Book picks similar to
The Numbers Game by John Stanley
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thrillers
Kiss the Girls
Pete Brassett - 2014
And although he quickly builds up a semblance of normality around himself, his underlying inability to cope with the trauma of battle finally triggers a series of violent events that will become another man’s life-long obsession to reveal.
Silent
D.M. Mitchell - 2013
She is accompanied by her older brother Davey, a sullen, insular man fiercely protective of his sister. But Betsy and Davey share a dark past which they’re hoping to escape by making a new life in California. A past that will have tragic, murderous consequences.But for now Rick Mason’s life is about to change beyond his wildest imaginings. He lands a lucrative contract with Metropolitan Studios, who want to cast him as the lead in their new horror movie. And out of the blue a Hungarian lawyer lands the bombshell that Rick Mason isn’t who he thinks he is. Mason discovers he’s inherited an estate and huge fortune from his late father Baron Jozsef Dragutin and has to travel to Slavonia in Europe to sort out legalities. Here he is told the disturbing truth about his murdered mother and feared father – a corrupt and vile sadist hiding his horribly deformed face behind a white porcelain mask. A man, legend has it, who sold his soul to the devil. A man and a family line cursed by Satan for all eternity.Back in Hollywood, reviving his father’s evil character for Metropolitan Studios, Rick Mason finally gets the movie success he desires and the fame and fortune that go with it. But when elements of his on-screen monster persona begins to affect his real life, Mason begins to fear that the role he was ‘born to play’ is slowly taking over him. That the curse of Baron Dragutin lives on in him.Rick Mason is drawn inexorably into a world of corrupt desires, superstition, corporate greed, unbridled ambition and murder, where the past refuses to die. It’s a world where monsters and horror don’t only appear on the big screen.
Almost Perfect
Orly Krauss-Winer - 2011
Three women, all deeply connected in some way to the victim, are swept into the investigation, involving a post-WWII love affair, an embezzlement case, and a brilliant police detective. When the truth is revealed, secrets are exposed – they must all face a difficult, complex, and unexpected reality. Almost Perfect is a light thriller, which does not require a thorough reading to trace the hidden details. You will find a sophisticated, intriguing story, variety in the narration, and many secondary stories (interesting in themselves), connecting to a harmonious overall picture. It has humanity and longing for warmth and love. The writer sets her stories in the real world, where the smells, tastes and feelings are known and accessible to the reader. These make the book enjoyable, thrilling, and allow the reader to connect with the characters.
Mystery: The Isherwood Case Files
Johnny Scotland - 2015
Although Charley doesn't like the idea, he has no choice but to put up with it. Isherwood shows the squad what difference observation makes to how a potential crime scene is viewed, when asked to help by a member of the public who is worried for the safety of her sister. Is she right? Is the girl's fiance a monster who has already killed his previous wives? The problem is that he is perceived as a high profile member of society and the Chief warns the detectives to tread carefully. Will Isherwood tread on anyone's ego as he provides insight on this potential murder case? This is the first of the series of Isherwood Case Files in which our detective gets up close and personal with homicide, showing the squad the difference between the American approach and the more reserved British approach. Mystery 2:The Case of the Ghost Writer With Jon Isherwood being asked to help in the Los Angeles Police Department's homicide division, a call is received from a landlord who has found his tenant has been murdered. In this salubrious part of town, the ghost writer has found his demise. Will the clues be sufficient to pin the murder on anyone? Since the ghost writer lived a very private life, investigation takes Isherwood and his team to the home of a rich and famous author. There are many questions unanswered, though with forensics on their side, will they be able to work out the motive that anyone could have had to kill the solitary figure? Using observation, Isherwood and his team work toward finding a conclusion to a story which spells sadness, disappointment and revenge. But whose will the revenge be and will it be easy to crack the case? Readers will need to take the journey with our detectives to find the answers to their questions. Not all is always as it seems. Mystery 3:The Case of the Dead Man with No Identity When a victim is found at the bottom of the laundry chute in a hotel, where will the inquiries begin. There is no identification on the man and nothing to say who he was. Isherwood investigates the case of the dead man with no identity with his usual flare. Should he be looking in other places or are the clues there for him to find? As the story unfolds, is the killer who they think it is? Can a killer actually be charged with murder when the victim is seemingly already dead? One of Isherwood's most irritating cases, the blandness of the whole affair baffles him. Instead of being riddled with detail for him to unfold, this crime comes with no clues, no answers and no real leads. How will the detectives find out who killed Ian Bradshaw? And what stories can the dead body tell the coroner's office about how the death occurred? Readers will discover within the pages of this story. Mystery 4: A Case of Check Mate When a murderer leaves the calling card of a chess piece, Isherwood is left to find out the significance. Does this mean something particular? The preacher who was murdered seems an unlikely victim, though Isherwood is left to do what he can to make sense of the killing. Looking through past history, perhaps there are links that may have been missed, other than for that calling card.
In Search of Jessica
Declan Conner - 2015
One other thing they couldn’t share was the love of their dad. He had his favorite for reasons best not mentioned.The family is torn apart when their dad is found murdered with all the traits of a particular twisted MO. A robbery gone wrong, jealous partner in a love triangle, warring neighbors, or someone closer to home? For Logan, the lead detective at the time and now head of LAPD homicide, the answer was and is simple. Jessica was guilty. That’s despite the case having never gone to trial, now gathering dust after fifteen years as his only cold case file of an otherwise illustrious career.When a murder takes place with a similar MO, detective Jason Stone is allocated the case. He’s a young man on a one–man mission to make a name for himself, and one who will break the rules to get there. Stone believes a mysterious person he dubs the Night Girl holds the key to unraveling the case. But just as he is close to cracking the case, his suspect list grows.Taken off the case, he goes undercover to continue his investigation. Infatuated, he places Jessica under surveillance to get close. Too close. Someone should tell him to stop chasing a dream, or could end up as the serial killer’s next target.
Vanished
Karen Lewis - 2013
The murky winter twilight gathered stealthily around him. As he passed by the corner grocery store, he waved to the proprietor, who returned the greeting. He didn’t have far to go now; his home was just the third house down from the corner. Where, at that very moment, his mother boiled water for his tea. But he never made it. For somewhere in that short distance of just about one hundred feet, he simply vanished and was never seen again. Fifteen years later, the case still remained unsolved. Under its former title Monsters in our Midst, this novel received the following reviews: REVIEW FROM COFFEE TIME ROMANCE "Ms. Lewis brings to light one of the horrors that any parent prays they never experience. The unknown would be like a cancer that just eats away at your very soul. As a parent, I can only hope that there are people out there like Scott Preston, who take it upon themselves to keep a case like this alive. The real tragedy in this story is the fact that no matter how horrible the truth, it is so much better than not knowing." REVIEW FROM DARK ANGELS "MONSTERS IN OUT MIDST by Karen Lewis will chill you to the bone. What an excellent suspense thriller to get lost in." "Every person questioned in this story has a little something to hide and you never know what it’s going to be. I found myself gaping and gasping a few times, through out the story. I was so eager to read more, I was able to finish the book, in a few short hours. Karen Lewis knows how to make sneaky characters, twisting clues and a dangerous plot that will keeps you guessing, even when you think it’s over. I have to tell you, I had no idea who the bad guy was. Every time a new character was introduced I was certain they were the perpetrator, but things just kept going farther and farther into left field. The fact that I had no idea what really was happening, kept me guessing, until the very end. You know, in most of the mystery books you read, you can guess who done it? Well in MONSTERS IN OUR MIDST I guessed wrong and the ending will give you the willies. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Ms. Lewis’s work." REVIEW FROM BROWLER BOOKS "Karen Lewis takes you back in time to solve a cold case. She has written a very interesting mystery that will leave you completely shocked at the outcome. Scott Preston is a newspaper reporter given a very difficult assignment. He has to investigate a cold case of a missing boy that happened fifteen years ago. The police couldn't solve the case, so he feels that he shouldn't be asked to look into this case. The more he investigates the more interested he gets. Things don't always add up the way they should. This book will hold your interest from page one all the way to the very last page. I would recommend this book. 4.5 stars" REVIEW FROM MANIC READERS I really enjoyed Monsters in Our Midst. Karen Lewis has a fluent, easy writing style which draws the reader in. Her characters are well-drawn and believable. I was particularly taken with Scott's Aunt Violet. You get the feeling throughout that somebody knows something and isn't telling, but you can't work out who. Is it the neighbor who was away at the time, but seems a bit shifty? Or the truck driver who taught part-time at the boy's school and may have been seen in his company on the fatal day? Or even the boy's own mother, who seems far too unemotional about the whole thing and can only deal with the situation by insisting that her son is still alive? http://www.amazon.co.
Lawyers, Guns and Money
J.D. Rhoades - 2011
Local crime boss Voit Fairgreen has just dropped a bag full of cash on his desk and hired him to defend Voit's brother Danny on a murder charge. Andy's one of the movers and shakers in the small southern town of Blainesville, and Voit figures Andy's the kind of inside guy that can cut a deal to get his baby brother out of the jam. The problem is that Danny just might be innocent. But someone powerful needs this case buried, and if an innocent man dies for that, so be it. Andy Cole is a guy who's made a good living by going along to get along. He's been willing to bend every rule, except Rule One--always get paid. But this case will cause him to re-examine his life and push him and his lover, beautiful newspaper editor Elizabeth Sinclair, to risk everything--including their lives-- for the truth. J.D. Rhoades, author of the Kindle bestseller BREAKING COVER and an attorney himself, turns his eye on his own profession in a book that combines the hard-boiled tone of the classic P.I novel with the white-knuckle suspense of the legal thriller.
Highwater
T.J. Brearton - 2014
He needs a blood transfusion and only one person matches. But first Milliner must solve the mystery at the Kingston house, where Liz Goldfine may have committed a heinous crime, and the dark depths of the lake harbor teenage secrets.Groups of strange young men are gathering on the roads, the old house holds many mysteries, and the waters are rising fast. What lurks deep in the lake and can anyone stop it?
Aleutian Grave
William Doonan - 2014
Henry Grave returns as an investigator for the Association of Cruising Vessel Operators. A World War II P.O.W., Henry is as cunning as he is charming, and at 85 years of age, he fits right in with his fellow passengers. The arctic exploration ship Nikolai Gorodish is cruising the Aleutian islands when a cabaret dancer named Rose DeSilva is found stabbed to death. More deaths will follow. But that’s only the beginning. Is there an arctic demon on board the ship? Or is someone else cannibalizing the bodies of the dead? With the help of a horror film star, a Russian heiress, and an apprentice shaman, Henry draws on skills honed in a Nazi prison camp to track down a killer who might have his own reasons for taking this particular cruise, reasons unrelated to the sumptuous meals, delightful shipboard activities, and arctic ports of call.
Horoscope: The Astrology Murders
Georgia Frontiere - 2014
Kelly Elizabeth York--a celebrity astrologer and psychologist with a devoted following--finds herself in the terrifying position of helping the police and FBI determine the identity of a serial killer--who just may be targeting her. No matter how careful she is, Kelly knows she will have to confront darkness, an energy so black it will challenge everything she believes in. Until now, Kelly has lived a comfortable, fulfilling life in her Upper West Side brownstone. Yet when four beautiful young women are found murdered, astrological signs carved into their thighs, she is pulled into a mystery whose clues may lead back to an astrological reading gone terribly awry.Horoscope keeps us on the edge of our seats while it draws us into the lives of people whose fortunes seem inextricably linked."I was quickly caught up in the suspense of Horoscope. The characters are well-crafted and compellingly real. It's a fun murder mystery. A great read!"--Sela Ward, actress and author of Homes
Bouncer
Tyan Wyss - 2006
Unfortunately, the only ones available are the prickly local private investigator Fox and a clairvoyant out-of-towner named Thayne who clash within the first five minutes. Just as the bodies start to pile up, only the clues from a mysterious child nicknamed 'Bouncer' can lead the oddball detective team of Fox & Thayne to the murderer before he sharpens his knife again.
Be Careful What You Hear
Paul Pilkington - 2014
Georgina Adams has battled through the trauma of postnatal depression as a new mother. But when she overhears her husband James threatening their six month old daughter over the baby monitor, she begins to question everything she once believed in. Did she imagine it? Or are their lives really in danger? Be Careful What You Hear is a nail biting 20,000 word suspense mystery novella, from the author of the bestselling Emma Holden trilogy. Prepare to be shocked by Paul Pilkington’s trademark twists, turns and cliff-hangers, and an ending that will leave you breathless. Another great page turner from Paul the suspense was great could not put it down love the way Paul writes you get right into the characters and you really feel for them… Mrs. Ailsa Wood "Ailsa" A short thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Brilliantly written short story. Natalie Lovatt Once again Paul has not let his fans down. A real page turner, the ending was certainly not what I'd prepared for, but then I should know better as his previous books have been a real tense and exciting page turner, then BANG there's the blow not what you expect. Absolutely love Paul's books have read all of them. I know this is only a short read but don't let that put you of purchasing it. Once again a cracker thank you Paul. Kay Just downloaded this and thought I'd read the first chapter and carry on with it tomorrow. No chance! It was fast paced and I just couldn't stop as I was so keen to get to the end to see what happened. Really really great short (tish) story! Looking forward to reading more from the author who has a real knack for a page turning book. Jo Loved it, very hard to put down until I had finished it, so had 2 very late nights!!! Looking forward to more from Paul Pilkington, a brilliant writer! Anne
Seaghost
William H. Lovejoy - 1991
Seeking justice for his father’s murder, ex-Navy SEAL Kevin McCory steals the Seaghost from the dark, restricted waters of the U.S. Naval Research and Development Center. But he isn’t the only one…The Warriors of Allah steal the Sea Spectre, a second stealth vessel, on the same night that McCory takes back what is rightfully his. Eager to inflict as much death and destruction on the Western world as possible, the terrorist group moves down the Atlantic seaboard, striking quickly and racking up high American casualties. With the Navy, the Pentagon, and the FBI on his trail, McCory must avoid capture, ensure justice for his father, and take down the terrorists in the Sea Spectre. As invisible as the terrorists in the SeaGhost, McCory is the only one who can find them…and stop them before it’s too late…Seaghost is a gripping, thriller submerged in the world of military espionage and terrorism. Praise for William H Lovejoy ‘Lovejoy has proven himself a master storyteller.’ - Clive Cussler‘Lovejoy writes in afterburner!… action that leaves you dry-lipped, moist-palmed and hungry for more. An excellent read.’ - M.E. MorrisWilliam H Lovejoy has publications in English, Spanish, Hebrew and Japanese. He is the author of twenty-five thriller, suspense, and mystery novels, including Delta Blue, Delta Green, Alpha Kat, Phantom Strike and Ultra Deep. A Vietnam veteran, he resides in Colorado and is Vice Chancellor Emeritus from Mohave Community College.Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7
Taste of Fear (John Montclair #1)
Jadran Hawke - 2014
French banker Liliane Genet has been looking for a man just like him for a long time. Smart, witty, well-built and successful, her new lover looks too good to be true. Maybe because he actually is... When detective John Montclair is called to investigate on her death, he quickly realizes that the killer knows what he's doing. He's a maniac but he's a pro. The victim was brutally murdered in the middle of sexual games yet the crime scene is perfectly clean. How did he manage to do that? Because there is one thing for sure: Liliane Genet was not the first one to fall for the dangerous sexual predator. And she won't be the last...