Book picks similar to
Motive for Murder by Marlene Bateman


mystery
lds-fiction
lds-author
lds-authors

Cold Justice


Kathi Oram Peterson - 2012
    On the eve of their wedding, however, Samuel disappears, and Regi wonders if once again he has run away from both a life with her and a membership in the Church. Quite the opposite; Samuel has been kidnapped by the Raven Clan, a powerful Alaskan tribe, and is en route to stand trial in front of their justice council for a puzzling crime that happened years ago. When Regi and Samuel’s close friends suspect a kidnapping, Regi—with the help of her sister, Claudia, and friend Wakanda—resolves to follow Samuel to Alaska but soon learns secrets about her fiancé she hadn’t bargained for. While Samuel struggles with his faith and with understanding why he has been accused, Regi risks life and love to set him free.

Saints & Spies


Jordan McCollum - 2015
    But Father Tim is more than he seems: he's an undercover FBI agent there to root out the mob. Falling in love might put both their names on the mobsters' hit list. When she finds her priest murdered, Molly Malone, secretary of their Catholic parish, vows to never let it happen again. She’ll use the full force of her Irish will, and her previous stint on the Irish police force, to protect the new priest from the congregation’s rumors of criminal activity. Falling in love wasn’t part of her plan. However, young, handsome and—dare she even think it?—flirtatious, Father Tim O’Rourke is nothing she expected. But Father Tim is also nothing like he seems to Molly: he’s Special Agent Zach Saint, an LDS FBI agent undercover to root out the mob that’s hiding in the parish. And Molly isn’t helping: every time Zach gets close to the mob, Molly manages to get in the way. Falling for her is the last thing he needs. Now Zach must find the murderer and catch the mobsters before his feelings for Molly blow his cover and add another murder or two to the mobsters’ docket. A new clean romantic suspense series from award-winning author Jordan McCollum!

Blink of An Eye


Gregg Luke - 2010
    At least that's how he used to remember it. But since the near-fatal traffic accident that landed him in the hospital with brain trauma, he's not so sure. Along with physical pain, Joseph now suffers recurring nightmares. Each night the heart-wrenching dreams grow increasingly vivid and graphic—to the point that Joseph's hospital roommate reports that Joseph talks in his sleep, often crying out in anguish and remorse. To complicate matters, a ruthless lawyer is challenging Joseph's innocence in the traffic accident. When defense attorney Michelle Haas comes to his aid, they discover they knew each other as children, and soon another forgotten experience comes into play—one that goes deeper than simple friendship. Are Joseph's night terrors actually repressed memories? Does he speak the truth during his unconscious midnight hours? And if so, what will that mean when Joseph's hospital roommate claims he confessed to murder? Soon Joseph realizes there's only one way to uncover the truth about his family and himself—involving reliving a past he has unknowingly worked all his life to forget. Unabridged ISBN 978-1-60861-027-3

Garden Plot


Kristen McKendry - 2011
    But finding the dead body of one of her guests sprawled in her garden complicates things!

Spies, Lies and a Pair of Ties


Sheralyn Pratt - 2003
    At 24, she has only been a PI for three years, but in that time she has never found a case she couldn't solve, or a person who could trick her. So when she's asked to investigate an embezzlement case at a nearby factory, Rhea doesn't think twice. What Rhea doesn't know is that the events that will take place on this case will snowball into a life decision. And what starts out as a humdrum investigation, filled with seemingly chance encounters, will change her life forever.

The Assignment


Jean Holbrook Mathews - 2011
    

Digging Up the Past


Kerry Blair - 2003
    Now their reunion is taking place in a small Arizona jailhouse where the archeologist stands accused of murder. While Meredith can’t believe Jayce killed an undercover agent, her list of suspects is as short as the time Jayce may have to live. Hidden beneath the red clay desert in the ancient, mystical land of the Hopis is a ceremonial kiva—and the answers to the investigation. As Meredith and Jayce dig for clues and edge closer to unearthing the truth, someone is preparing to sacrifice Jayce—quite literally—to protect a profitable scheme. Can Meredith learn the truth in time to save the man she loves?

Silhouette


Nancy L. Cratty - 2008
    And for seventeen years they've been searching for him. Now, with their emotional and physical resources exhausted, Garrett feels that they need to face reality--Austin is never coming back. But Leah can't let go, and her obsession with finding Austin takes a terrible toll on her relationship with her husband and their two daughters. The family is on the brink of collapse. Then a stranger appears who changes everything--perhaps not for the better.

The Madera Murder


Deanne Blackhurst - 2014
    But what self-respecting twenty one year old can resist the promise of a vacation in Mexico? She should have known it was too good to be true. Her dreams of exotic adventure come crashing down when she and her father arrive at their destination: the Madera Hacienda. Once a proud symbol of wealth and success, the ramshackle estate is falling apart, and the Madera family has hired Ashley's lawyer father to help save the family home. A dusty derelict ranch is not the vacation she had in mind-but Ashley can't deny a thrilling shiver of premonition. When she hears rumors of a tragic eighteenth-century death and a long hidden treasure, Ashley joins the centuries-long search of the mysterious trove in the company of a group of American archaeological students. But as the shocking clues lead Ashley closer to the hidden riches, it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep the secret of the treasure--and the next tragic death may well be her own...

The Believer


Stephanie Black - 2005
    Welcome to New America—a place where reading the wrong book can cost you your life!Ian Roshek finally believes in something. The young history professor has studied a contraband copy of the Book of Mormon—and he knows what it says is true. But now his newfound convictions will be put to the test as he struggles to listen to the still, small voice, while society screams in his ear.Ian’s sister Jill and her influential boyfriend only see Ian as a man with religious delusions--a man who needs help. And though her facade of brutality hides it, police interrogator Alisa Kent feels a trace of compassion toward this flawed, but courageous man who stays true to his faith--despite the fact that it’s contrary to both logic and public opinion. If only for selfish reasons, she wants to know more. But soon Ian’s choices will ignite a chain of events that he, and those around him, cannot escape.

Missing


Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen - 2009
    Before Stacie can alert the authorities, the little girl disappears. Stacie vows to find and rescue her, a choice that forces her to deal with her guilt-ridden past and another little girl that haunts her dreams. When the handsome Matt Brennan helps Stacie in the search, she tries to resisit the attraction she feels for him. Yet as he gains her friendship and trust, her resolve to never fall in love begins to crumble. And after a series of harrowing events, Stacie must decide if she is willing to sacrifice her life-and a possible future with Matt-to save a stranger.

The Perfect Plan


Jeri Gilchrist - 2005
    She is intelligent, beautiful, and an heiress to a fortune. However, underneath the surface lies a complex, cheerless young woman who lost her mother early in life, and was virtually abandoned by her busy father. Enter Ethan Van Wagoner, a caring and handsome man, bringing hope and meaning into Jordan’s life. Even with some philosophical and religious differences, they fall in love. But when Jordan’s father uses his wealth and power to ruin the relationship, she severs all ties. Four years later, Jordan has built her own name and career—thinking that she has finally found freedom from the people who tried to destroy her. Instead, she is met with the biggest challenge of her life. Surrounded by accusations and intrigue, Jordan is reunited with Ethan who promises to help her. Through legal battles, trauma, and a deadly hit-and-run, Ethan and Jordan draw ever closer— realizing that they may fall in love again, if only they can stay alive."

Road to Bountiful


Donald S. Smurthwaite - 2013
    How did business major Levi Crowne's life culminate in a summer job so pathetic? Just when it seems impossible to utter "will that be paper or plastic?" one more time, his wealthy Aunt Barbara offers Levi a golden opportunity: she will pay him to drive her elderly father, Loyal, from North Dakota to the Utah retirement home that awaits him. Eager to make a quick buck, Levi accepts the job. How bad could it be? Escort the old man to Glad Tidings Assisted Living Facility as quickly as possible, collect his pay, and get on with life. But nothing ever goes as planned. As the unlikely duo cross the plains--navigating through everything from tornadoes to seedy motels to biker bars--he's surprised at the feeling of kinship he develops with his passenger. In what becomes a life-changing adventure, Levi finds himself transformed by a gentle and wise old man who inspires him to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Flashback


J. Michael Hunter - 2008
    Her old nightmare is back. And now the timid kindergarten teacher is convinced that someone is following her--watching her every move. It could just be coincidence that she and the chillingly memorable man seem to show up at all the same places. Perhaps her paranoia is just a result of her deep fear of change. After all, so much has changed in her life recently. To make matters worse, Laura is now supposed to travel halfway across the country to take possession of a family estate she has inherited. As unnerved as she is with her 'stalker' in St. Louis, the plantation in Virginia seems even more frightening to Laura. And what is a Mormon girl going to do with miles of tobacco crop?But then again, maybe the family estate holds the secret to why Laura's parents would never talk about their past. In hopes of finding clues to this mystery, Laura packs her bags and catches a bus to Bufordville, a tiny town with more than its fair share of rumors, suspicions, and deadly secrets. Then panic sets in as Laura finds her returning nightmare is, in fact, a twenty-year-old reality--a reality that could very well repeat itself."

The Search


Clair M. Poulson - 2017
    When stunning professional basketball player Nadia Fairchild walks through his door, her story seems simple enough: two days ago, her mother disappeared along with a member of the women’s college basketball team she coached. Jayden and Nadia delve into a baffling maze of motive and opportunity with a lengthy list of possible suspects. As they work together amid their growing attraction to one another, the unlikely duo seems no closer to discovering the truth. Then the threats begin. Soon, the pair begins to suspect that this case is much more complicated than a simple disappearance—they have unwittingly stumbled on a conspiracy of corruption, greed, and murder far more deadly than they ever imagined. Others are also searching for the missing women, and they will eliminate anyone who stands in their way . . .