Book picks similar to
Purple Death by Brian L. Porter


thriller
english-drama
abandoned
genre-mys-thrill-act

Death in Pieces (DI Haskell & Quinn #2)


Bilinda P. Sheehan - 2020
     When forensic psychologist Harriet Quinn receives the random pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, she doesn’t realise they hold the key to identifying a sadistic killer’s next victim. A victim who hasn’t even been taken yet.

Dead Stripper Storage


Bryan Smith - 2018
    He’s a shy social outcast with no real friends. His luck with women has been spotty at best. A hostile work environment has made his life a living hell for months on end. For Pete, the weekend comes as a welcome respite from these things, but early Saturday morning he finds a beautiful and scantily clad dead woman on his couch. He has no idea who she is or how she got there. Is this a frame-up? Did he kill her in a blackout? Answers to these questions are elusive at first, but then the last woman he ever dated shows up on his doorstep out of the blue and things get seriously complicated from there. Blood is spilled. More bodies pile up. Pete is pushed to his limits as he is forced to do many strange and horrible things. A deadly game is being played and Pete is the ultimate pawn, with his fate coming down to a race against time.

Sin Is the New Love


Abir Mukherjee - 2018
    When her favourite author's autobiography lands on her table - which has confessions of his heinous crimes, illegal businesses and few eminent others as his partners in crime - she doesn't know if it's real or someone's trap. It could get her a big breakthrough, but little does she know that it would turn her world upside down completely. Her morbid curiosity pulls her into the depth of a conspiracy. She finds herself in the centre of various mishaps and murders, as if someone wants to lead the way. Driven by her childhood friend Samim's encouragement, and watched over by the ever so charming ACP Rathore, she has to jeopardize her life to find the brutal truth of her past. Touching, thrilling and deeply mysterious, Sin Is the New Love is the journey of a girl who stumbles upon the truth about her origin while chasing her dream.

The Hand of Strange Children: A nerve-shredding mystery thriller


Robert Richardson - 1993
     Details trickle in: the house belongs to wealthy merchant banker Charles Stansfield; present are well-known news editor Richard Barlow and members of his family. But the victims identities are withheld. Who are they? Why has a family gathering exploded into violence and death? Through their individual voices the lives of Richard, Tim and Naomi Barlow and their mother, Florence, unfold and a shocking crime comes to light - one that has gone undetected and unpunished, culminating in a double-killing a quarter of a century later. The Hand of Strange ChildrenPraise for Robert Richardson ''With this, his first novel, Robert Richardson makes a most impressive debut as a writer of the classical English detective story… He knows how to create suspense and an atmosphere of incipient evil; he provides us with a genuine puzzle, his characters are believable people, and the motive of his murderer is psycho-logically credible.” P D James “Skilful rerouting and the taste of real tears” The Sunday Times “Eccentrics, suspects and witty writing abound” The Times “Here is a book to be missed only at your own peril” Armchair Detective “Elegantly written, beautifully characterised, suspenseful and oddly moving” Mystery Reader’s Journal “Grand entertainment, deft handling and suave wit” Publishers Weekly Robert Richardson is a journalist and editor who lives in England.

Predators and Prey


Abhinav Agarwal - 2020
    An Indian scientist on the run. The spy apparatus of three nations after him and the coveted secrets he intends to take to the highest authorities. A girl who has become an unwitting pawn in this deadly game. A mastermind who will stop at nothing. They are up against a man with a troubled past who stands between life and death, victory and defeat. A conspiracy so devious it could forever change the nation. A race against impossible odds and time. Who will get their hands on the secret first? About the Author Abhinav is a columnist, photographer, software professional, Hindi music addict, reader and reviewer, and curator of the Indic Book Club. Abhinav’s writings have been published in DNA, Pioneer, Swarajya, LinkedIn, OpIndia, Medium, and elsewhere. He has worked at technology companies in India, the United States, and Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Mumbai University and is a post-graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He lives in Bangalore with his wife and two daughters.

Tourist Trapped (Trapped Trilogy Book 1)


K.J. Klemme - 2014
    She searches old haunts and uninhabited lands, and learns to trust no one. Racing against time, Amanda faces death threats, deceptions, and ghosts from her past. Will she escape paradise?TOURIST TRAPPEDBook One in the Trapped TrilogyCrackerjack divorce attorney Amanda Sloane spends her life defending the soon-to-be-ex-wives of Chicago’s upper crust, but her orderly world crumbles when her estranged father persuades her to help search for Rebecca Adams, the half-sister she’s resented for thirty years.Amanda drags along computer-geek-turned-attorney Chad Cooper, and together they chase across the Yucatan, pursuing an ever-changing string of leads. The duo encounters treacherous alliances, attacks on their associates, and a deadline for a hefty ransom.Amanda digs up more than clues when their search collides with the past she believed long buried. Old memories chip away at pretenses, threatening to crush Amanda’s carefully constructed life.Time is running out. When the bullets start to fly, Amanda and Chad wonder: who will survive Cancun?TOURIST TRAPPED takes the reader on a tropical adventure: bone-white Caribbean beaches, jewel-toned waters, and picturesque islands. But the stunning beauty cannot belie the fact that Rebecca and her husband have vanished. While Amanda and Chad hunt for the kidnapped couple, they stumble onto an international conspiracy that reaches all the way back to Chicago—and may cost Amanda and Chad far more than a ransom. TOURIST TRAPPED is a gripping thriller that combines psychological suspense with plenty of action and family angst. No one escapes Cancun unscathed.

The Art of Deception (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 3)


Pam Lecky - 2021
    

Circus of Nightmares: Death is the Ultimate Illusion (The Anglesey Mysteries Book 2)


Conrad Jones - 2021
    

Sins of the Father


David Harrison - 2006
    If it comes out, the tabloids will have a field day: Eddie Randall was a popular comedy actor in the 1960s. Nick goes in search of the truth and unexpectedly finds it impacts on a major insurance scam he is investigating. Then his estranged wife is found dead - and Nick realises that an unknown enemy is stalking him..."Occasionally brutal, but very readable... this writer seems to me to have real potential. I look forward to his next book." Martin Edwards, TANGLED WEB"Sins of the Father is a wonderful, exciting read full of twists and turns... This is a sterling effort from a new face on the crime scene."Chris Simmons, CRIMESQUAD"Sins of the Father is a rattling good read... a writer to watch for sure."Sharon Wheeler, REVIEWING THE EVIDENCEPraise for David Harrison (writing under the name TOM BALE):"What truly sells SKIN AND BONES is Bale's almost cinematic storytelling style, along the lines of what Lee Child does with his Jack Reacher series."Jim Winter, JANUARY MAGAZINE

The Blowback Protocol: A Sam Jameson Thriller


Lars Emmerich - 2017
    Is it Special Agent Sam Jameson’s fault? Homeland, Justice, and a powerful US Senator think so. And Sam is afraid they might be right. She’s been suspended, and she even faces an indictment. With her beau stuck on an overseas deployment, she’s left alone with her guilt, remorse and heartache - until a cryptic and terrifying message propels her out of her darkness and into a morass of international intrigue. Along the way, the clues start to add up, and Sam begins to wonder: was the little girl’s tragic death an accident, or something much worse? And what does the CIA have to do with the horrible tragedy? Halfway across the globe, Sam runs into someone from her past. But something’s different about him, and it quickly becomes clear he’s in a desperate struggle of his own. Three important people in his life have been kidnapped and face a brutal death — that he himself has set in motion. Are all of their fates intertwined? Are Sam and the man from her past fighting the same battle, against the same adversary? Can they unravel a vast and deadly conspiracy in time to save their own lives? Blowback is a classic spy thriller in the tradition of the best espionage novels from Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Daniel Silva, Mark Greaney, and Frederick Forsyth, told with the entertaining style and flair that have made #1 Bestselling Author Lars Emmerich one of the thriller genre’s most promising stars. For fans of these great spy thriller authors: Mark Greaney (the Gray Man) Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum (Jason Bourne), Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon), Frederick Forsyth, Barry Eisler, Vince Flynn, David Baldacci, and Brad Thor. Interview with #1 Bestselling Author Lars Emmerich

 Q: Who are your influences?
 A: Too many to list! I started out years ago as a Tom Clancy addict, and I thoroughly enjoy many of Nelson DeMille’s novels. I regularly read David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, Barry Eisler, Michael Connelly, and John Grisham. James Patterson has redefined what it means to be a working author, and I read his stuff as well. My top picks are usually espionage and private detective novels, any of the thousands of thrillers and mysteries best sellers, and, of course, books featuring classic pulp heroes. And I’m greatly influenced by all sorts of nonfiction, as well. I read all the time, and I’m a bit of a magpie about the topics — science, economics, finance, politics, history, mathematics, engineering, biomechanics, medicine… It’s a big world out there, and I love learning more about it. Many of those topics find their way into my fiction, so I can justify it all as “research.” 

 Q: The Sam Jameson series has become quite a phenomenon. What do you think has been the driving force behind the books’ success?
 A: I think Sam has something of a unique voice. She says the things we all wish we could say, and she gets away with it about half of the time. The other half of the time, not so much. I think she’s also a very human heroine. She has plenty of flaws and weaknesses, yet she accomplishes some amazing things. She’s kind of like every one of us in that regard, which resonates.

 Q: You have developed personal relationships with your readers over the years, which is a little unusual in the publishing business. Was that a conscious choice?
A: Absolutely. Books are intimate things. They occupy a person’s mind and thoughts for hours at a time. Good books leave a lasting impression, and great books might even change the way we think about things, but all books are a relationship. I always wanted a conversation.

An End to a Silence: A mystery novel (The Ward Trilogy Book 1)


W.H. Clark - 2015
    Montana, 1985. When seven-year-old Ryan Novak suddenly disappears from his home in a small rural town, Detective Newton picks up the case. Convinced that the boy’s grandfather - school janitor and former woodsman Bill O’Donnell - knows what happened to the boy, Newton’s growing obsession with his only suspect begins to take its toll. Winter. Montana, 2010. Twenty-five years later and, in the final days of Newton’s tarnished career, Bill O’Donnell is found murdered. Newton’s successor, a city-toughened young Texan detective named Ward, is the lead investigator. As Newton readies himself for retirement, Ward draws him back into the mystery he couldn’t solve. Can they find the old man’s killer and finally uncover the truth about what really happened to Ryan? The silence is about to be shattered. An End to a Silence is book 1 in a 3 part US crime novel series. Watch out for books 2 and 3 in the series.

Gone Woman


A.J. Rivers - 2019
    But when the truth is discovered, Mary’s life could be at stake… It’s the holidays and Mary Whitman has the perfect life. A beautiful home built just for her, and a blissful marriage to her adoring husband. But a terrible accident left her with no memories of her past and a lifelong illness. An illness that keeps her confined in her home. She's plagued by nightmares and haunted by a face of a woman and an empty nursery. As memories start to resurface of people she shouldn’t know and moments she shouldn’t have. Mary is left to wonder how lost she really is. When life with her perfect husband begins to unravel and she sees what seethes below the pristine surface. She begins to uncover the dark truth and learns that there might be more than just her memories that she must save. Will Mary be able to uncover the mysteries of her past? One thing is for certain… Some truths are far too sinister and may be best left buried.

Hollow World


Nick Pobursky - 2013
    In order to rescue his wife and daughters, he must enter a dark, dangerous world of vicious trials and sadistic mind games concocted by a brilliant but psychotic nemesis.

A Fiery End


Diana J. Febry - 2020
    The driver is at the wheel, oblivious to the inferno surrounding him.There is no explanation for why the vehicle was on the road or why the quiet tradesman was murdered in such a macabre way. The only witness to the fire, claims she saw nothing. Whatever she did see goes to the grave with her when she is brutally strangled. Frustration grows when the driver’s daughter disappears.With time running out to find the daughter alive, Fiona is drawn into a web of powerful men determined to keep their deadly games secret. Juggling a family crisis and a growing suspicion her boss is corrupt, her judgement is hampered by her attraction to the man central to everything.

The TANNER Series - Books 4-6


Remington Kane - 2015
     THE LIFE & DEATH OF CODY PARKER - A TANNER NOVEL - Book 5 In the town of Stark, Texas, Tanner faces ghosts from his past, as he tries to keep history from repeating itself. War - A TANNER NOVEL Book 6 Tanner returns to New York City intent on killing Sara Blake and ending her threat, but a new ally convinces both of them to come to terms and to end their conflict.