Book picks similar to
The Beginning by J.S. Donovan


crime
suspense
fiction
first-in-a-series

Paper


Andrew Stanek - 2016
    Now everyone from petty criminals to the FBI are after Ken while he tries to find his estranged father and win back his girlfriend. How much money is real and how much is counterfeit? Find out in Paper.

The Cypress Trap


J.C. Gatlin - 2015
    She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect. Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means -- including a posse led by a killer dog. At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive. The Cypress Trap eBook Categories: Florida Mysteries Georgia Mysteries Murder Mystery Female Protagonist Women’s Adventure Vacation Mysteries Thrillers 100 Must Reads Florida Book Thrillers Florida Fiction Books ˃˃˃ Q - So, what makes The Cypress Trap special? A ”" The Cypress Trap is a vacation mystery. About a Florida couple who getaway for the weekend on a Georgia lake, this book is a fun read that is scary in some parts, nail-biting in others, and surprisingly funny when you least expect it. It’s a murder mystery with a female protagonist that takes its heroine, Rayanne Meeks, on an emotional roller coaster ride. She’s dealing with the state of her marriage to realizing that her husband, Owen, has stolen something that is now putting their lives in jeopardy to coming to terms with the past tragedy that set these events in motion. This Florida Mystery touches on all the senses and offers some humor in the mix too. ˃˃˃ Q ”" What type of mystery is The Cypress Trap? A - First off, be under no illusions: this is an edge-of-your-seat women’s adventure, not a cozy mystery or detective story. It’s about a husband and wife trying to repair their shaky marriage, and end up running through the woods for their lives. There is peril, violence, psychotic teens and a crazy dog on the loose. However, it’s never so over the top that readers with a squeamish stomach should be turned away, but it doesn't let you forget the fact that this is a thriller for a single minute Ultimately, readers who enjoy a page-turner with a mystery that twists and turns all the way to the end will enjoy The Cypress Trap. ˃˃˃ Q ”" Do I need to read one of your other books before I read The Cypress Trap? A ”" Not at all. The Cypress Trap is unique mystery with a plot and characters that have no connection to my previous books. However, all my books are set in Florida and Georgia. I like to call The Cypress Trap a Florida Book Thriller. ˃˃˃ Q - So, why should readers give these books a try? A ”" Rayanne and Owen come to life on the page in a way that, hopefully, sucks the reader into the story as if he or she is right there with the couple, experiencing everything they’re going through. There’s a mystery that unfolds, as the reader tries to figure out exactly what Owen stole, and why the previous owner of that item is so desperately trying to retrieve it ”" no matter what it takes.

Living with Markus


Florence Osmund - 2016
     Having put an embittered past behind him, Marc builds a successful landscaping business with clientele from the affluent suburbs of Chicago and starts to appreciate the finer things in life—and he's found the perfect woman to share in it. But when his alcoholic sister and her two young sons enter into the picture, Marc falls victim to their helplessness and temporarily puts his own life aside. When his despondent father is added to the mix, it doesn’t take long for Marc to completely lose sight of his own dreams—and his girlfriend. Does Marc save his relatives from their ill-fated lives, or save himself from entering into a life of self-sacrifice and missed opportunities? Painful soul-searching and late-night talks with the captivating tenant downstairs guide him to an unexpected decision and discovery of his true purpose in life.

The Absence of Screams


Ben Follows - 2017
    His daughter was kidnapped and his wife was murdered. Now, he spends his days pretending to be paralyzed and touring the country, raising money for missing children. He hopes that if he helps enough people find their missing child, someday he will find his own. Just as he's about to give up hope, he finds one of the kidnappers. He attacks her, but she refuses to give him back his daughter. In his rage, he kills her, but not before she signals an accomplice. For the second time, Marcus watches his daughter disappear into the night. With no one to trust and sinking in deepening quicksand of lies and deception, Marcus will need to risk everything if he's going to unravel the mystery of his daughter's disappearance. Even if that means losing his life. With a riveting plot that will keep you guessing until the last page, The Absence of Screams is a must-read for Thriller fans.

An End to a Silence: A mystery novel (The Ward Trilogy Book 1)


W.H. Clark - 2015
    Montana, 1985. When seven-year-old Ryan Novak suddenly disappears from his home in a small rural town, Detective Newton picks up the case. Convinced that the boy’s grandfather - school janitor and former woodsman Bill O’Donnell - knows what happened to the boy, Newton’s growing obsession with his only suspect begins to take its toll. Winter. Montana, 2010. Twenty-five years later and, in the final days of Newton’s tarnished career, Bill O’Donnell is found murdered. Newton’s successor, a city-toughened young Texan detective named Ward, is the lead investigator. As Newton readies himself for retirement, Ward draws him back into the mystery he couldn’t solve. Can they find the old man’s killer and finally uncover the truth about what really happened to Ryan? The silence is about to be shattered. An End to a Silence is book 1 in a 3 part US crime novel series. Watch out for books 2 and 3 in the series.

Sing Roses For Me


Ben Marney - 2017
     A friend pulls out a Ouija board and asks you to play. It's just a game, right? But when the Ouija board reveals a secret you've never disclosed, then "the spirit" asks you to warn his living sister that she is about to be murdered. What would you do? This is the scenario that tragically entangles the lives of Max Allen, Carla Cecil and Bradford Doss. Max is a disgraced fallen country music star trying to survive his ignominy by escaping to the islands to find a new direction and purpose for his life. In the islands, he meets and falls in love with, Michelle, a beautiful cruise ship dancer. Bradford Doss, is a revered Texas State Court Judge. He is also a serial murderer. Carla Cecil, is a child genius. At 13 she is the youngest person to ever attend Rice University, the spirit's living sister and tragically... the judges next prey.

The Secret Letter: The Beginning


Roger Hayden - 2017
    She's quick to dismiss the letter and focus instead on her busy day, amidst a preoccupied husband and eleven year-old-daughter. But the letter is only the beginning of a series of anonymous gifts, each more bizarre than the next, which shed light on a past long forgotten. Suspicious of her newfound admirer, Victoria soon finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of vengeance and betrayal, where her survival hangs in the very balance with every move that she makes.

Corridor Man Volumes 1-3


Nick James - 2017
     The Dirty Lowdown wrote: "Nick James has nailed it. The all too dark side of our legal industry, and the type of character we're all too afraid to admit exists!" It looks like disbarred attorney Bobby Custer has won the lottery. After serving four years of a seven-year sentence, he gets an offer he can’t refuse – from the feds. They just want him to keep an eye out for shady goings-on at one of the most prestigious law firms in the city. And suddenly he’s out – out of jail, but also totally cast out of his old life: shunned by family and friends. Bobby Custer is psychotic, narcissistic, psychopathic, greedy, unprincipled...and always charming. He did all the right things -- went to law school, got a job in a good law firm -- right up until the conviction for “a minor dalliance with a trust fund”. You could almost feel for the guy – a young man tempted by the high life could make a mistake he regrets and end up losing everything. And a guy who’ll help you hide a body could just be a good friend. But as the bodies start piling up, you have to wonder if there’s something about Bobby that’s just not … right. Chilling and action-packed, Corridor Man exposes a dark, violent undercurrent just beneath the surface of “perfectly legal and above-board”. A combination of Breaking Bad and House of Cards, Corridor Man is a sinister, disturbing legal thriller series that's bound to keep you awake at night. Books one, two and three in the Corridor Man series.

Cascade Point


Joshua Guess - 2017
    They fly at the edges of Alliance space, surveying new systems far from the problems that brought them all together. Some are former military, while others have more colorful pasts. Everyone aboard the Fallen Angel has a reason for staying on the fringes. It's a good life, but a chance discovery will change everything. Confronted by an enemy powerful enough to threaten all of human civilization, Grant and his crew are forced to choose between confinement or joining the Ghost Fleet, a hidden network of ships recruited and run by the Alliance Navy. Faced with an existential danger, Grant will lead his team into the far reaches of unknown space to keep the brewing conflict from exploding into all-out war.

The Ryder Quartet


Ian Patrick - 2015
    

Artifice


Patrick Gooch - 2018
    But an unscrupulous trader in works of art knows their true worth; and exploits the situation, involving Cleverden in his shady activities. A major heist is planned by the trader, which first necessitates the theft of many of Turner`s paintings. These are held to ransom in exchange for priceless artifacts displayed in the British Museum. Once again, Alan Cleverden is unwittingly swept up in this unlawful venture. One word to the authorities, he would most certainly serve time. A pawn in a highly-charged affair, the odds are against him as he tries to free himself from the trader`s clutches; ensure the safety of the Turners; and return to their original owners the paintings acquired by his grandfather during the Second World War. A fast-paced thriller, Artifice is a must read for those who appreciate fine art, and are drawn to mysteries that hold you spellbound to the very last page. Patrick Gooch has enjoyed an interesting and varied career. He studied History of Art, and went on to lecture at the Central School of Art and Design in London. Patrick worked in marketing, travelling throughout Europe and Central and South America. It was while travelling that he began writing. Married with two sons, he lives close to the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. “Absorbing and convincing heist thriller” Kevin McManus, author of 'New Blood'.

Sarah


Teri Polen - 2016
    Now, he just hopes to survive long enough to protect his family and friends from her.A bet between friends goes horribly wrong, resulting in Sarah's death. When she returns to seek justice against those responsible, Cain agrees to help her. But when he discovers Sarah has been hijacking his body, he realizes she wants retribution instead of justice.Terrified of what could have happened when he wasn't in control, Cain commands Sarah to leave his house - but exorcising her isn't that easy. She retaliates against her murderers in bloody, horrific ways, each death making her stronger, then sets her sights on Cain. With the help of friends, Cain fights to save himself and his loved ones and searches for a way to stop Sarah before she kills again.

Becoming The Wolf (White Wolf)


R.H. Neil - 2016
    A fierce guardian of justice who uses Cincinnati’s forgotten underground—abandoned since the 1920’s—to wreak havoc on the city's most violent criminals.Now the predators have become his prey... As The White Wolf, JD Ward is pulled back into a world every bit as deadly as the one he'd left behind in the military. He finds himself hunted by a homicidal clan, a street gang, and a federal task force, forcing him to step out of the shadows to save Cincinnati from a cunning plan of revenge and total devastation. And the conspiracy turns out to be more treacherous than JD could have imagined, and more savage than he may be able to survive.

The Woman from the Blue Lias (a murder mystery)


D.M. Mitchell - 2013
    M. Mitchell has been compared to Ruth Rendell, Martina Cole, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, M. R. James, Linwood Barclay, Umberto Eco, Charles Dickens and many more. Now's the time to discover D. M. Mitchell for yourself... THE WOMAN FROM THE BLUE LIAS - a murder mystery and psychological thriller with a difference... Toby Turner didn’t expect to stumble upon the remains of a human skeleton, washed down from the cliff top by a recent landslip. He runs a small bookshop in the quiet seaside town of Lyme Regis in Dorset. His life’s not quite on track; his bookshop’s not doing too well, for one thing, and he’s not sure his relationship with his girlfriend-cum-fiancé Trisha is going anywhere either – at least, nowhere she would like it to go. Toby takes a walk along the Blue Lias cliffs on Monmouth Beach to think things through, and here he finds the body of a woman; a woman, it transpires, who was murdered in 1978. The gruesome discovery and the resulting media attention he receives would have been hard enough to cope with, but he soon suspects the woman who keeps coming into his shop is the woman from the Blue Lias, that he is being haunted by the very woman he found on the beach. What’s more, he finds himself falling for her, eventually feeling he is unable to live without her. Is she real, or is he imagining things? His strange obsession starts to have a negative effect on his life and his health, which begins to deteriorate. He decides to try and solve the mystery of her death and why she chose him, of all people, hoping by discovering what happened to her all those years ago they can both find peace. And so begins Toby Turner’s bizarre journey of discovery that will lead him into very dark and dangerous territory. His search leads him to a hotel that used to stand high on the cliff, lost to a landslide in the 1980s, and to an old musician called Steely Jacobs who appears to be linked to the dead woman. But events take an unexpectedly disturbing contemporary turn when Toby discovers his best friend Mark has been secretly amassing information on a number of missing young women going back a decade or more. He learns about Mark’s secret past and how he'd been implicated in the murder of his teenage girlfriend. Is this tragic death connected to the list of missing young women he's made? And what has their disappearance got to do with the body Toby discovered on the beach, a woman murdered thirty-five years ago? How is all this connected to the mysterious hotel called the Belle Vue, long ago collapsed into the sea, and the aged guitarist called Steely Jacobs? Not only has he uncovered a body, Toby Turner had inadvertently scuffed away the thin covering of dirt from dark, long-held secrets that will lead him into a corrupt world of vice and murder. His life will never be the same again. D. M. Mitchell pens yet another taut psychological thriller complete with supernatural chills, peopled with an array of larger-than-life characters, deliciously devious twists and turns, with every seemingly disparate thread coming neatly together in a trademark surprise ending that will leave you speechless…

The Hunters Series: Volumes 1-5


Glenn Trust - 2014
    Each bestselling novel takes the reader on a suspenseful and thrilling ride into the world of crime and conspiracy and into the lives of those tasked to bring them to justice - The Hunters. George Mackey, Sharon Price, Andrew Barnes and others make up the team of Hunters, working through their own issues and fighting their personal demons as they take down those who prey on the innocent. This special set of the first three novels in the series is made available on a limited basis.