Book picks similar to
The Finger Trap by Johnny Worthen
mystery
mystery-thriller
humor
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The Book of Paul
Richard Long - 2012
The sole repository of ancient Hermetic lore, it contains the alchemical rituals for transforming thought into substance, transmuting matter at will...and attaining eternal life.When Rose, a sex and pain addicted East Village tattoo artist has a torrid encounter with Martin, a battle-hardened loner, they discover they are unwitting pawns on opposing sides of a battle that has shaped the course of human history. At the center of the conflict is Paul, the villainous overlord of an underground feudal society, who guards the book's occult secrets in preparation for the fulfillment of an apocalyptic prophecy. The action is relentless as Rose and Martin fight to escape Paul's clutches and Martin's destiny as the chosen recipient of Paul's sinister legacy. Science and magic, mythology and technology converge in a monumental battle where the stakes couldn't be higher: control of the ultimate power in the universe--the Maelstrom.NA best-selling novel, The Book of Paul is the first of seven volumes in a sweeping mythological narrative tracing the mystical connections between Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt, Sophia, the female counterpart of Christ, and the Celtic druids of Clan Kelly. "Long's prose is deft and clear, transporting the reader from one character's psyche to the next...this tale is a compelling one. A psychological thriller for readers who are bored with run-of-the-mill horror...Those who embrace the genre will eagerly anticipate a second installment in the series." - Kirkus Reviews "Intelligent, self-aware, and often amusing...hitting all the markers for sadistic, salacious, and scary. Long is doubtless going to build a large and loyal fan base composed of people just like him: literate folks with a bizarre sense of humor who prefer a bucket of blood to a bath filled with rose petals." - ForeWord Clarion Reviews "Totally absorbing! The Book of Paul is moving, profound, funny, terrifying and never lets you go. The prose is swift and sharp...at times, even poetic. Masterful storytelling. Hats off!!" - Henry Bean, writer/director of The Believer
Above the Bridge
Deborah Garner - 2012
However, it's not long before her instincts tell her there's more than a basic story to be found in the popular, northwestern Wyoming mountain area. A chance encounter with attractive cowboy Jake Norris soon has Paige chasing a legend of buried treasure, passed down through generations.From the torn edge of a water-damaged map to the mysterious glow of an antler arch, Paige will follow clues high into the mountainous terrain and deep into Jackson's history. Side-stepping a few shady characters who are also searching for the same hidden reward, she will have to decide who is trustworthy and who is not.
A Clue for the Puzzle Lady
Parnell Hall - 1999
A baffling clue leads him to consult Bakerhaven’s resident puzzle expert—his first big mistake. Soon Cora’s meddling, mischief-making behavior drives Chief Harper to distraction and inspires many cross words from her long-suffering niece, Sherry. But when another body turns up in a murder that hits much closer to home, Cora must find a killer—before she winds up in a wooden box three feet across…and six down.
Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed
Lance Carbuncle - 2007
He escaped from his master's house for a brief romp around town, seeking out easy targets such as bitches in heat, fresh roadkill and unguarded garbage cans. When he returns to his house, the aged basset hound discovers that his master has packed up their belongings and moved to Florida without him. "Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed" is the story of Idjit Galoot's ne'er do well owner and his efforts to work his way back to the dog that he loves. Along the way, Idjit's owner encounters Christian terrorists, swamp-dwelling taxidermists, carnies, a b-list poopie-groupie, bluesmen on the run from a trickster deity, and the Florida Skunk Ape.
Where Seagulls Dare
Mark Farrer - 2016
SABOTAGE. THEFT. PANTO. What's the connection between a scheming Russian oligarch and his bungling henchmen, an ardent eco-protester and a faded Hollywood bombshell? And why are they leaving crime scenes all over Scotland - from Largs to Orkney, Stornoway to the Borders? And what has any of this got to do with Cullen? He just wants to be bloody left alone. It’s a series of bizarre mishaps in a plot full of incident, humour and Scottish salmon. Oh no it isn’t! OH YES IT IS!
Bittersweet
Miranda Beverly-Whittemore - 2014
Ev invites Mabel to spend the summer at Bittersweet, her cottage on the Vermont estate where her family has been holding court for more than a century; it’s the kind of place where children twirl sparklers across the lawn during cocktail hour. Mabel falls in love with midnight skinny-dipping, the wet dog smell that lingers near the yachts, and the moneyed laughter that carries across the still lake while fireworks burst overhead. Before she knows it, she has everything she’s ever wanted: friendship, a boyfriend, access to wealth, and, most of all, for the first time in her life, the sense that she belongs.But as Mabel becomes an insider, a terrible discovery leads to shocking violence and reveals what the Winslows may have done to keep their power intact - and what they might do to anyone who threatens them. Mabel must choose: either expose the ugliness surrounding her and face expulsion from paradise, or keep the family’s dark secrets and make Ev’s world her own.
The Kult
Shaun Jeffrey - 2009
That’s what makes them easy to kill.Detective Chief Inspector Prosper Snow is in charge of an investigation into a serial killer called The Oracle who turns his victims into macabre works of art. But Prosper harbours a dark secret of his own. He and his old school friends were members of a group called The Kult who made a pact to dish out their own form of vengeance on bullies. Now a member of the group puts their friendship to the test when he makes a far darker request: that they murder someone that raped his wife.To get away with murder, the friends decide to blame it on The Oracle, but events take a chilling turn when the instigator turns up dead, his body fashioned into a disturbing work of art. Now, one by one, the members of The Kult are being hunted down. Just when Prosper thinks things can’t get any worse, his wife is kidnapped and he knows that if he goes to his colleagues for help, he risks his dark deeds being unearthed. If he doesn't, he risks losing all that he holds dear.
The First Wife
Emily Barr - 2011
The pair fall in love and Lily finally finds the security she has never had. But Lily's life takes a darker turn when she realises there may be more to Sarah's death than meets the eye. Anxious to find the truth before she marries her beloved Harry, Lily sets off to Barcelona in search of answers. What she discovers is more shocking than she could ever have imagined...
Penny Green Volume 1, #1-3
Emily Organ - 2019
As one of the first female reporters on 1880s Fleet Street, Penny Green has her work cut out. Whether it’s investigating the mysterious death of a friend or reporting on a serial killer in the slums, Penny must rely on her wits and determination to discover the truth. Fortunately she can rely on the help of Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard, but will their relationship remain professional? Read The Penny Green Series: Books 1-3 today and discover this entertaining Victorian mystery series. The Penny Green Mystery Series is set in 1880s London. The books can be read in any order: Book 1 - Limelight Book 2 - The Rookery Book 3 - The Maid's Secret Book 4 - The Inventor Book 5 - Curse of the Poppy Book 6 - The Bermondsey Poisoner Book 7 - An Unwelcome Guest Also available: The Penny Green Series: Books 1-3 (The Penny Green Series Boxset Book 1) The Penny Green Series: Books 4-6 (The Penny Green Series Boxset Book 2)
Something Missing
Matthew Dicks - 2009
After all, he’s been able to steal from the same people for years on end—virtually undetected. Of course, this could also be attributed to his unique business model—he takes only items that will go unnoticed by the homeowner. After all, who in their right mind would miss a roll of toilet paper here, a half-used bottle of maple syrup there, or even a rarely used piece of china buried deep within a dusty cabinet? Even though he's never met these homeowners, he's spent hours in their houses, looking through their photo albums and reading their journals. In essence, Martin has developed a friendship of sorts with them and as such, he decides to interfere more in their lives—playing the part of a rather odd guardian angel—even though it means breaking many of his twitchy neurotic rules. Along the way Martin not only improves the lives of others, but he also discovers love and finds that his own life is much better lived on the edge (at least some of the time) in this hilarious, suspenseful and often profound novel about a man used to planning every second of his life, suddenly forced to confront chaos and spontaneity.
Strange but True
John Searles - 2004
Numb from watching too much television, rereading a tragic biography, and trading snipes with his mother, Philip is in stasis. But everything changes late one windy February night when Ronnie's high school girlfriend shows up on their doorstep. A sad young woman who still bears the scars of the accident that took Ronnie's life on the night of their prom, Melissa has unexpectedly found hope. She is nine months pregnant. And the father, she claims, is Ronnie. So begins this startling tale, which moves from one breathless surprise to another as Philip and his mother confront not only Melissa's past but their own. Their desperate search for answers takes them on a poignant and emotional journey, ultimately placing them in the path of murder and revenge. At once a moving story of redemption and a heart-stopping work of suspense, Strange but True confirms John Searles's place among the most gifted voices of his generation. Beautifully written and charged with a sublime wit, the novel brings to vibrant life a cast of characters that no reader will forget.
His Other Wife
Umm Zakiyyah - 2016
Aliyah is Deanna's best friend...whom Jacob wants to marry. Expanded and continued beyond Umm Zakiyyah's popular online series by the same name, His Other Wife is a story about love and betrayal, faith and personal crisis, and withstanding deep emotional wounds.Jacob is a successful businessman and college professor, and his wife Deanna is a renowned marriage counselor and author. Together they are their Muslim community’s power couple. Aliyah is Deanna’s recently divorced best friend who has just accepted a position at the college where Jacob works—and who is the unwilling recipient of Deanna’s constant unsolicited relationship advice, particularly that Aliyah needs to learn how to hold a marriage together and keep a man from ever thinking about marrying another woman. But their friendship takes a difficult turn when Aliyah receives a phone call from her uncle saying that Jacob is interested in marrying her as a second wife—without Deanna’s knowledge.
Muted
L.H. Owens - 2019
Although unable to speak since the tragedy that took place on his eighth birthday, his words reach out to people across the globe. When he learns that more than a thousand Friesian stallions are being held by the U.S. pharmaceutical company, Pilatos Industries, he knows he has to do all he can to free them. The heir to Pilatos, the cool and efficient lawyer Karen Lawford, will do everything in her power to stop him. Karen's mother, a breeder of international show jumpers, notes that, "Those stallions represent an evil at the heart of Pilatos, and one wrongdoing is usually an indication of others." The extent of that evil becomes apparent as the release date of their new drug approaches. With Pilatos relying on the success of the revolutionary Stablex, there are no limits to what they will do to ensure Lane does not interfere with the Stablex stallions, which are needed to produce the drug. Lane tries to convince Karen that the stallions at Pilatos must be given their freedom, but his beliefs are losing the battle against the Pilatos creed of greed, and it is only when she learns the shocking truth of what lies at the centre of the laboratories that any change can take place… but is it too late for Lane? Sometimes, you only know how much you love someone once you lose them. The story takes you to The Spanish Riding School, the mountains of Austria and the wilds of America and Australia as Lane tries to reawaken Karen's love of horses and bring back the colour to her grey life. He believes she is the key to saving the stallions, but, since childhood, her father has taught her to put Pilatos ahead of all else, and that loyalty appears to be an insurmountable obstacle in his mission to free the stallions. A moving love story set against the greed of the corporate world. A story that explores what is important in life as the wisdom of Lane Dimity touches all those around him. You don't need to like horses to enjoy the book, but even the most experienced horse people will appreciate the knowledge shared by Lane. Quotes from readers: "I fell in love with Lane...where can I meet him? A great love story and I learned so much about horses." "I couldn't believe what Pilatos were doing, then I looked around where I work and I realised that is exactly what they would do. Chilling, enlightening and, thankfully, uplifting." "I read it for the horses and I wasn't disappointed. Lipizzaners, Friesians, Warmbloods, mustangs and others, presented knowledgably by a writer who knows horses. It left me with a lot to think about. I loved this book."
Movie Game
Michael Ebner - 2015
Now seventeen, he is unaware that government agents are watching him in case his dad makes contact. Joe is too distracted by his secret girlfriend, midnight swims in the pools of strangers, free drinks from his buddies at the movie game and the glamorous college student, Felicity. But his movie-esque existence and addiction to fiction is set to collide with a heavy dose of reality this summer when he discovers everything is not what it seems: his secret girlfriend wants to be the real thing. His college fling may have ulterior motives. And the government agents want co-operation to catch his missing father. All this and the three year old death of Joe’s first girlfriend Alice are going to cause him to face some dark truths. It’s no longer a movie game. This is his life and he wants to win.
The Girl Who Lied
Suzanne | Sue Fortin - 2016
Now, Roisin has discovered a secret—one Erin has kept for over a decade—and she’s determined to make Erin pay for her lies.Erin wants nothing to do with Roisin. She has a new life in London and no intention of going back home. Yet when her father is mysteriously and critically injured, Erin has no choice but to return and face Roisin—and her past. Erin knows if the secret of what she gave up got out, the consequences could be devastating.When Roisin suddenly disappears, suspicion soon lands on Erin. She would do anything to protect her family, but just how far is she willing to go when time is running out…?