Book picks similar to
Strange Karma by Willow Healy


mystery
thriller
fiction
historical-fiction

Bloodline


Brian O'Connor - 2011
    Liam, a champion steeplechase jockey, is initially both witness and suspect. However, shrewd police detective Diarmuid Yeats takes a gamble on his innocence and enlists his help in the hunt for the killer. This nightmare experience exacerbates the tensions in Liam’s life. He has been falling out of love with his job, his joy in racing relentlessly worn away by the struggle to keep the weight down on his six-foot frame. Is it time to quit? But McFarlane’s stables houses the brilliant Patrician, a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, and Liam wants to be the jockey to get him first past the finish post in the race that matters most. With emotions at pressure point, Liam falls in love with the exotic blonde Ukrainian stable girl, Lara, leaving him in an even more vulnerable position than before. Then the killer strikes again and the race to the finish post is replaced by a race for survival . . . and there is no second place. “A gripping murder story” - THE IRISH TIMES

Tom Wasp and the Murdered Stunner


Amy Myers - 2007
    But she couldn’t. She’d stay there stuck fast in paint forever. A chimney sweep in Victorian London’s poverty-stricken East End, Tom Wasp is highly flattered to be asked to model for Valentine Drake, a painter in fashionable Chelsea, especially since his co-model is the beautiful and warm-hearted Bessie Barton, a red-headed stunner who becomes his friend. Grief-stricken when her body is found by mudlarks on the muddy banks of the river Thames, Tom vows to find her murderer. Tracking her pitiful past through London’s seamiest quarters, he discovers the monstrous shadow that hangs over her life, Moonman, from whose clutches Bessie had fled, only to fall into his murderous hands at last. But who is Moonman? Is he one of the Angels, the high-minded group of artists to which Valentine belongs? Or is the truth more terrifying still? Step by step Tom hunts down his quarry through the darkness, guided by his faith that there is goodness in this world as well as evil, and assisted by his chummy, the eleven-year-old Ned. Narrated by Tom himself, this unusual historical thriller whirls the reader from the squalor of London’s Victorian slums to the heady pleasures of its high-life, revealing both the evil and the goodness in both. Tom and Ned make a formidable team as they clean the filthy chimneys of life in this first book of the Tom Wasp series. Praise for Amy Myers ‘Victorian England hides a dark underbelly of misery and degradation along with a vicious murderer.’— Kirkus Reviews ‘Tom Wasp is one of the most engaging characters I’ve encountered in yeats’ – Ellen Keith, Historical Novels Review AMY MYERS has been a full-time writer since 1988, and has written a wide range of novels from historical sagas and contemporary romance to crime. She is married to an American and lives in Kent. Many of her novels have been published under the name of Harriet Hudson.

Bangkok Shadows


Stephen Shaiken - 2018
    Few questions are asked. When American criminal defense lawyer Glenn Murray Cohen took a bundle of cash from a murdered client and moved to Thailand and a new life, he thought his troubles were over forever. For seven years, Glenn enjoys the life of a wealthy expat, forms friendships and seeks love, spending much of his time at the mysterious NJA Club where he pursues the beautiful Noi. This pleasant life is turned upside down when American agents come calling, pressuring him to kidnap a Russian gangster, a dangerous task for which he is woefully unprepared. Glenn is drawn him into an underbelly of corruption, criminal activity and international intrigue hidden in the shadows of Bangkok. Glenn recruits his close friends from the NJA Club to help him, all of whom reveal useful talents previously unknown to Glenn. Sleepy Joe looks like an aging hippie, but he is full of surprises. The gregarious Oliver seems can find out anything for the right price. Rhode Island Joe comes across as an oaf until you get to know him. Glenn is never quite certain if a wily retired Thai general on his side, but has no choice but to trust him. Bangkok is a constant presence, creating a mood that is both exotic and noir. This novel shows you the Big Mango as it is rarely seen by foreigners.

Wisdom Spring


Andrew Cunningham - 2013
    Jessica Norton is a woman on the run, a sensational lead item on the nightly news, accused of the murders of four staff members of a U.S. Senator. Jon Harper is a grieving father whose life has crumbled over the death of his young daughter. When Jon picks up Jess hitchhiking on a deserted Texas highway one rainy night, it pitches him into the middle of a massive conspiracy, one that threatens the very future of the United States. From having nothing to live for, Jon suddenly finds himself the protector of someone with everything to live for, someone desperate to uncover the conspiracy that has ruined her life. Staying two steps ahead of the police, and barely one step ahead of the powerful organization that wants Jess dead, Jon discovers that Jess is harboring a secret of her own, a strange inner "voice" providing cryptic clues for them to follow. Part political thriller and part chase novel, Wisdom Spring takes readers on a fast-paced, suspenseful ride along the highways of the U.S. and Canada, into the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness. Along the way, the two unlikely heroes transition from helpless prey into proficient hunters as the mysterious clues eventually lead them to a violent final confrontation with corrupt forces at the highest levels of government.

The Players' Boy Is Dead


Leonard Tourney - 1980
     A country that is growing rich and powerful. But, under the surface, there are matters savage and murderous, as well… When a small players’ troupe come to perform for a lord and his lady, none of the rag-tag group shine more than the young players’ boy, with his flaxen hair and fine features. The player boy had won a scullery maid’s heart, and it was she, at cock’s crow, who went searching for him in the stables where he slept. But upon finding him dead - murdered in a most gruesome way - the maid’s heart is broken. County Constable Matthew Stock, a humble clothier by trade, and his practical-minded wife Joan set about to get to the bottom of this horrendous crime. Constable Matthew must search high and low, from a Lord’s castle to a disreputable inn, to find the person who dealt such an ungodly blow … So impossible is the case that Matthew finds himself resenting the position of Constable, as every lead seems to be a dead end. Magistrate Sir Henry Saltmarsh and his ominous secretary Varnell take great pleasure in scrutinising the honest Constable. As their keen interest escalates, Matthew begins to suspect that they are less than honourable. Between adulterous wives, less than holy priests and a brutally enforced political hierarchy, Constable Matthew has his work cut out for him if he is to keep his job and get justice for the murdered boy... The Players' Boy Is Dead is a widely acclaimed mystery novel as rich in historical detail as it is in suspense. Praise for The Players' Boy is Dead: “Tourney writes so well that we are drawn into another world.” - Pittsburgh Press “A truly original suspense novel set in Elizabethan England — a most satisfying story.”- M. M. MacGiffin “This detective story, written in the style of 16th-century England, is vividly evocative of its era.” - People “This exceptional mystery comes from … an English professor who plotted murder while doing background reading for a Shakespeare course.” - The Washington Post “Tourney is a superb writer, skilled in the richness of the Elizabethan use of the language.” The Tulsa World Leonard Tourney was born and raised in Southern California, Leonard Tourney has spent his professional life as a teacher of writing and literature, especially that of William Shakespeare. He has written eight earlier mystery novels featuring the detective Matthew Stock and his wife, Joan. Since 1985, Tourney has been on the faculty of the Writing Program at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is married to the actress/director Judith Olauson.

Death's Disciple


James Whitworth - 2013
    Mabel Downing has been brutally murdered.She has been strangled -- and her mouth filled with cassette tape and a copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been left next to her body.There is one obvious suspect - Charlotte Sanderson who discovered the body.But Miller has been having a relationship with Charlotte - and refuses to believe she could be guilty of such a terrible crime. But if not her, who is the killer?Is Miller allowing his personal life to interfere with the investigation?What is the connection to Dracula - the Victorian gothic masterpiece partly set in the Yorkshire coastal town? And will the murderer strike again?Miller has to find out - before it is too late. 'Death’s Disciple' is a gripping contemporary crime novel set in the North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby. It is the first in a series featuring Detective Inspector Miller and is perfect for fans of Peter James and Ian Rankin. "An intricate, compelling crime story that kept me turning the pages." - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of 'Trade-Off'. "You can taste the salt in the air...and the fear." - Robert Foster, best-selling author of 'The Lunar Code'. James Whitworth is a writer and cartoonist, Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.

Crow Hollow


Michael Wallace - 2015
    She’s convinced her daughter is alive but cannot track her into the wilderness alone. Help arrives in the form of James Bailey, an agent of the crown sent to Boston to investigate the murder of Prudence’s husband and to covertly cause a disturbance that would give the king just cause to install royal governors. After his partner is murdered, James needs help too. He strikes a deal with Prudence, and together they traverse the forbidding New England landscape looking for clues. What they confront in the wilderness—and what they discover about each other—could forever change their allegiances and alter their destinies.

Way Down There


P.J. Fernor - 2020
    Now her sister is dead - a tragic hit and run accident - and Allie leaves her busy city life to come back to her hometown to raise her teenage niece. She's now in the role as mother instead of the 'cool, fun' aunt. Her niece is grieving the death of her mother and Allie has more questions than answers about what really happened the night Alex was killed. Sandemor is a sleepy town. A place not many would know or remember. Compared to the city detective life, Allie isn't sure how she's going to make this work. Trying to track down a missing cat isn't exactly what she signed up for. Then comes the day two frantic - and newly divorced - parents show up to the police station. Pointing the finger at each other, claiming the other forgot to pick up their daughter from dance class two nights ago. All Allie hears is that a little girl has been missing for about forty-eight hours. If that's not bad enough, both parents end up getting caught in lies as to what they were doing the night their daughter went missing. Allie is thrust into the disappearance case, but she's not alone. She didn't know Ben Welloski became a detective. Last time she saw him, he was working in his father's garage. The secret sparks between them are still there, but the focus has to be on finding young Jessie. Clues lead Allie to another kidnapping case in a different town. The lead detective is an arrogant jerk, and the man accused of the kidnapping swears he's innocent. Without enough evidence to make an arrest, Allie wonders if the man has struck again. Just as she begins to piece things together, a call comes in that a body has been found nearby. When Allie arrives and sees who it is, she suddenly feels like she's back in the big city again. Only here in her small town, any young child could be the next victim if she doesn't act fast enough.

A Shroud for Delilah


Anthea Fraser - 1984
    Moving to the small town of Broadminster with her young son was a fresh start. Closer to her best friend, with a good job, a new flat, it was a chance to start again. But a killer is attacking divorcees... At the scene of each crime, the name ‘Delilah’ is scrawled in lipstick on the victim’s mirror. The danger is coming closer to home. Kate starts receiving strange ‘gifts’, a dead pigeon, a dismembered moth - she fears she may be the next target Chief Inspect Webb and Sergeant Jackson are in a race against time to unravel this seemingly impossible mystery and find the culprit before the next dead body found is Kate Romilly’s. ‘A Shroud for Delilah’ is a fast-paced crime novel featuring Anthea Fraser’s popular detective David Webb. Praise for Anthea Fraser: “A superbly crafted, riveting, page-turner of a read" - Booklist “Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall" - Sunday Times 'A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story' - Birmingham Post 'Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings' - Yorkshire Post ANTHEA FRASER has written all her life but did not begin to take it seriously until after marriage, when she found herself at home with two small daughters and embarked on a correspondence course with the London School of Journalism. She wrote short stories before turning to novels of the supernatural, and then to crime. Her other books include ‘Pretty Maids all in a Row’, ‘Eleven Who Went Up to Heaven’, The Ten Commandments’, ‘The Seven Stars’ and ‘One is One and All Alone’. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.

Trust No One


L.J. Breedlove - 2013
    Mac Davis likes being a reporter.No one shoots at him, he eats real meals regularly -- what's not to like? Then someone kidnaps his friends, and tries to kill him. Mac doesn't know who or why, but he plans to find out. And make them pay.First book of the Mac Davis thrillers.

The Locket


Ruth Saberton - 2020
    Falling in love is little more than a dream and leaving her small Cornish village an impossibility. But as the storm clouds of war gather a chance encounter changes Emily’s future and steals her heart forever.Over a century later researching family history is a solace for Alison Foy while her beloved soldier son is away on active service. When she stumbles across a forgotten link between her great-grandparents and the famous war poet Kit Rivers, Alison discovers their past is woven through her present in a tapestry of loss, love and long kept secrets. One tug of the thread will be all it takes for a decades-old pattern to unravel…THE LOCKET, the new companion novel to Ruth Saberton’s bestselling THE LETTER, is an unforgettable tale of friendship, sacrifice and never-ending love.

What Follows After


Dan Walsh - 2014
    Life is simple. The world makes sense, and all families are happy. When they aren’t, everyone knows you’re supposed to pretend. With their family about to collapse, Colt Harrison and his little brother, Timmy, hatch a plan. They’ll run away from their Florida home, head for their aunt’s house in Savannah and refuse to come home until their parents get back together. But things go terribly, terribly wrong. Colt’s parents must come to grips with years of mistrust and fight for their son’s return…and to mend their broken marriage. In this emotional story, Dan Walsh takes readers on a suspense-filled journey to rediscover the things that matter most in life.

A Bloody Hot Summer


Trevor D'Silva - 2019
    On the morning after her eightieth birthday party, Lady Fitzhugh is discovered bound and butchered in her bed, with her family and staff the prime suspects...Whilst holidaying at nearby Meadowford Village, Detective Dermot Carlyle is asked to help investigate the brutal murder. The clues all point to a robbery gone wrong, but Dermot suspects that there is more to the horrific crime. The Fitzhughs’ secrets take Dermot along a path linking some of the biggest events of the British Colonial Empire – from India to Africa, to the dark days of the Great War itself.As more murders take place, Dermot is racing against time to discover the killer’s identity. What are the family hiding, why did Lady Fitzhugh have to die, and what horror was committed in the colonies that led to this trail of death and deceit?

The Heart Ladder


Sibby Spencer - 2021
    Leaving behind everything she knew, including the mystery of what happened to the father of her unborn child after he went missing behind enemy lines. Three decades on and her son, thirty-something slacker Dan, knows he's wasting his life in pubs, nightclubs, and his dead-end job. That all changes, though, when a man with storied eyes and an old army jacket introduces himself as the father Dan never had a chance to know.But is Jacob, a battered and broken war veteran, really who he claims to be?As he and Dan kindle their relationship, more and more comes under question; including Jacob's true purpose in seeking Dan out, the unanswered mysteries of his past, and the pivotal role he'll play in Dan's uncertain future. Soon, Dan comes to understand that his life is very far from meaningless - and that the choices he's being forced to make might have deadly and irredeemable consequences.

Taking on Water


David Rawding - 2015
    To learn more about Kevin’s home life, he gets to know the boy’s father, Tucker, who’s a lobsterman. James is able to put his suspicions to rest, and the two families begin to form a friendship. When a kid at the local recreation center dies of an overdose, Detective Maya Morrow adds the case to the long list related to the drug problem plaguing the small New Hampshire coastal town of Newborough. But her investigation gets her much too close to the dangerous players. Both the Morrows and the Flynns are holding dark secrets, and when their lives collide, tragedy is inevitable."A harrowing tale of abuse and addiction, told in a beautiful way that will touch your heart. This book was very emotional, very driven..." Kelly Smith Reviews "I was not expecting the level of emotional intensity that this novel achieves. Taking on Water is a horrific theater of human nature. And it begins with James." The Coffee Pot Review