Book picks similar to
Hunter Killer by Harry McCallion
crime
free
the-on-deck-circle
thriller
The Locksmith
Linda Calvey - 2021
Linda Calvey writes what she lived.They grew up with nothing. Just a regular family scraping by, living an honest life while crime ruled the East End. Until all that honesty and all that hard work left them with nothing.Poor, destitute and hungry, young Ruby decides to pull them from the ashes. It starts as one job, one step outside the law. Yet that one step sets her on a path – straight to the top.But in the East End you don't build an empire without making a few enemies . . .Welcome to the underbelly of London, where criminals run the streets and one woman will do anything to protect her family.The crime debut novel of the year, perfect for readers who loved No Mercy and Queenie.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Michael Ledwidge - 2002
Decorated NYPD Officer John Coglin always thought his picture on the front page of the newspaper would be one for the scrapbook.That was before he had the bad luck to be forced into a witness-free, kill-or-be-killed confrontation with a drug-dealing thug. It's of no help to him that the incident took place during the run-up to a bitter mayoral election campaign, and that his adversary was sixteen years old and black.Now, instead of another commendation, Coglin is staring down the barrel of a media- and politics-stoked murder rap.But on the eve of his sure conviction arrives a fateful telephone call.It's not the governor, but his long-lost uncle, Aidan O'Connell.A veteran of the IRA and a recently released guest of San Quentin Penitentiary for armed-to-the-teeth robbery, Aidan offers his nephew a pardon that has nothing to do with lawyers.Coglin is about to find out that the type of amnesty Uncle Aidan is proposing is the kind that involves a beautiful but dangerous Mafia widow, a car trunk full of M-16s, and thirty million dollars in jewels smack dab in the middle of Rockefeller Center."Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a highly entertaining, deliciously gritty, super-fast thriller that takes us on a cutthroat ride into an urban realm where criminal intent collides head-on with the vagaries of fate and the inscrutabilities of the human heart.
Elephants in the Room
Suraj Laxminarayanan - 2018
Novices to crime, they are driven more by emotions than skill - their plan seems foolproof, or so they think. In another part of the city, a gang of seasoned dacoits has botched up a job and now owes money to the local crime lord. They have to either pay up or pay for it with their lives - and time is running out... In a bizarre twist of fate, both these groups are brought face to face. Trapped in a situation beyond the realm of their planning and experience, they must think on their feet, form quick alliances and rally behind an unlikely leader. Set against the backdrop of Chennai, where men sing gaana songs in kuppams (fishing hamlets) nestled against swanky glass-fronted buildings and life-size cutouts of film stars and politicians, a story of love, greed, friendship, fate and the absurdity of the human condition unfolds.
Ravenhill (Jackie Shaw, #1)
John Steele - 2017
He treads a fine line keeping psychotic hard-man Rab Simpson in check while sleeping with gang leader Billy Tyrie’s beautiful wife on the side. When a bomb claims nine lives, he is given the role of the getaway driver in a planned reprisal killing, a key role in a major operation. But Jackie may not be who he seems... Twenty years later, Jackie returns to the city for his father’s funeral after disappearing in mysterious circumstances. He wants to mourn then leave, but when figures from his past emerge, he is left with no choice but to revisit his violent former life. The first in the Jackie Shaw series, RAVENHILL is a gripping début novel from a brilliant new voice in crime fiction. The second in the series, SEVEN SKINS, is coming soon. ‘Tense, unsparing, compassionate and exceptionally well-written, this brilliant thriller brings vividly to life East Belfast in war and peace, its self-appointed community defenders turned brutal predators, and the security forces who struggled to contain them.’ Ruth Dudley Edwards
Buffalo Bayou: A Noir Crime Thriller
Tom Abrahams - 2021
His first case is a young woman found in an urban bayou. He immediately sees clues that lead him places he doesn't want to go. But his own demons may be the clue to solving the mystery of the woman's death. And as the case widens, so do his new partner's suspicions about his past and motivations.
Gym Rat & The Murder Club: Two New Stories (Kindle Single) (Crime Fiction Academy Presents...)
Lawrence Block - 2016
Not quite what he expected, and not for the faint of heart.Founded in 2012, The Center for Fiction's Crime Fiction Academy is the first ongoing program exclusively dedicated to crime writing in all its forms. Hone your skills with bestselling crime fiction authors Alison Gaylin and Jason Starr. Attend master classes with crime fiction greats like Mary Higgins Clark, Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Linda Fairstein, Nelson DeMille, Michael Connelly, Lisa Unger, and many more. Students receive a Writers’ Studio membership with access to our extensive circulating collection, and have the opportunity to read their work to an audience filled with editors, agents, and publishing professionals at our seasonal Crime Fiction Slam. Not in New York? Check centerforfiction.org for information about our online classes.
Black Venom (Wade Ross Book 1)
Dawson Howard - 2015
He informs the mysterious Australian that, willingly or not, he has just helped stop the illegal activity of the terrorist group known as The Grey Wolves. But Ross’s appearance at the raid is no accident. He’s an ex-SAS soldier, trained with the highest ranking Special Forces, and is regarded as one of the most talented and fearless agents around. When a supposed accidental explosion leads directly back to Ross, it becomes clear that the Grey Wolves have found themselves a new target. Although he works alone and outside of the law, Ross’s need for revenge means that he teams up with Plant and the rest of the CIA to help take the terrorist group down. But he is used to working alone. And he soon realizes, he can rely on on himself.... 'Black Venom' is a high-octane action thriller that will grip readers from the first page to the last. 'A blockbuster read.' - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of 'Trade Off'. Dawson Howard, born in 1959, lives with his lovely wife in Brisbane, Australia. Having served as a teenage soldier he spent most of his working life in the construction industry. Drawing on his military experiences and association with the Australian Aboriginals, his debut novel introduces Wade Ross, an ex-SAS soldier, highly regarded among secret service agents. Having completed the second of his Wade Ross series, he is now focused on a psychological / action thriller.
The iAmerican (Michael Bennit, #4)
Mikael Carlson - 2014
"We came here to make Congress effective again, and that is bigger than any one man."
Some people see a conspiracy behind everything, only this time there was one. While coming to grips with the discovery of who tried to have him assassinated, Michael Bennit must make the decision that will define his character - make a deal with the devil to save his political career or risk losing everything he has worked for.As party allegiances crumble in Washington, the new president is desperate to advance his own agenda with or without the help of Congress. Heeding the calls of a disgruntled public, he plans to act unilaterally and fundamentally change the face of the American government. Now the former soldier and teacher and his staff must race to do the impossible and unite the Legislative Branch against an egomaniacal president.With enemies mobilizing against him, the media no longer on his side, and most of his former students no longer able to help, the stakes have never been higher for Michael Bennit - he must succeed in his quest to bring change to Washington or watch as the center of national political power permanently shifts to the White House forever.The fourth book in The Michael Bennit Series, The iAmerican follows the plight of four people caught in the crucible of the greatest power struggle the nation has ever witnessed. Friendships will be tested and careers destroyed, but can the integrity of one man be strong enough to save the government from itself and restore the confidence of the American people?
The Michael Bennit Series (in order):
1. The iCandidate2. The iCongressman3. The iSpeaker4. The iAmerican ˃˃˃ More Than Just a Plain Vanilla Political Novels The Michael Bennit Series books are more than just another political novels. Although the books are set against the backdrop of a politics, the themes they explore the about social media and society, education in America, and how we react to a pervasive media culture are important to learn about and discuss. ˃˃˃ A Glimpse Into the Future!Social media is everywhere today! It is a powerful tool, but are we too trusting of it? This must read series of books examines that question in a fun and entertaining way.
Read the first three books in the series first, then purchase a copy today!
The James Ryker Trilogy
Rob Sinclair - 2018
Now living in a secret location, under the new identify of James Ryker, he wants nothing more than to be left alone, the chance to start a new life away from chaos, violence, destruction and deceit.It’s not long, however, before Ryker’s short-lived idyll is destroyed when he is tracked down by Peter Winter, his ex-boss at the JIA. Winter brings with him news of the murder of a woman in Spain, Kim Walker, whose fingerprints match those of one of Ryker’s former adversaries who’s been missing presumed dead for years - an infamous female assassin known as the Red Cobra.A cyberattack at the JIA led to the Red Cobra’s profile being compromised, and Winter believes JIA agents may now be at risk too, Ryker included. But Ryker knew the elusive Red Cobra better than anyone, and when he sees the grisly pictures of Kim Walker’s corpse, he has news for Winter - she isn't the assassin at all ...So just who is the mystery dead woman? And where is the real Red Cobra?
THE BLACK HORNET:
What do you do when the love of your life vanishes without a trace? If you’re ex-intelligence agent James Ryker you search for the answers whatever the cost, however much blood and sacrifice it takes...Six months ago Lisa was taken from Ryker, and he’ll stop at nothing to find out who is responsible and why. Following a trail to Mexico, the ex-Joint Intelligence Agency asset soon finds himself in the firing line of enemies he long thought he’d left behind. Set-up for the murder of a former informant, Ryker is thrown into a crumbling jail run by The Black Hornet, the notorious leader of a Mexican drug cartel. But what connects the cartel to the informant’s murder, and to Lisa’s disappearance? And just who is the mystery American claiming he can help Ryker in his hour of need?
THE SILVER WOLF:
Ryker wants blood, and one way or another he’ll get it...Still tormented by the disappearance of his wife, ex-intelligence agent James Ryker sets out on a personal mission of revenge, prepared to go to any lengths in search of the truth.The trail takes him from the crystal waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, back to a place he thought he would never set foot again - his country of birth, England. But there he discovers more than even he bargained for. Stumbling across a terrorist attack targeted against his old employers - the secretive Joint Intelligence Agency -the faint clues to many events in his recent past are all seemingly linked to one mysterious character; The Silver Wolf.But just who is the Silver Wolf, and why is he hell-bent on punishing not just Ryker, but his closest allies at the JIA too?Has Ryker finally met his match?The Silver Wolf is a globe-trotting thriller that sees James Ryker at his hard-nosed best as he fights the ghosts of his past. As skilled as Jason Bourne, as no-nonsense as Jack Reacher, James Ryker delivers in another heart-pounding thriller. The James Ryker books are fast-paced thrillers filled with twists and turns and intrigue that will appeal to readers of big-hitting thrillers by the likes of Lee Child, David Baldacci, Mark Dawson
Corsican Gold: An Archaeological Thriller (A Darwin Lacroix Adventure)
Dave Bartell - 2021
Foxy Lady
Rags Daniels - 2012
Late one evening she is brutally beaten, robbed and left to die.A few days later two bodies are found in the same house the assault took place. Others follow and a sewer of corruption contained beneath the razzamatazz of a General Election leads to shattering revelations and murderous passions; causing her well-organised world to turn into an arena of pursuit and terror, and where the only certainty is that nothing is certain.Bursting with penetrating insight into the seedy, sleazy world of political funding, Foxy Lady breathlessly leads the reader into the dark and sordid twilight world which lurks beneath the glamorous surface of the upper echelons of society. Revealing the true depths of the corruption which taints the lives of those who stride the corridors of power.
The Betrayed
Kate Kray - 2010
But their married life was far from what she had hoped it would be and was marred by drug abuse and violence. After Johnny was arrested and sentenced to 18 years, it became clear that their relationship was doomed to fail. Now, years later, and for the first time in a long time, life is finally looking up for Rosie Mullins. She has confronted her jealous husband and told him that she wants out, her acting career has taken off, and she has fallen into a new relationship with a top TV executive. All too quickly, however, she finds that Johnny’s influence extends far beyond the prison walls that contain him. To make matters worse, his intensely loyal twin brother, "Mad Dog" Eddie, is proving to be every bit as dangerous as her husband. Betrayed by those who had sworn to protect her and cornered by her past, Rosie has to fight with every breath to protect herself and her beloved daughter, Ruby. She finds herself forced to play a very, very dangerous game; setting her old family against her new one.
Dead Man's Gift and Other Stories
Simon Kernick - 2018
Five thrillers. No holds barred.including:
DEAD MAN'S GIFT
MP Tim Horton arrives home to find his seven-year-old son has been abducted – and the nanny brutally murdered. The kidnapping gang’s demands are simple: Tim must sacrifice his own life to save his son’s.A dead man’s gift…
ONE BY ONE
Six former school-friends have been reunited on a remote island.Separated since a fateful night twenty-one years ago, when their friend Rachel was killed, they're afraid for their lives – because the man arrested for Rachel's murder has been released.They think he's coming for them. They're almost right.Plus three more thrillers guaranteed to keep you gripped to the page. Can you withstand five full-strength doses of Simon Kernick?