf Rachel in a dangerous new world and change the way that she sees her city forever.
As her fans have come to expect, Carol Lea Benjamin once again uses deft plotting, an intimate knowledge of New York, and a considerable skill for creating believable and compelling characters to bring this captivating story to life.

The Hard Way: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

A lifelong New Yorker, Private Investigator Rachel Alexander has lived through some rough times—from 9/11, to a difficult divorce, to cases that have taken her to the depths of the city's dark underbelly. But when wealthy business owner Eleanor Redstone approaches Rachel to ask if she can investigate her father's murder—a brutal slaying that occurred when he was pushed onto the subway tracks—Rachel takes the case, plunging herself into parts of the city only its poorest residents have ever known. Because to solve Gardner Redstone's murder, Rachel must disguise herself as a homeless woman and live on the streets, searching for the dispossessed man witnesses say made the fatal push. In one of the coldest winters New York City has seen in years, Rachel is helped by a homeless Iraq War veteran, a man whose sad circumstances leave Rachel pondering her own fortunate life.  From critically-acclaimed author Carol Lea Benjamin, a writer the Cleveland Plain-Dealer calls "first rate," this is another illuminating look into the heart of New York, a mystery with heartbreaking characters, and a story you'll never forget.

From former detective turned noted author and dog trainer, Carol Lea Benjamin, comes the fourth book in the critically-lauded Rachel Alexander mystery series, with a sharp new package--and for the first time in mass market!  Dash, Rachel Alexander's pit bull terrier, has come to be known as half a sleuthing team. But when not called upon to solve crimes he has another very important job: that of a therapy dog, working with people who are developmentally challenged. Lady, a mop-coated puli, was the therapy dog at Harbor View, a Greenwich Village home for "throw away" people. But now lady has vanished...and the owner of the home has been killed in a bizarre and mysterious hit-and-run accident. Rachel and Dash are the perfect duo to tackle this mystery: she can find the answers and Dash can bring a sense of calm and order to the residents. As the pieces start coming together, Rachel and Dash not only expose an ugly plot, but also help some innocent victims find justice in a world that too often ignores them.   

Lady Vanishes: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

From former detective turned noted author and dog trainer, Carol Lea Benjamin, comes the fifth book in the critically-lauded Rachel Alexander mystery series, for the first time in mass market.
Sophie Gordon didn't let her epilepsy get in the way of her life as a teacher of deaf children. But without her trusty canine companion, an indispensable service dog named Blanche, she wouldn't be nearly as well-off. A service dog that can perform the difficult tasks that epilepsy requires--sensing when a seizure is about to occur and fetching life-saving medication--is extremely rare, so when a veterinarian's office promises that they can clone Blanche, Sophie jumps at the opportunity. Her former worries can now be put to rest, knowing that now she'll have a replacement for Blanche when the time comes.
But the puppy they provided didn't have what it takes to be a service dog, and when Sophie visits the vet to alert them of the problem, none of the staff is anywhere to be found--they've disappeared without a trace. To get to the bottom of this clone-by-night operation, Sophie hires P.I. Rachel Alexander and Dash, her pit bull partner. And two days after meeting with Rachel, Sophie is found dead, apparently of a seizure, but it didn't take Dash's sensitive nose to tell that something doesn't smell right, and that the missing vets definitely need further examination.

The Wrong Dog: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander Series, 5)

William Morrow Paperbacks

Cartooning for Kids

Outlines how to draw simple cartoons from circles, dots, lines, and curves and how to add professional touches such as shading, decorative detail, or color.

Trophy Pr

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Benjamin, Carol Lea. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Benjamin, Carol Lea

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Benjamin, Carol Lea. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Nobody's Baby Now

Fall Guy: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander & Dash Mysteries)

Fall Guy: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

Without a Word: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander & Dash Mysteries)

Without a Word: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

The Hard Way: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

The Hard Way: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

Lady Vanishes: A Rachel Alexander Mystery

The Wrong Dog: A Rachel Alexander Mystery (Rachel Alexander Series, 5)

Cartooning for Kids