Book picks similar to
Shell Game by Joseph Badal


thriller
fiction
badal-joseph
mystery

What We Saw


Ryan Casey - 2012
    As the story twists and turns towards a shocking conclusion, the secrets of the seemingly sleepy community begin to unravel…What We Saw is a touching and thrilling British mystery novel with elements of comedy, friendship, fear and loss. Told from the innocent perspective of a child, it poses the ultimate question: if you stumbled upon a shocking discovery as a child, how would you react?

The House's Money


Owen Sullivan - 2012
    Dressed to kill and running on pure ambition, he enters the ranks of mortgage-backed securities traders twice his age for one of the most prestigious firms in San Francisco. Life couldn’t be sweeter. But the roller coaster has only just begun. Upon meeting Stephanie, an equally enterprising real estate appraiser, his dreams appear to be unstoppable. But unbridled love too often hides the truth in its shadow and not everything is as it appears. As he discovers the wild world of real estate investment, experiencing a soaring financial wave never seen before, Matt is welcomed with open arms into a seductive arena almost too good to be true. When insatiable greed raises its ugly head, jealousy and betrayal follow quickly behind. In a moment of brutal clarity, his world shatters with the realization he is merely a pawn in someone else’s wicked game. Just as quickly as it all began, the housing bubble begins to burst and his dreams slip through his fingers as he desperately struggles to hold on to a world that never really existed.

Tracks


Niv Kaplan - 2013
    The mystery builds as deep in the Sinai Desert, amongst immortal granite cliffs and The Gulf's breathtaking shades, there lays Sam's greatest fears. Hate, corruption, and greed threaten his organization and he turns to a secret outfit for help. Then a horrible scheme to use children to spread terror is revealed and the trackslead to an inevitably lethal confrontation with a merciless terrorist group.This is a tale of modern terrorism, international intrigue, diplomacy, and sacrifice, all in hopes of finding one small boy.Will Sam find his son?"TRACKS",Niv Kaplan's second novel, is a riveting adventure of people who risk everything to track and liberate missing children.

Camelot's Cousin: The Spy Who Betrayed Kennedy


David R. Stokes - 2012
    Its contents include a journal with cryptic writing. He turns to his friend, and boss, Templeton Davis, a Rhodes scholar, popular national radio talk show host, and best-selling author of spy novels and history books, for help figuring out what he's found. They soon realize that they possess materials concealed more than 60 years earlier before by Soviet intelligence and espionage agent, Kim Philby--and also clues to the last great secret of the Cold War. There was another highly placed spy. Someone never discovered--until now. This traitor had unique access to the White House, and was perfectly positioned to influence President John F. Kennedy as he faced challenge after challenge in the era now remembered as Camelot.Templeton Davis becomes obsessed with a story so many found in the spy books he loves to read and write. And some of those very espionage spy thrillers come in handy. The trail of mystery and suspense leads to a picturesque town in Vermont, the streets of New York City, the corridors of power in Washington, DC, and most importantly, Oxford, England. He learns that the beautiful city of spires on the Thames was once also a city of spies.

The Oxford spies may never have reached the level of public notoriety as those from that other British academic stronghold--Cambridge. But clearly the story had never been completely known--or told. And it was a very dangerous mine of intelligence and espionage detail in which to dig, a fact borne out by a couple of suspicious deaths left in the wake of Templeton Davis's travels. 

Davis discovers that during the Cuban Missile Crisis, secrets were being betrayed at the highest levels. And what he learned also connected to a time of great sorrow for mankind--the Kennedy assassination.

 At a crucial moment, Templeton Davis develops a bond borne of necessity with a beautiful young woman from Russia, someone with her own secrets. And when what she knows is combined with what the famous broadcaster has learned, the two unlikely heroes find themselves in danger, yet poised to rock the world. Camelot's Cousin: An Espionage Thriller is a page-turner for readers who enjoy suspense thrillers and mysteries.

Locust Hill


Barbara Bayes - 2019
    Confined to a wheelchair after a mass subway shooting, she has been unwilling or unable to speak since the terrifying day she was wounded in the train. One person who might be able to shed some light on the murder is compassionate caregiver Margaret, temporarily hired as Fiona’s personal assistant. From the very first day of her arrival, Margaret senses that something is not quite right about the household...something disquieting and hard to pinpoint. As the mysteries pile up and the friendship between Margaret and her patient grows, the caregiver finds herself sifting through a complicated tangle of lies while trying to help her charge heal both physically and emotionally. The slow burn suspense gradually escalates as a series of shocking revelations brings us to a devastating conclusion.

Ghosted


J.E. Rowney - 2020
    Meanwhile Violet tries to juggle a new relationship and a demanding job as a midwife, where she meets a mum-to-be who faces her own unexpected challenges. Who can Violet turn to to help her to find out what lies behind Zoe’s disappearance?This is a story with twists and turns. A story of friendship. A story of trust.

Assassination of a Dignitary


Carolyn Arnold - 2013
    Now fifteen years later, settled as an accountant and family man, he assumed life would be calm. He thought wrong. The Italian mafia wants him back.The directions were simple: Kill Governor Behler and be out for good.Despite the odd request since the mafia typically respects dignitaries, in order to protect his family, he has no choice but to accept the job. He picks the date and location Niagara Falls, New York two hundred and forty miles away. But by the time he returns home, he finds out the assassination attempt failed, his family has been kidnapped, and he has twenty-four hours to set things right if he wants to see them again.With time running out, Raymond discovers the real reason they wanted Behler dead and finds out he’s placed himself and his family right in the middle of a mafia power struggle. What he doesn’t realize is that law enforcement is also closing in.

The King Tides


James Swain - 2018
    And that of strangers, too. Wherever she goes, she’s being watched. Each stalker is different from the last, except for one thing—their alarming obsession with Nicki.Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Nicki’s father is turning to someone who can protect her: retired private detective and ex–Navy SEAL Jon Lancaster. Teaming up with FBI agent and former abduction victim Beth Daniels, Lancaster can help—his way. He’s spent most of his career dispatching creeps who get off on terrorizing the vulnerable. Unlicensed, and unrestricted, he plays dirty…But this case is unusual. Why so many men? Why this one girl? Does Nicki have something to hide? Or do her parents?Trawling the darkest depths of southern Florida, Lancaster faces a growing tide of secrets and deception. And the deeper he digs, the more he realizes that finding the truth won’t be easy. Because there’s more to this case than meets the eye.

Veil of Civility (Black Shuck)


Ian Graham - 2013
    Loyal to the Provisional Irish Republican Army, they were known only by their codename, Black Shuck.In the years that followed — betrayed from within by the internal power struggles of the IRA — the team members were hunted down. Three survived, fading into the turbulent streets of Northern Ireland. To this day, their identities remain a mystery — but nothing can stay hidden forever.For years, Declan McIver has lived under the radar — married to a beautiful woman and operating a successful business — but that life is about to change. When a planned meeting with an old friend goes horribly wrong, Declan finds himself on the run from a shadowy conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep their evil intentions a closely guarded secret. To survive, he'll have to rely on long dormant training and reach deep within himself to a place and time he'd hoped to never return. As his past is laid open for the world to see and events spiral further out of control — who will win and at what cost?

The Insiders


Craig Hickman - 2009
    The Insiders by acclaimed international best-selling author Craig Hickman is a tech-savvy suspense novel filled with the vices of vicious men. It introduces a new brand of thriller that exposes the way broken capitalism exploits the middle class and corrupt business leaders keep their activities concealed through high-level conspiracies. As some readers may suspect, the world’s most powerful CEOs have an insider’s club based on a complex web of insider trading and corporate espionage. From killings in the stock market to access to contract killers—whatever they want, they get. They live above the law until one man whose powerful father founded the insider’s club must avenge an attempt on his father’s life. As with the real life big business economic meltdown, one man’s missteps can mean chaos to the American Dream, and the adrenaline rush will last until the very end.

Cried for No One


Hubert Crouch - 2013
    Hard-nosed in the courtroom and well-connected to the local media and judiciary, Cal sues the cemetery for millions. Hot on Cal's trail is Leah Rosen, a young journalist closing in on the truth and willing to put her career on the line for justice. Defense attorney Jace Forman takes on his rival Cal and won't rest until he finds out who could have committed this macabre crime and why."In the well-plotted tale, the author adeptly explores the complex interrelationships among politicos, the media and various legal and law enforcement professionals...Well crafted with an authentic Southwestern setting..." - Kirkus Reviews"If your preference in fiction leans toward courtroom drama and mystery, you will love Hubert Crouch's Cried For No One." - John Seigenthaler, Founder The First Amendment CenterWith its intriguing characters shocking twists and turns, and sizzling Texas flavor, this legal thriller will keep readers enthralled until its heart-stopping climax!

Hidden


Derick Parsons - 2012
    But Kate has secrets of her own, and a dark past that will come back to haunt her.Hidden is a thriller, set in Dublin, but it is also a voyage of self-discovery for Kate as she learns not just the truth about her patient, but some truths about herself.

Doubt


C.E. Tobisman - 2016
    Right away, her new boss asks her to find out whether a popular GMO causes healthy people to fall ill. Caroline is only supposed to dig in the trenches and report up the ladder, but her tech background and intuition take her further than planned. When she suspects a link between the death of a prominent scientist and the shadowy biotech giant, she cries foul and soon finds herself in the crosshairs. The clock is ticking and thousands of lives are on the line…including her own.Now this rookie lawyer with a troubled past and a penchant for hacking must prove a billion-dollar company is responsible for thousands of deaths…before they come after her.

The Unspoken


Ian K. Smith - 2020
    After refusing to participate in a police department cover-up involving the death of a young black man, Cayne is pushed out of the force. But he won’t sit quietly on the sidelines: he’s compelled to fight for justice as a private investigator…even if it means putting himself in jeopardy.When a young woman, Tinsley Gerrigan, goes missing, her wealthy parents from the North Shore hire Cayne to find her. As Cayne looks into her life and past, he uncovers secrets Tinsley’s been hiding from her family. Cayne fears he may never find Tinsley alive.His worries spike when Tinsley’s boyfriend is found dead—another black man murdered on the tough Chicago streets. Cayne must navigate his complicated relationships within the Chicago PD, leveraging his contacts and police skills to find the missing young woman, see justice done, and earn his redemption.

Beyond Betrayal


L.T. Ryan - 2013
    To observe and isolate a potential threat to national security residing inside the White House. Facing a conspiracy that threatens to rock Washington, D.C. to its core, Clarissa is pitted against an overwhelming force that won’t stop until she’s dead.This suspense thriller is Clarissa Abbot’s first feature novel. She is also a feature character in several books in the Jack Noble series.