Book picks similar to
Motive by Dustin Stevens


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crime-thriller-espionage

Rosé's... Bent Stem


Nomita Khanna - 2019
     Tana, a diligent, young nurse with a troubled childhood, can’t believe her luck when she finds Vikram, a rich widower who says she is the ‘love of his life’. The strong attraction quickly turns into something else, unraveling her life. Nightmares that wrecked her childhood are back—and ripping her world apart. Evil has already claimed victims. Is it about to take another? As the four walls of her majestic Lutyens bungalow begin to close in on her, she spirals down into a dungeon. In this twisted world with betrayal at every step, she decides not to stay miserable and becomes the person she never thought she could be. The path to escape is swarming with grisly ambushes and ... intrigue. No one really knows what happens behind closed doors or what goes inside a person’s mind. How far will someone go to protect their secrets or to get what they want? Farther than anyone can imagine. PEOPLE ARE UNKNOWABLE.

The Doom Murders


Brian O'Hare - 2012
    The bodies are left naked and posed in grotesquely distorted shapes. No clues are left at the forensically immaculate crime scenes except odd theatrical props and some random numbers and letters concealed at each scene by the killer. How are the victims linked? What is the connection between these killings and a famous mediaeval painting of The Last Judgement? Chief Inspector Jim Sheehan is baffled. Faced with one of the most complex cases of his career, he turns to an eminent professor at Queen’s University and a senior cleric who is a biblical expert. With their help, Sheehan begins to piece together some understanding of the killer’s psychopathy but can he learn enough to identify the killer and put an end the murders?

If These Trees Could Talk


Brian W. Smith - 2011
    

The New Arrival: Part 1 of 3: The Heartwarming True Story of a 1970s Trainee Nurse


Sarah Beeson - 2014
    A place where the poorly children of Hackney were nursed to health, a place where young nurses would discover just want they wanted from life, fall in love with shy photographers and grow into women. But it’s not all smooth sailing in Hackney: for every baby that goes home to its loving family another is abandoned, unloved, or never gets to go home at all.Funny, warm and deeply moving, Sarah Beeson’s poignant memoir captures both the heartache and happiness of hospital life and 1970s London through the eyes of a gentle but determined young nurse.

The Outlaw Hunter


Kathy E. Fisher - 2014
    He hunted outlaws like some men hunted wolves or mountain lions. The bounties he collected were simply payments rendered to a workman, and he was a man good at his work. Under Eli’s flint-hard exterior, that was merciless to outlaws, ran a wide streak of kindness that showed itself the day he picked up a starving orphan in Dodge City and took him along. He soon learned that the twelve-year-old Rob Slater harbored a common intent with him – to run down the elusive Parson gang. He for the $10,000 reward, and Rob, because Jude Parson had murdered his folks. Rob asked Eli to teach him the trade so one day he could look Jude Parson in the eye and square things with the killer. Under Eli’s tutorage the two came to turn the outlaw world on its ear until the day Eli honored his brother’s dying request and took his young daughter into his care touching off a series of unexpected changes that would forever mold their futures.

Between the Levees


Jonathan Olivier - 2016
    Though with his parents deceased since he was a boy, and with no way of uncovering who they were, finding a sense of family is more than a daunting task-it seems impossible. Until he goes to Louisiana's Cajun country, with hopes of finding a man who perhaps knew them. After enduring blistering heat, torment from mosquitoes, venturing into eerie, backwater swamps, and fending off alligators, snakes, and a few sinister locals, Sam finds what he had sought all of his life. He's also given a second chance, one to leave behind a pained past that he would rather forget. But finding what he wants most means that he'll eventually have to lose it.

Sleeping Dogs (Chronicles of Miller's Crossing #1)


Linda L. Chontos - 2016
    If the message it contains is true, the man convicted of a local murder thirty-six years ago is innocent, and the real murderer is walking free. Matty must decide if she is willing to uncover the truth, whatever the cost to herself and those around her. If that wasn’t enough, there’s trouble afoot in their little country church where Matty’s friend, Willa-Mae, is leading the charge to get things back to the way they were before the new pastor arrived with his new ideas.

Playing with Fire: A Legal Thriller


James Taylor Adams - 2015
    Thwarted in a previous attempt to bring charges for other nefarious crimes, Ms. Battle is determined to put the crime boss behind bars, and this time she has what looks like an airtight case. Claiming he has been framed, Carmine hires the blue blood, Harvard-educated attorney Harrison Fletcher, Jr. who was recently fired from his position as Assistant DA for refusing to compromise his ethics, to help him prove his innocence. Assisted by his beautiful wife and a scruffy, alcohol-loving detective, Harry sets out to discover who set the fire and why. As what really happened that June night becomes clear, evidence begins to disappear. With the defense’s case starting to crumble, Harry devises a way to prove Carmine’s innocence. But will the plan work?

Operation Jai Mata Di


Pratik Shah - 2015
    The hostage-takers threaten to shoot pilgrims every day, unless the incumbent Government accedes to their demands. With the popular Hindu festival of Diwali just around the corner and elections less than six months away, the Government at the center is under immense pressure to act. What will the Government do? The army? The intelligence agencies? The common man? No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Who are these men? Is there a larger plot? Faced with such unprecedented events, will the country descend into unimaginable anarchy or will it rise above the issues of collective apathy and greed that have plagued it since Independence?

Riders of the Lone Star: Heck Carson Series Volume 1


John Spiars - 2017
    Johnstone, Best-selling western author, John Spiars has created a timeless hero of the old west. The first novel in the Heck Carson Series, Riders of the Lone Star brings the wild and lawless Texas frontier to life. When the Law ain’t enough… He brings Justice. The year is 1852. Settlers on the Texas frontier are at the mercy of hostile Comanche and vicious outlaws, and the only ones holding the line between life and death are a few brave men, known as Texas Rangers. Outnumbered and outgunned, they bring law and order to the untamed land. They face impossible odds with nothing more than grit, determination, and a fast gun. It is this adventure and excitement that lures sixteen-year-old Jesse “Heck” Carson to leave his families ranch to join the fight. Heck quickly learns that this life comes at a price, the cost of which is hardship, danger, and possibly his own life. The bonds of friendship, loyalty, and duty lead him into epic battles that test his courage and resolve, and along the way he learns what it means to wear the star of the Texas Rangers. Excerpts: As fast as he could, he pulled the hammer back and fired, the first Comanche jerked once and hit the ground. The other warrior was no more than two feet away now. Heck wondered if he had another bullet left. Had he fired five or six shots? He couldn’t remember. Saying a silent prayer, Heck pulled the hammer back and looked at his approaching enemy. The point of the warrior’s lance was inches away from his chest when heck pulled the trigger. The barrel of the Walker was almost touching the chest of the charging Indian. Heck heard no sound, but saw the smoke pour out of the barrel and the big warrior dropped to his knees, and fell on top of the young Ranger. Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson approached the men on horseback, ready to do what had to be done. Looking at the group of riders, however, Sutter immediately recognized he had made a terrible mistake. These men were not military, not even by Southern standards. They were unkempt, filthy, and armed to the teeth. His heart sank as he noticed that most of the detachment were Mexican and their guns were not in their holsters. “What is going on here?” he said, unable to believe what he was seeing. The lead rider smiled and said, “This was even easier than Senor Cortina said it would be. Thank you.” Without saying another word, the man raised his pistol and fired two quick shots, hitting both Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson between the eyes. The man wheeled around with his rifle as Heck landed on his back, but it was a fruitless gesture. There was a look of pained surprise on the man’s face as Heck covered his mouth and pulled him to the floor. Heck plunged his knife into the man’s chest several times, as he kept his hand over the man’s mouth. After several seconds his muffled cries were silent. John Spiars is the author of the Heck Carson Series. He is a writer and amateur historian with a passion for the history and myths of the "Old West". His hope is to keep alive the western genre for this generation and all of those to come, while both entertaining and educating readers of all ages. He is a native Texan and lives in North Texas with his wife and four children. When not writing western novels, he maintains a blog and Facebook page about Texas history and travel entitled Under the Lone Star.

Asylum Archives Case Study Vol. 2: True accounts from the insane


Jaron Briggs - 2017
    Giles, acclaimed filmmaker Richard Dutcher, and bestselling author Jaron Briggs, Asylum Archives is prescribed as a few milligrams of insanity!

Cozy Mysteries 12 Book Box Set:


Hope Callaghan - 2019
    This boxed set contains the first six books from both series. BONUS: RECIPES INCLUDED --------------------------------------- Contents: (From the Garden Girls Cozy Mystery Series) 1-Who Murdered Mr. Malone? 2-Grandkids Gone Wild 3-Smoky Mountain Mystery 4-Death by Dumplings 5-Eye Spy 6-Magnolia Mansion Mysteries (From the Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series) 1-Starboard Secrets 2-Portside Peril 3-Lethal Lobster 4-Deadly Deception 5-Vanishing Vacationers 6-Cruise Control ----------------------------------------------- Book 1-Who Murdered Mr. Malone? Nothing exciting ever happens in the small town of Belhaven. Nothing that is, until a body was found in the woods behind the local elementary school. With the entire town in an uproar, "Garden Girl" Gloria Rutherford makes it her personal mission to find the killer or killers and solve the mystery with some help from her friends. With a little amateur detective work, Gloria is able to uncover enough clues that point right to the murderer. She's about to discover, however, things aren't always as clear cut as they would appear. Book 2-Grandkids Gone Wild "Garden Girl" Gloria Rutherford, has her hands full. Her mischievous and energetic grandsons are coming for a weekend visit. To top things off, she discovers someone is living in her barn. But who and why? As this amateur sleuth investigates what's going on in her own backyard, another murder victim turns up in their sleepy little town. Hot on the trail of a murderer, trying her best to make sure her grandkids don't end up in the ER and facing a budding romance, Gloria and her small town of Belhaven are once again about to be turned upside down. Book 3-Smoky Mountain Mystery Life is good for "Garden Girl" Gloria Rutherford. Spring has finally sprung, love is in the air, and no dead bodies have turned up in the small town of Belhaven...lately. It seems as if it's almost too good to be true. Just as Gloria starts to get settled into her familiar routine, she receives a mysterious message from her older sister, Liz. Certain that her sister, the drama queen, is once again bent on turning Gloria's life upside down for no good reason, she almost chooses to ignore the dire message that she may be in danger. When a key to her sister's place shows up in her mailbox after Liz mysteriously vanishes, Gloria jumps in with both feet to track her down. Crisscrossing the country with one of the other Garden Girls in tow, the two amateur sleuths find themselves on an adventure of a lifetime. Gloria soon discovers her sister's mysterious disappearance is the least of her worries. PLUS NINE MORE COZY MYSTERIES FOR YOU TO ENJOY!

Chasing Fame


Keith Houghton - 2017
    . . would you kill for it?When a beautiful Hollywood starlet is brutally murdered, LAPD homicide detective Gabe Quinn is tasked with catching her killer.At first, everything points to her murder being an act of random madness. But after the killer slays another rising star and then posts movie clips of the two murders online, it's clear his motive is more than just revenge. He wants the world to marvel at his handiwork.With the Star Strangler making headlines, the high-profile case is put under a public microscope, casting Gabe into the media spotlight. The Hollywood elite are dying. The pressure is ramping up. And just to complicate matters, it's The Oscars weekend, which means the whole world will be watching Gabe and what happens next.Can he catch the killer before he steals the show? One man wants celebrity ...One man wants anonymity ...Only one will succeed ... ★CHASING FAME★ is a standalone prequel novella to the #1 bestseller KILLING HOPE, the first book in the best selling GABE QUINN THRILLERS

The Nemesis Cell


Brian L. Porter - 2007
    Porter, author of Purple Death. A group of women gather at a fertility clinic where Dr. Margherita Dumas offers a revolutionary, experimental treatment for their infertility problems. A year later, each of the women give birth to healthy baby boys. Thirty years later, a mysterious killer begins to wipe out the children born as a result of Dumas’ programme. Detective Inspector Harry Houston and his team are assigned to piece together the case and bring the killer to justice. With time and clues in short supply, can Harry and his team find the link between events of the past and the deaths of the innocent progeny of Clinique Sobel?

Scavengers


J.D. Dudycha - 2017
    The relic: a flintlock pistol. One of two linked to the notorious captain of Scavenger, a pirate ship that sank off the Bahamian coast in 1717.Scavenger went down with all hands, including chests full of gold in the sum of millions, which remained lost . . . until now.Gage, along with his daughter, Niki, and his best friend, Duke Yates, look to reclaim what has been lost for centuries. But a legendary diver, whom Gage trusts implicitly, offers phony advice to preserve a family secret, and a disgruntled and ruthless former sea captain will stop at nothing to find the treasure first.