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


bloodhound-books
thriller
present-day-british-mystery
stand-alone

The Invite


Sheryl Browne - 2022
    But as the champagne corks pop, her dream party becomes her worst nightmare…Staring at the stunning diamond solitaire on her finger, Kaitlin is finally getting the chance to introduce her best friend Zoe to her perfect fiancé. She hasn’t known Greg long, but he looks after her, and he loves playing dad to her young daughter. How could she say no when he’s already planned their elopement?As guests arrive, why is Greg acting so shifty? And is that a flicker of recognition on Zoe’s face? And why does she look terrified every time her phone rings?Kaitlin watches as Zoe knocks back her white wine and makes a beeline for Greg. After a heated conversation, Zoe stumbles towards the door and flees the party without looking back.Days later, the police knock at Kaitlin’s door – Zoe is missing.Kaitlin wants to believe her loving fiancé is not to blame, but she knows what she saw the night of the party. And when he lies to the police, can she trust the man she’s marrying? Could Kaitlin and her precious daughter’s life now be in danger too?

Right Beside You


Helen Pryke - 2020
    The only connection is a Hampshire gang she helped put in prison thirteen years earlier. As the stalking intensifies, Maggie suspects everyone around her. Even those she loves.But as Maggie becomes more and more paranoid, unable to trust anybody, one by one the gang members suffer horrifying attacks. Someone from her past is out for revenge, and it’s clear that Maggie is next…

Heart Swarm


Allan Watson - 2015
    Five years ago Harlan headed up the investigation of an identical murder in the same woods; a mishandled investigation that effectively destroyed his credibility as a detective. The new case immediately takes a bizarre twist when the body is identified as the same girl found hanging in the woods five years ago. The following day a local man commits suicide and the police find more dead girls hidden in his basement. The case seems open and closed. Until the killing spree begins. Harlan finds himself drawn into a dark world where murder is a form of self-expression and human life treated as one more commodity to be used and discarded. The only clue that links everything is a large oil painting of ‘Sagittarius A’ – a massive black hole at the centre of the galaxy orbited by thirteen stars daubed in blood with the words – Heart SwarmThis edition is no longer available.

Buried Secrets


Lisa Cutts - 2017
    But some secrets aren’t buried deep enough.After a tragic car accident, and a shocking murder, DI Milton's colleagues have to start digging into every aspect of his life. Suspicion and disbelief creep into their lives as a web of deceit unfolds - the Bowman family, friends and even colleagues come under suspicion. No one is to be trusted.Nothing is as it appears.

The Silent Girl


Kelly Heard - 2021
    She asks my name and I realise I don’t know what it is. I don’t know who I am or why I’m here…I’m grateful to the police who found me on the remote stretch of highway, covered in blood, with crimson flowers in my hair. To the doctors, too, who brought me back from the brink of death.But I see the suspicion in their eyes.They don’t believe me when I say I don’t remember who I am. They are unsure if I can be trusted.Am I the innocent victim? Or guilty of a terrible crime?No one has reported me missing or come looking for me. But today, a bouquet of blood-red roses has been delivered to my room.Am I in danger? Or is someone trying to help me?Searching for anything in this town that might seem familiar, I’m cornered by a woman with wild eyes who calls me I name I don’t know. She tells me my brother is in danger and only I can save him.But how do I know if I can trust her, if I can’t even trust myself?A totally gripping psychological suspense novel that you won’t be able to put down and will keep you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window and The Silent Patient.

Scarecrow (Danny Sanchez, #1)


Matthew Pritchard - 2013
    You things always do. Now it’s time for us to part.’ He watched, expressionless, as the thing raised a feeble arm; then he released a handle on the winch. The thing slumped, disappeared into the foot wide gap between the walls. He turned to the pile of loose bricks, looking for his trowel... – from ScarecrowWhen Danny Sanchez, a hard-bitten journalist working in the Almeria region of Spain is sent to cover the demolition of the home of a retired expat couple, he lands a much bigger – and more grisly – story than he bargained for. As the diggers begin to tear down the house, a body, partially decomposed, its face swathed in a strange black sheath, is suddenly revealed dangling in the depths of the brickwork…From the deeply sinister opening pages, Scarecrow draws the reader down an inexorable, tortuous path of discovery and into the gruesome activities of a serial killer so depraved it almost defies comprehension. Via thuggish cowboy builders, a missing drug-addicted teenage boy, and a house with a stinking secret wall, Danny’s scoop of a lifetime becomes a personal crusade to snare the elusive murderer. Alternating between Spain and England, the story takes us into the mind of the complex, highly driven Danny. An expert at ferreting out information from even the most recalcitrant of contacts, this skilled journalist will stop at nothing, even risking his own life, to find the answers that have escaped the authorities for decades.Moving with a Chandleresque efficiency, the narrative is compelling and full of unexpected but highly credible twists; the dialogue stark and often harsh. Pritchard’s mastery lies in the psychology of his characters, his vivid descriptive abilities and his subtle pacing. An essential read for anyone who relishes burning the midnight oil with a superlatively terrifying crime novel, Scarecrow will keep the reader guessing right to the end.

Liars


Anita Waller - 2020
    One Deadly Secret. One Huge Regret.Wendy and Nell have been best friends since childhood but when someone threatens to ruin their relationship, tough decisions must be made. Nell leaves for France while Wendy embarks on marriage and motherhood.Both keep in touch, sending letters baring all, or are they?They hide the truth that homesickness, violence, loneliness and murder form the backdrop of their lives.Some truths are too hard to face and, as time goes by, shame and fear keep Wendy and Nell apart.But when a twisted, deceitful face from the past turns up, obsession and heartbreak wreak havoc on their lives. Someone is seeking revenge and recompense. And someone is a killer.It’s time for Wendy and Nell to face their demons and the truth. But can the bond that has held them together for three decades survive or, will the seismic repercussions of buried secrets break them forever?

The Girl Who Turned a Blind Eye


Diana Wilkinson - 2021
    Danielle, the woman injured in the fall, is none other than the new girlfriend of Beverley’s ex-boyfriend, Scott. So, when Beverley breaks a restraining order and is forced into therapy, DCI Colgate considers the matter closed. As Justine Evans, the therapist, listens carefully to Beverley, the patient’s troubled past begins to surface. But when Beverley suddenly finds herself the target of a stalker, the tables are turned. When DCI Colgate investigates who is stalking Beverley, he realises the answer to the mystery may go all the way back to an unsolved murder twenty-five years earlier. What is the link between Beverley, her stalker and the unsolved murder? One thing is for certain… This stalker has more than just an axe to grind…

The Liar's Daughter


Rona Halsall - 2021
    But you don’t have a sister… do you?You’ve never doubted your parents. You’ve loved them without question your whole life. But your stepmother is uncharacteristically speechless, and your father isn’t well enough to understand.So you get in your car.Turn the key in the ignition.Knowing everything behind you is a lie.Not knowing what lies ahead: the truth… or something far darker?A deliciously dark and twisty tale of deception, secrets and family ties, The Liar’s Daughter is perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window and The Family Upstairs.

Someone Close to Home


Alex Craigie - 2015
    It reads like a memoir and grips like great fiction should - beautiful characterization"Viga Boland - Author - No Tears For My FatherTalented pianist Megan Youngblood has it all – fame, fortune and Gideon.But Gideon isn’t good enough for Megan’s ambitious, manipulative mother, whose meddling has devastating repercussions for Megan and for those close to her.Now, trapped inside her own body, she is unable to communicate her needs or fears as she faces institutional neglect in an inadequate care home.And she faces Annie. Sadistic Annie who has reason to hate her. Damaged Annie who shouldn’t work with vulnerable people.Just how far will Annie go?

The Stepson


Jane Renshaw - 2021
    Now he’s ready for another.Psychotherapist Lulu is sure she’s the luckiest woman alive. She has a wonderful job and is married to the love of her life, Nick - who also happens to be ridiculously handsome and fabulously wealthy.But now a shadow has fallen on her perfect life.She can see that Nick is struggling with demons from his past. When he was sixteen his entire family disappeared without a trace and Nick has always insisted that his stepmother – whom he hated – was to blame, that she did something terrible to his beloved father and baby sister. And that trauma has left him feeling that anyone he loves is in danger, might vanish in a heartbeat.So now he is obsessed with Lulu’s safety. He needs to know where she is 24/7, insists she carries a can of pepper spray, is constantly watching for any potential threats.Lulu can see that this extreme anxiety is wearing Nick down. And as a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.But soon after they arrive in this sleepy rural community, another person disappears.As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past. The certainties of her old life fade away and are replaced by a horror she could never have imagined in her wildest nightmares.The Stepson – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Teresa Driscoll, K L Slater, Daniel Hurst.

Girl In Bed Three


Sarah Sheridan - 2022
    Sophie’s adoptive parents and sister are dead. Her brothers are missing. Sophie can’t remember anything—but reveals the abusive nightmare she’s been through as part of the family.The social worker assigned to her case eventually brings Sophie home, but soon notices discrepancies in Sophie’s story. She claims she hadn’t been allowed to use technology, yet there’s a social media account, extensive messages between herself and a boy, and videos of Sophie online. The more that comes out, the worse it looks for Sophie. She has told some lies. But will the full truth be uncovered?

The Webs We Weave


Michelle Morgan - 2020
    Now it seems Craig has moved on to a younger woman. Helena pleads with Jenny to help find out who the mystery woman is. Jenny’s friend Kate, and adult daughter Rebecca, warn her not to become involved, but Jenny can’t resist. This might just be the opportunity she has been looking for. It’s not very often the chance for revenge comes knocking. But does Jenny really know what she’s getting into, and is Helena really the person she appears to be?

I Know You're There


Sarah Simpson - 2019
    So when she moved into her cosy little flat in St Ives and met her three friendly neighbours, she knew at once it was somewhere she'd feel safe.Before long, Natalie's neighbours have become the family she never had. Kind, motherly Morwenna, serious, reliable Nigel, and sweet, anxious Daniel. They collect each other's mail, water each other's plants, and share each others lives.But as Natalie knows all too well, the people who are closest to you can also be the most dangerous.And this house is not as safe as she thinks...

Broken Flowers


Kate McQuaile - 2020
    The one person you trust. What if you're wrong?Widowed Nan is on her way to her beloved son's wedding. She should be excited, but she is dreading her return to Paradise Place - a small area of Notting Hill that she hasn't dared set foot on for decades. Nan had arrived there as a young girl in the late seventies, desperate for freedom and a career as an artist. But, drawn into a dark obsession that spun out of control, Nan was forced to flee.And while the only thing seemingly connecting her son's wedding and her old secret life is Paradise Place, Nan quickly gets the impression that someone is watching her every move . . . someone she thought was dead.