Kontra's Menagerie Series by Charlie Richards
Kontra's Menagerie #5
Spider Sense
Charlie Richards
On the road: Sometimes the 8-legged freaks are the good guys. Haben Bello heads for Kansas to help his old friend, Wes. The human attorney deals with child custody in shifter-human cases, protecting shifter secrets. Wes needs help uncovering the true motives behind a young boy’s mother who suddenly wants custody after she’d given up all rights to him twelve years before. When Haben meets the boy’s human foster father, Lou Reynolds, he realizes the man is his mate. Lou is still coming to grips with the fact that shifters exist. It’s one thing for his son to be able to turn into a lion, but a spider? Lou may be able to accept Haben the man, but can he learn how to accept Haben the tarantula? And what about when Haben’s job in town is done and he decides to move on? Lou has a son and can’t just up and leave to join Haben on his nomadic travels. Can Lou trust Haben’s insistence that he’s willing to turn his life upside down, adopt a lion shifter cub, and settle down after nearly one hundred years of freedom?
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Kontra's Menagerie #26
With a Gentle Nudge
Charlie Richards
On the Road: Stopping to say hello to an old friend, a brawny human discovers a strange new world.
Pierce Rinkon lives a simple life. Having been born with a learning disorder as well as a disability, he knew he was considered by most to be a little on the dim side. That doesn’t stop him from enjoying his life, though. His work as a receptionist for his small town’s sheriff’s office allows him plenty of interaction with others. For fun, Pierce runs, boxes, and finds men interested in a quick romp. After all, he doesn’t expect anyone to be interested in him long-term. While out on a morning run deep in the woods, he spots an old acquaintance—retired deputy Mac. When Pierce heads over to say hi, he watches something crazy happen... an animal changes into a man. As he’s struggling to process what he’s seen, a good-looking dark-haired guy named Daevon makes it plain he’s interested in him. Except, Daevon isn’t human, and he turns into a scary-looking wolverine. On top of that, Pierce discovers Daevon is smart, educated, and is a retired college professor. How could Daevon possibly be interested in a dumb, small-town hick like Pierce?
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Kontra's Menagerie #34
The Swamp Elephant
Charlie Richards
On the Road: A young Cajun who’s never learned to stand up to his brother gets support and an extra push from the most unexpected of places.
Horace Broussard knows he needs to learn how to say no to his brother, Herbert. His older, larger brother always seems to drag him into trouble. Except, the two times he’d gathered the courage, Herbert had explained why it was a bad idea... with his fists and feet. The first time had left him pissing blood for days. The second time had culminated in a broken wrist. Horace doesn’t say no to his brother anymore, which is how he ends up poaching gators in the swamp... again.
When they spot a small pack of wolves running through the cypress trees, Herbert orders that they go after them, claiming a wolf pelt on his floor would be cool.
Just like many of Herbert’s bad ideas, Horace ends up in hot water. They’re caught by the owners of the wolves—a fierce biker gang. Except, then something crazy happens. A huge African elephant grabs Horace in its trunk and carries him into the swamp. When other animals arrive and turn into men, he wonders if he’s hit his head and is hallucinating. Can the paranormal be real, and if so, how can he keep this revelation from his dominating brother?
Reader Advisory: The first chapter of this tale overlaps with the last chapter in Pursuit by Camelback.
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Kontra's Menagerie #36
Reconditioning the Wolf
Charlie Richards
On the Road: When a brown bear shifter runs across his mate, he discovers a scarred soul in need of healing.
As a brown bear who’s been be-spelled by witches and rescued by horsemen and demons, Madagascar has spent months recovering. He’s bored. When Kontra’s gang gathers the information they need to take out a facility holding and experimenting on shifters, he decides to help them. While there, Madagascar runs across his mate—a wolf shifter working as a janitor... who pulls a gun on them. After disarming and securing the man, they learn his name is Ishmael Cartwright, a shifter who’d been kidnapped and sold by a now-deceased councilman gone rogue. The experiments done on Ishmael have left him with little memory of his past, and he believes any recollections of him shifting are delusions brought on by the house fire that left scars on his back. With Ishmael believing the scientists saved him, can Madagascar find some way to break through his conditioning and win his mate?
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