Book picks similar to
Tip of a Bone by Christine Finlayson


mystery
giveaways-entered
amateur-sleuth
crime-fiction

The River Girls


Melinda Woodhall - 2018
    The hunt becomes personal when Eden's niece is abducted just as the body of yet another victim is discovered in a local river. In a desperate effort to save her niece, Eden must partner with the small-town police force that had failed to save her sister. And to catch the killer, she realizes she must trust the one man she vowed to never forgive and summon the strength to face her deepest fears. The gripping first book in the page-turning Mercy Harbor Thriller Series will keep you up at night.

Trance


Adam Southward - 2019
    He is in control. This is his revenge—and he’s only just begun.Three university scientists are found dead in a gruesome murder-suicide, and the only suspect in the case, Victor Lazar, is quickly captured. When the spate of violent suicides follows him to prison he is moved to solitary confinement, reserved for the highest-risk inmates. And then his assigned psychologist inexplicably takes his own life.Alex Madison, a former forensic psychologist turned private therapist, is brought in to interview Victor. He suspects that Victor is controlling his victims, somehow coaxing them into a suggestive trance. It seems like science fiction, but as Alex digs deeper he uncovers a frightening reality of secret research and cruel experimentation—and the perpetrators are closer to home than he could ever have imagined.Too late, Alex learns the true extent of what Victor is capable of—and who he’s after. With everything he holds dear at risk, can Alex take control of a dangerous mind—before it takes control of him?

Starving Men


Siobhan Finkielman - 2020
    He also spends part of his professional life secretly counseling former members of the disbanded IRA. Michael always thought this would be enough to satisfy his heritage, but when the highly skilled yet deeply disturbed Turlough O’Sullivan enters his office, he sees an opportunity that the demons of his past won't let him overlook.Haunted by childhood tales of the gruesome history of the Irish people under British rule, Michael enlists his new patient's help in tracking down the living descendants of the long-dead villains of Irish history, as payback for his country and his lineage.But Michael's plan for a bloody revenge doesn't run smoothly: not only must he learn the truth about the role models who formed him as a child, but on his trail is a young detective at Scotland Yard, an officer obsessed with stopping the unknown serial killer who is out for an historical revenge that she can't understand.

These Toxic Things


Rachel Howzell Hall - 2021
    When her latest client, Nadia Denham, a curio shop owner, dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman’s last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d’art. A music box, a hair clip, a key chain―twelve mementos in all that must have meant so much to Nadia, who collected them on her flea market scavenges across the country.But these tokens mean a lot to someone else, too. Mickie has been receiving threatening messages to leave Nadia’s past alone.It’s becoming a mystery Mickie is driven to solve. Who once owned these odd treasures? How did Nadia really come to possess them? Discovering the truth means crossing paths with a long-dormant serial killer and navigating the secrets of a sinister past. One that might, Mickie fears, be inescapably entwined with her own.

Death by a Honeybee


Abigail Keam - 2010
    They are not cozy or fuzzy, but they do try to be humorous and witty. Sometimes they succeed. Each novel/novella has a stand-alone mystery, but the stories are also about the continuing life saga of a middle-aged Southern woman as she faces many serious obstacles. Josiah faces the world with sarcastic humor and a number of quirky, oddball friends that can only be found in the Southern town of Lexington, the heart of the Kentucky horse country. Some mysteries end with a bang, some are not solved at all and the first one ends with a cliff hanger, but they always entertain in the sassy, humorous and suspenseful world as Josiah goes about sleuthing. The Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series is just like fried chicken . . . finger-licking good! Add some sweet tea and a piece of chocolate pecan pie with a scoop of ice-cream and you got yourself some tasty reading. Description Josiah Reynolds is a beekeeper trying to stay financially afloat by selling honey at the Farmers' Market. She finds her world turned upside down when a man is found dead in her beeyard, only to discover that the victim is her nemesis. The police are calling the brutal death murder and Josiah is the number one suspect! Josiah makes the rounds of quirky characters that can only be found in the lush Bluegrass horse country. Fighting an unknown enemy in the glamorous world of Thoroughbreds, oak-cured bourbon and antebellum mansions, Josiah struggles to uncover the truth in a land that keeps its secrets well. Death By A HoneyBee is the first of an episodic series and as such ends in a cliff-hanger which is crucial to the rest of the series. Attached to HoneyBee is a bonus chapter from Death By Drowning which continues our heroine's story in linear time. I hope you enjoy reading Death By A HoneyBee as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It was a labor of love.

Sea of Gold


Nick Elliott - 2014
    The first-person narrative, complete with ironic asides, is the perfect vehicle for a thoughtful and witty style that draws us swiftly into the shoes of its protagonist, a credible and consistent character." "The sense of place is utterly authentic. We are taken to far-flung locations - some exotic, some seedy - by an author who has not just visited them but has lived and worked in these places. Nick Elliott has an effortless elegance in his writing, and an ability to create characters who feel real. The story zips along at a fine pace, and the result is a gripping and immersive thriller." "Angus is good company as he unravels a very twisty plot and discovers an unexpected level of determination (stubbornness?) in getting to the bottom of the mystery and catching the villains, all the while trying to be loyal to his fiery Greek girlfriend while fighting his attraction to a woman from his past." DESCRIPTION ‘Whoever did this wanted to make very sure no one lived to tell the tale.’ Money, murder and love on the high seas In the world of international shipping, the rules are blurred and the oceans lawless When instinct tells maritime claims investigator Angus McKinnon that a wave of frauds must be connected, he thinks it’s just business as usual. Instead, he uncovers a ruthless conspiracy born of greed and the lust for power. As he starts to unravel a trail leading from the post-Soviet drabness of a Black Sea port to a sweltering anchorage in the Gulf of Thailand, a devastating explosion in the Indian Ocean changes everything. Facing down terrifying childhood memories, torn between two very different women and doubting old friends, McKinnon must navigate a precarious path between secretive government agencies, shady syndicates and avaricious crime lords towards an unpredictable endgame. Gambling everything on his faith in one man, can McKinnon beat the odds and come out on top? A gripping page-turner, Sea of Gold draws the reader into a world of extremes, the casual affluence of the super-rich contrasting with the dignified poverty of the desperate. Meanwhile, McKinnon’s two loves – the enigmatic Claire and his devoted, long-term lover, Eleni, vie for his attention. This debut thriller from Nick Elliott is packed with intrigue – if you love your action spiced with suspense, make Sea of Gold your next read.

When the Past Came Calling


Larry S. Kaplan - 2014
    But when an unexpected phone call interrupts the personal injury lawyer’s midafternoon slump, he is surprised to hear from Michael Eisenberg—a former debate partner who went on to become the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. But Michael isn’t just calling to chat. He’s working with the FBI on a high-stakes case: investigating the disappearance of a revolutionary government scientist—one whose bio-evolutionary research could turn Darwinism on its ear, and pose a threat to national security. The main suspect? Cult leader Philip Montgomery, who happens to have a strong connection to David’s past. If David hopes to help crack the case, the attorney has to delve into a sea of old memories, revisiting people and places left behind long ago. One such person is former best friend Benny Friedman, who has clearly gone off the deep end. Obsessed with the JFK assassination, he insists he has evidence that Oswald wasn’t acting alone. But as David’s old memories continue to surface, a startling deception comes to light—uncovering the truth in a most unexpected way.

The Colour of Betrayal


Toni Mount - 2017
    Fearful that his opponent is dying from his injuries, Lawrence seeks sanctuary in a church nearby. When Ducket is found hanging from the rafters, people assume it's suicide. Yet, Sebastian Foxley is unconvinced. Why is his young apprentice, Jack Tabor, so terrified that he takes to his bed?Amidst feasting and merriment, Seb is determined to solve the mystery of his friend’s death and to ease Jack’s fears.

Shadow Of Doubt


Nancy Cole Silverman - 2014
    But Carol Childs, a reporter for a local talk radio station, doesn’t believe it. The suspect is her neighbor and friend, and also her primary source for insider industry news. After a media frenzy pits one niece against the other—and the body count starts to rise—Carol knows she must save her friend from being tried in the court of public opinion.But even the most seasoned reporter can be surprised, and when a Hollywood psychic shows up in Carol’s studio one night and warns her there will be more deaths, things take an unexpected turn. Suddenly nobody is above suspicion. Carol must challenge both her friendship and the facts, and the only thing she knows for certain is that the killer is still out there. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she’s in.

Back on the Market


L.A. Frazier - 2012
    Finding her boss naked and dead at an open house she's hosting was not what she had in mind. Wishing she'd spend more time reading Nancy Drew in her formative years, Vicky calls upon her own intuition and various investigative skills to try to find a piece of incriminating evidence the murderer thinks she has--before the murderer finds her. She might decide that the world has it in for her if not for Detective Nick Carson, who shares frustration, information, and more than a few fantastic kisses as he tries to solve the case. Throw in a rescued miniature dachshund, a skeleton named Max, and a coven of well-intentioned neighbors, and maybe, just maybe, Vicky has found exactly what she needs.

Ancient Magic


Bob Blink - 2013
    No one would have believed him had he chosen to reveal his true nature, unless he'd showed some of what he could do. Then there would have been problems. The ability to perform magic was the stuff of children's tales, yet for reasons Rigo couldn't understand, he was blessed, or perhaps cursed, with the ability. Asking others why he was different would have been of no use. He had been found at a young age wandering the flats near the isolated village where he grew up, his memory gone. His background, his true family, where he might have come from were all unknown.Wizard! The word hinted at something important. It made no sense that an insignificant orphan could be a person of such power. Yet Rigo could do things that could only be explained as magic. He had an indestructible staff, with its own unusual powers. There had to be a reason he'd been chosen. When the opportunity presented itself to explore the three kingdoms, Rigo set off in hopes of finding answers.Months later he had yet to find anyone who believed in magic. Circumstances pushed him together with another youth, with whom he was forced to share his secret. Together they ventured on. Neither was prepared for what they found, which required abilities far beyond the primitive magic Rigo could muster. Fortunately, someone had a plan, and Rigo was the key to its execution.

Sick to Death


Greg Levin - 2016
    When Gage Adder finds out he has inoperable pancreatic cancer, things really start to look up for him. He leaves his soul-crushing job, joins a nice terminal illness support group, and takes up an exciting new hobby: Beating the hell out of bad guys. Gage’s support group friends Jenna and Ellison don’t approve of his vigilante activities. Jenna says fighting never solves anything. Poison, on the other hand… When the three decide to team up and hit the streets, suddenly no rapist, pedophile or other odious criminal in the city is safe.They are the sickest of superheroes. Their superpower is nothing left to lose. But what happens when one of them takes this power too far and puts at risk the lives of hundreds of innocent people? Where does one draw the line when dying to kill?

Family Money


Chad Zunker - 2022
    They have two daughters and a beautiful home, and Alex’s startup business is about to explode thanks to massive private funding from his compassionate and supportive father-in-law, Joe. With millions more to come, all is perfect—until Joe is abducted and murdered during a family trip in Mexico.Alex’s world is about to be turned upside down. He can’t bear to tell his grieving wife why. The man they’ve both idolized has been keeping secrets. The pledged millions are nowhere to be found. The source of the original investment is a mystery, even to Joe’s financial adviser. No one, it seems, has any idea who the man they knew, loved, and trusted really was.As Alex digs deeper into Joe’s shadowy life, the most shocking surprises are yet to come. Deadly ones, too, because every lie that Alex uncovers in Joe’s dark past puts his family in more danger.

The Good Neighbor


A.J. Banner - 2015
    That’s what Sarah thinks as she settles into life with her new husband, Dr. Johnny McDonald. But all too soon she discovers an undercurrent of deception. And one October evening when Johnny is away, sudden tragedy destroys Sarah’s happiness.Dazed and stricken with grief, she and Johnny begin to rebuild their shattered lives. As she picks up the pieces of her broken home, Sarah discovers a shocking secret that forces her to doubt everything she thought was true—about her neighbors, her friends, and even her marriage. With each stunning revelation, Sarah must ask herself, Can we ever really know the ones we love?

The Wanderer


David Anderson - 2013
    It has been five long years since his life was turned on its head, but against all odds he continues to cling to life.Every day since the plague has been a battle for survival. With no family and no companion he wanders the empty streets of his desolate home town as a way to pass the lonely days, his familiar surroundings his only reminder of a more normal time. By sticking with little deviation to a daily routine he attempts to retard the erosion of his sanity. Growing used to his new existence, and never expecting change, how would he react if he knew that, just around the corner, another life-shattering change awaits him?