Book picks similar to
The Cleansing by J.A. Baker


bloodhound-books
thriller
poached-it
psychological-thrillers

Someone Else's House


Jessica Vallance - 2019
    Stay in a 'home away from home'. But if it's someone else's house, then you're not the only one with the key.Lauren has finally dumped her dead-weight boyfriend, and what better way to celebrate a break-up than by going on holiday with your best friend?Except the holiday isn't turning out as planned - their cosy twosome has become a three and while Barcelona might be heaven, their rented apartment is anything but. It's small, shabby but, more than that, Lauren can't help but feel hunted.As the strange incidents escalate, Lauren and her friends decide to make their escape. But it's when they leave that the real danger begins.

The Assistant


Cathryn Grant - 2020
    One office. A fight to the death.Laura has sacrificed a lot for her high-powered career – her marriage, the chance to have kids. Now, finally, she’s in line for a big jump up the corporate ladder – all the way to the boardroom.But there’s a fly in the ointment in the shape of beautiful Vanessa, a lowly assistant who seems to have it in for Laura. Vanessa is PA to Hank, the most powerful executive in the company, a man whose support Laura desperately needs if she is to secure the job of her dreams. Repelled by Laura’s naked ambition, fiercely possessive of her boss, Vanessa deliberately sabotages Laura’s every attempt to make a good impression on Hank. Laura threatens and cajoles but Vanessa just won’t play fair. Soon their mutual dislike escalates to an all-out war. But career-obsessed Laura has always been willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead. And if Vanessa stands in her way… she’s going to pay the ultimate price. The stunning psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Guest.

Copycat


C.S. Barnes - 2019
    It soon becomes apparent that the murder, the method and the appearance of the victim, is something they have seen before.With the help of Medical Examiner George Waller, DI Watton uncovers the case history of Michael Richards – a local murderer who killed five women before turning himself in.Further investigations reveal that Jenni was recently reported missing by her parents. And when Jenni’s personal effects are explored, shocking discoveries are made about the victim’s fascination with the original killings.However, when the ME makes a surprise discovery, DI Watton realises that Jenni was perhaps not the only local with a fixation on these infamous killings.With a copycat killer on the loose, the team know it is only a matter of time before another body is discovered. But when a second victim is found, the team find themselves questioning everything they thought they knew… C.S. Barnes is also the author of the critically-acclaimed author of the psychological thriller, Intention. Copycat is a gripping new detective mystery which will appeal to fans of authors like Angela Marsons and Helen H. Durrant.

The Abandoned


Sharon Thompson - 2018
    As a teenager, her mother was committed to an asylum and then a local priest forced her into an abusive marriage. But when her husband dies in an accident Peggy sees an opportunity to start again and trains as a midwife.In 1950s Dublin it is not easy for a woman to make a living and Peggy sees a chance to start a business and soon a lucrative maternity home is up and running. But when Peggy realizes that the lack of birth control is an issue for women, she uses their plight as a way to make more money. Very soon Peggy is on the wrong side of the law. What makes a woman decide to walk down a dark path? Can Peggy ever get back on the straight and narrow? Or will she have to pay for her crimes?Set against the backdrop of Ireland in the 1950’s The Abandoned tells the story of one woman’s fight for survival and her journey into the underbelly of a dangerous criminal world.The Abandoned is a debut novel not to be missed, it will appeal to fans of authors like Cara Hunter, Joy Ellis and Helen Fields What everyone is saying about The Abandoned:  "Great fast paced book, great strong characters" Wendy Haines"An engrossing story which is so hard to look back at and think that things like this really happened not that long ago. A superb debut." Susan Hampson - Books From Dusk Till Dawn"I loved how fast-paced and chilling every part of this novel was, as it certainly kept me on my toes from start to finish, keeping my level of intrigued peaked until the very last second." Kaisha Holloway - The Writing Garnet"Brilliant. High expectations are set for future books by Sharon Thompson an author to keep your eye on. A story you won’t forget quickly." Gemma Myers - Between The Pages Book Club"The pace throughout is steady with some of the faster-paced parts providing some darker more grittier moments." Rachel Broughton - Rae Reads"The perfect mix of Historical Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, and Crime. I'm excited to read more from Sharon Thompson." Dash Fan Book Reviews"The Abandoned is a fabulous historical thriller and though I disproved of Peggy’s actions, I thoroughly enjoyed her story." Susan Corcoran - Booksaremycwtches"Cannot praise this author highly enough. I will be recommending this to anyone who listens." Philomena Callan - Cheekypee Reads And Reviews"This is a superbly written book with a good heavy plot that keeps on giving and opening more." Sue Ward - Read Along With Sue"It’s gritty, dark, vivid and sometimes very very brutal (see the blurb for her job descriptions, throw in some violence and you’re halfway there), but always gripping, with dark laughs in there to keep your head above water." Bernadette Maycock - BRMaycock's Book Blog"A very good read that will appeal to readers of thrillers and crime fiction.

A Good Mother


Sam Hepburn - 2021
    Time stands still. Where is he? Deafened by my own heartbeat, I keep looking but I can’t see him. This is all my fault. My punishment for the things I did, and the things I should have done.All I ever wanted was to keep my son safe. I married the perfect husband, built the perfect home. I’ve tried to give Finn the life I never had.Everything was going so well. Until now.It’s just small things at first – a punctured tyre, an open gate that I'm sure I locked. But then I see the photograph of two young girls, and a night I’ve tried to forget.I know I have to stop pretending that nothing is happening. I can’t escape the truth.Someone knows my secret. But what do they want from me?

A Violent Gentleman


Danny O'Leary - 2021
    Not what's easy.Jeremiah O'Connell made his name solving problems in London and now does the same in LA. The problems other people can't or won't touch? They're the ones that end up at Jerry's door.Suddenly Jeremiah has problems of his own when he sets out to right a wrong and finds himself on the hitlist of one of LA's most feared drug gangs.As the stakes rise, so does the body count, and Jerry has the fight of his life on his hands. Now, with high-class escort Noah in tow, Jeremiah must revisit his old London stomping grounds and assemble his team in order to wage all-out war on the streets on Tinseltown...

Keep Your Friends Close


June Taylor - 2018
    But her surprise weekend quickly becomes a nightmare from which she may never escape.Who wants everything you have.They are staying by the beach at the Midland – a grand hotel where Karin used to work. And where Karin’s dangerous and obsessive ex, whom she has been trying to leave behind for years, is waiting patiently for her to return.Who won’t stop until your life is in ruins.Now all of Karin’s darkest secrets are being dragged into the light and her friends are turning against her. When one of them is murdered, Karin begins to realise just how treacherous relationships can be…

The Wrong Move


Jennifer Savin - 2019
    But when Jessie learns a previous flatmate has disappeared, she starts to doubt if she can really trust these strangers after all . . .When you flatshare, how well do you really know the people you’re living with?

The Girl on the Beach


Susanna Beard - 2018
    Leaning down, she pulls the brown slime of the seaweed away and recoils in horror. Underneath is the white curve of a human leg.What would you do if you discovered a dead body on a remote beach and no one else seemed to care?

The Lucky Ones


Mark Edwards - 2017
    Little did she know it was also the last. When a woman’s body is found in the grounds of a ruined priory, Detective Imogen Evans realises she is dealing with a serial killer—a killer whose victims appear to die in a state of bliss, eyes open, smiles forever frozen on their faces.A few miles away, single dad Ben Hofland believes his fortunes are changing at last. Forced to move back to the sleepy village where he grew up following the breakdown of his marriage, Ben finally finds work. What’s more, the bullies who have been terrorising his son, Ollie, disappear. For the first time in months, Ben feels lucky.But he is unaware that someone is watching him and Ollie. Someone who wants nothing but happiness for Ben.Happiness…and death. The Lucky Ones is the terrifying new thriller from the #1 Kindle bestselling author of Follow You Home and The Devil’s Work.

The Woman Downstairs


Elisabeth Carpenter - 2019
    Can you ever really know your neighbours?When human remains are found in a ground floor flat, the residents of Nelson Heights are shocked to learn that there was a dead body in their building for over three years.Sarah lives at the flat above and after the remains are found, she feels threatened by a stranger hanging around the building.Laura has lived in the building for as long as she can remember, caring for her elderly father, though there is more to her story than she is letting on.As the investigation starts to heat up, and the two women become more involved, it's clear that someone isn't telling the truth about what went on all those years ago...

Deception Wears Many Faces


Maggie James - 2018
    Ellie has been the victim of a professional con artist, one who stole her savings, then disappeared from her life. Driven by her own history of failed relationships, Lyddie vows revenge on the man who broke her sister’s heart. Soon she assumes a false identity and begins her hunt for a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. But who is fooling whom? And can Lyddie find the justice she seeks and heal her damaged sister?

Off The Grid


John Hunt - 2019
    Graham was shot in the face and when he woke up in the hospital, his family was dead. And now, all he wants is to be left alone. Living out in the woods, growing his own food, and using solar power for his energy needs, he hopes to live the rest of his life in obscurity. But when a little girl goes missing in the nearby town, the strange, scarred man in the lonely cabin is the first suspect and Graham finds himself being pulled back into the world he wanted to leave behind.

The Chain


Joy Richards - 2021
    What does it take to make a house a home?When four sets of strangers all decide to move, their lives become linked and changed forever.Paul is a young man who is struggling to piece his life back together.Married couple Florence and John are having problems.The empty-nesters Claire and Michael are adapting to their new life.Sarah and Alex are a city power couple who are hoping to relocate.As each of them navigate the troublesome path of buying and selling houses, relationships come under strain.Does moving to a new house mean a fresh start? And is home really where the heart is?

The Cornish Retribution


Amanda James - 2018
    Her husband Adam was everything to her. But at least the home they shared together in Cornwall provides her with some security. Or does it?Upon returning from a school reunion in Sheffield, where Sam met her old friend, Penny, and an old flame from her school days, Dan, she discovers that Adam had invested money unwisely and she is now penniless.When Penny and Dan, who are now married, arrive in Cornwall to visit Sam, Dan comes up with a way in which Sam can keep the house. He suggests she turns it into a writing retreat. And he is willing to invest.Despite his wife's reservations, Dan gets his way but at what price? Why is Dan so keen to help? Has Sam put herself in harm's way?Amanda James is the best-selling author of Another Mother, Rip Current and The Calico Cat. The Cornish Retribution is a chilling thriller which will appeal to fans of authors like Cara Hunter, Louise Jensen and Greer Hendricks.