Book picks similar to
Sweet Violent Femmes by Holly M. Kothe
erotic-horror
revenge
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after-death
Everybody's Best Friend: The True Story of a Marriage That Ended In Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Ken Englade - 1999
With no sign of a break-in, no history of marital problems, and the naïve belief that these things sometimes just happen, Stefanie Rabinowitz's family prepared to bury the 29-year-old wife and mother. But at the eleventh hour, because Stefanie was so young, and because there were no witnesses to her death, an autopsy was ordered. And what it revealed was unthinkable: Stefanie had been murdered-strangled in her home, then dragged into the tub to stage a fake drowning. Even more shocking was the suspected killer-Stefanie's 34-year-old husband, Craig: devoted family man, loyal husband, and "everybody's best friend."When the astounding truth began to emerge, so did the tawdry double life of Craig Rabinowitz, a man so obsessed with a two-thousand-dollar-a-week exotic dancer, that his habit caused him to look to the insurance money he would get from murdering his wife. Now, with exclusive interviews and startling inside details, bestselling author Ken Englade blows wide open the shocking true account of a storybook marriage that ended in bone-chilling murder.
Embers of the Heart
Rosanne Bittner - 1990
When he finally returns, he is a changed man who no longer loves her and has become cruel and unforgiving because of his war experiences. Anna decides that, for her own safety, she needs to get away from Darryl. She flees, and she ends up in the wild cow town of Abilene, Kansas, run by Sheriff Nate Foster. Fate draws Nate and Anna closer, but Anna, who desperately longs for the safety and love she finds in Nate’s arms, has not told him she has a husband who is now a dangerous outlaw. Nate and Anna’s love grows beyond their ability to corral the passion and desire stirred in their souls, but Anna’s secret finally comes back to haunt her and nearly destroys the love she has found in Nate’s arms. Nate’s own anger and loss because of the war interfere with his ability to fully love and trust again, and when he finds out about Anna’s lie, he isn’t sure he can fully commit to her. EMBERS OF THE HEART embraces the heartaches and challenges of a Nation torn by war, and those caught up both sides of that war. A “must read,” this book is a “sister story” to Bittner’s book, MONTANA WOMAN, as Anna (from EMBERS OF THE HEART) and Joline (from Bittner’s MONTANA WOMAN) are sisters who ended up separated by the Civil War. PRAISE: “Power, passion, tragedy, and triumph are Rosanne Bittner’s hallmarks. Again and again, she brings readers to tears.” ~Romantic Times “Extraordinary…Bittner’s characters spring to life.” ~Publishers Weekly ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Named one of the “Pioneer Authors of Romance” by Romantic Times, Rosanne Bittner is the author of sixty-eight historical romance novels, most set in the American West of the 1800s. .
Contradictions (Ceas)
Yang Gui-ja - 1998
Her most representative early work, the 1987 Wonmi-dong saramdeul, is available in English as A Distant and Beautiful Place. In the 1990s her writing took an increasingly personal turn with a series of popular works including Contradictions (Mosun), South Korea's best-selling novel in 1998.Contradictions is a coming-of-age tale that explores the paradoxes and contradictions of the human condition and delves into the meaning of personal happiness. The book opens with a moment of epiphany as the main character An Jin-jin awakens to the realization that her entire energy must be devoted to her own life. She struggles over whom to marry with an awareness of consequences gleaned from seeing the divergence in the lives of twin sisters--her mother and her aunt. A host of binary oppositions is also presented in the lives of the men around her: a wannabe gang boss brother, an Ivy League cousin, an alcoholic schizophrenic father, a steadfast but rigid uncle, and her two suitors. Yang skillfully develops these characters in increasingly complex threads as the novel unfolds in a series of surprises.
Brotherhood
K.J. Dahlen - 2018
We may not be cut from the same cloth, but at the end of the day, the same things matter to us: family, honor, and sacrifice. All of our enemies are interconnected, and so are we. The question is, who will win? Them or us? As our enemies draw closer, we must join together in a fight that not all of us are prepared for. The only thing is, we don’t know that we need each other yet. What will happen when everything adds up? When we discover that they haven’t just crossed one of us, but all of us. This is just the tip of the iceberg and they will pay for the heartache they have caused. That is a promise none of us plan to back down from. Reign “Lines are meant to be crossed” Redemption “Forgiveness isn’t always earned before it’s given” Revenge “I’ve waited years for this, and I’ll finally get it” Relentless “She’s innocent…too innocent for me and yet I want her to be mine.” Reckoning “Being selfish has never felt so good” Tough as Steele “The past always finds a way to haunt us” Stripping a Steele “I never thought a player could turn into prince charming” Promised “Promises aren’t always meant to be broken” The Trade “I thought our trade would have been fair…little did I know...” Blackjack “The forbidden fruit has never tasted so sweet” Healing Charlie An exclusive story by K.J. Dahlen
Dear Sister
Ruth Harrow - 2021
So when their long-lost father shows up out of the blue and makes a shocking accusation against Laura’s husband, Rachel is thrown into turmoil.As undeniable evidence surfaces, Rachel discovers everything she thought she knew was wrong. Has her sister’s entire life been a lie? And how did her young niece get the bruises she is hiding? And who keeps calling her in the middle of the night?As their father works his way into their lives, Rachel finds her ordered world slipping away. Already reeling from the breakup of her own marriage, she doesn’t know who to trust – her father or her sister.One of them is lying, hiding a terrible secret.Can Rachel discover the truth before it is too late?Dear Sister is a gripping psychological thriller with a mind-blowing twist that will leave readers turning pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, K.L Slater and Ruth Heald.
The Last Innocent Hour
Barbara Taylor Sissel - 2000
It lurks at the periphery of Beth's vision. Her husband Charlie can't help, if she could even remember him; he's doing time for a murder he didn't commit. The small child Beth was found with, whom she doesn't know either, was taken to foster care. There isn't much time now. If Beth doesn't recall the hideous events that stole her memory soon, the killer will strike again, and someone else will die.
Seeking Our Destiny : Nelson Brothers'
Liberty Parker - 2020
I protect those I love and care for with everything I have and nothing gets to me. Until the day I carried a slip of a woman, Destiny, out of the hell she had been held in, I took what I wanted with no regrets. But Destiny is different; at first, she clings to me as her rescuer and then we fell into a relationship of sorts, even though I don't do those. When an enemy from our past shows up causing male and female submissives to come up missing, a plan is set in motion that will change everything.
Destiny:
Despite his rough, gruff exterior, there's something about Silas Nelson that calls to my inner self. He's made it clear that sex is all that we can have, but I want more from him. I deserve more from him, and I will pull out all the stops to get what I want. He’s the one who makes my heart sing and my soul rejoice; can I get him to recognize and admit that he wants the same as me?
**Suitable for ages 18+ due to subject matter**
This Side of Death (CSI Eddie Collins, #6)
Andrew Barrett - 2020
When the past comes back to hunt you.
Alex Sheridan believes the only way she can be free of her demons is to kill the men in her life. She has a list, and Crime Scene Investigator Eddie Collins is on it. Death misses Eddie by inches, and Alex is locked away in Juniper Hill high-security hospital.Everything is fine for Eddie until one day four years later, when Alex escapes. This time she’s better prepared.The week that follows ruptures Eddie’s life and shatters the belief he had in his own past, leaving him wondering what really happened, and facing one stark choice: who to kill and who to save. This Side of Death is the most revealing CSI Eddie Collins novel to date. Prepare to see inside his past and understand what makes him the angriest, most feared, and yet most respected CSI in England.
If you like fast-paced and gripping crime thrillers with a strong forensic element, you'll love Andrew Barrett's This Side of Death. It will appeal to fans of Kathy Reichs, Robert Bryndza and Angela Marsons.
The Brambles
Leah Erickson - 2017
Elizabeth Gray is found hanging from a tree. Her town is shocked to learn that Elizabeth had no birth certificate, no social security number, no record of education. Her mother, an independently wealthy woman, refuses to cooperate with authorities. But Elizabeth is not truly gone: she communicates in spirit with her three childhood playmates, driving them to investigate the true circumstances of her death. And in doing so, Mack, Lillian, and Vanessa discover the world of The Brambles, a mansion owned by the elderly movie star, Mitch Cooper. They meet John Leary, a defocked priest and Mitch's "caretaker." Drugs, a motorcycle gang, a corrupt medical doctor nicknamed "Honeybear." How are all of these things connected, and what is the secret to Elizabeth's true identity? Only three brave teenagers can find out. The Brambles is a more than a mystery, but an absorbing exploration of life, death, and how people navigate relationships around them. A book you don't want to put down, and when you do, your thoughts go back to it." — Ross Rojek, San Francisco Book Review Mature teens to new adults who want a story that begins with a ghostly presence and evolves into a much broader plot will find The Brambles creates a brooding set of circumstances that embrace everything it touches, making for an engrossing story that's thought-provoking and hard to put down. — Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review
The Broken
Casey Kelleher - 2018
Nancy Byrne was the apple of her daddy’s eye. He might have been one of the most-feared gangsters in London, yet Jimmy Byrne idolised his little Nancy. But now Jimmy is dead, gunned down in cold blood - and Nancy vows to avenge his death. She’s only twenty years old, but as the new head of the ruthless Byrne gang, running a lucrative world of drugs, sex and violence, she’s in over her head. Keeping her family together all while Joanie, her beloved grandma, falls apart, and her brother Daniel goes off the rails forces Nancy to grow up - fast. But while Nancy takes the men on at their own game, there’s a greater danger hiding on the dark streets. Jimmy’s killer is on her trail - and will stop at nothing to shut her up. Blood might be thicker than water, but soon, Nancy realises she can't trust anyone. Not even her own family. Especially her own family. A gritty, gripping read full of shocking thrills and suspense – readers of Mandasue Heller, Martina Cole and Jessie Keane will be addicted until the very last page. Read what everyone is saying about Casey Kelleher: ‘Hells bells…an explosive story, one that I found impossible to put down even for a few minutes…a gripping read.’ (5 Stars) The Book Review Café ‘Wow what a story…fantastic, I was hooked from the beginning and the story just got better and better.’ (5 Stars) Goodreads Reviewer ‘I actually think I read this book without breathing!…The plot will have you twisting, turning and screaming stop as your brain registers what is going on but there is no way out – you are hooked and you will not be able to put this book down until you have finished it!’ Chapter in my Life ‘OMG what a read that was…Had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through…This was one hell of a rollercoaster ride…loved every minute of it.’ (5 stars) Goodreads Reviewer ‘Had me hooked from the beginning…For fans of Martina Cole and Mandasue Heller this is a must read.’ (5 stars) Goodreads Reviewer ‘Wow…just W O W!…kept me enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. When I read the last word I was unable to stop thinking about what I had just read…a story that will stay with me a long long time.’ (5 stars) Goodreads Reviewer ‘Casey is fast becoming one of the best writers in this genre…I was literally holding my breath at moments. I feel like 5 stars really doesn't justify how great this book is. Easily one of the best books you'll read this year.’ (5 stars) Vix 2016 ‘Outstanding…nothing could stop me reading…truly enjoyed every page…A blinder of a book which I would hugely recommend to everybody.’ (5 stars) Best Crime Books and More ‘Hooked from the very first page and I read late into the night to finish it because I just HAD to know how it ended!…I totally recommend it!' Goodreads Reviewer ‘Sooooo good…did not put it down until I had read the very last page&hellip
The Seventh Cadfael Omnibus: The Holy Thief / Brother Cadfael's Penance / A Rare Benedictine
Ellis Peters - 1997
When heavy rain brings the threat of floods to Shrewsbury and the holy relics must be removed to a place of safety, the subsiding waters reveal a robbery has been committed. The master sleuthing of Brother Cadfael is put to the test once more, but to the crime of theft is soon added a murder... BROTHER CADFAEL'S PENANCE: In the year of our Lord 1145, the bitter rift between King Stephen and Empress Maud at last has a chance of reconciliation, particularly the question of the prisoners of war. Brother Cadfael learns that amongst the prisoner is Olivier de Bretagne; his son. His determination to come to his son's aid prompts a perplexing investigation of a uniquely personal nature. A RARE BENEDICTINE: In these three vintage tales of intrigue and treachery: 'A Light on the Road to Woodstock,' 'The Price of Light' and 'Eye Witness,' emerges the events that have turned Cadfael from a crusading and seafaring past to the momentous decision of entering the Benedictine Order in the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul at Shrewsbury.
Branded By a Warrior
Sunny Andrews - 2015
They call her The Warrior Queen of Scotland… She is the most notorious woman of all Scotland: fierce, deadly and an unbeatable archer. At only three and twenty, she had become a legend amongst her people and country. Refusing a husband over her sword, Elisabeth is haunted by a vicious enemy who will stop at nothing to make her his bride. Elisabeth Drummond stands alone as she escapes the midnight massacre of everyone she holds dear in her life. Her beloved brother’s dying wish was to see her flee north towards Castle MacMillan, the elusive lair of Laird Broderick MacMillan- the King of England’s most favored warrior, and ally to Clan Drummond. A man who once held her in his arms and nearly ravished her many years ago, a man who had believed he was seducing someone entirely different. In the middle of a laird who wants to see her suffer, and a laird who refuses to trust her, Elisabeth must battle her injuries and her heart to seek vengeance for her fallen clan. Will the Warrior Queen of Scotland be able to soften the heart of Laird MacMillan? Will destiny bring her and Broderick together once again, or will cruel fate rip them from each other once more? In a time where your enemy could be your closest ally, Elisabeth rises out of the ashes…but will Broderick be the man she needs?
Cold Case Vancouver: The City’s Most Baffling Unsolved Murders
Eve Lazarus - 2016
In 1953, two little boys were found murdered in the city's storied Stanley Park, and who remain unidentified to this day. In 1975, a country singer was murdered just as she was on the verge of an amazing career. And in 1994, Nick Masee, a retired banker with connections to the renegade Vancouver Stock Exchange, disappeared along with his wife Lisa, their bodies never found. Cold Case Vancouver is an intriguing whodunit for true-crime aficionados and armchair detectives.Eve Lazarus's previous books include Sensational Vancouver.