Book picks similar to
Hannah's Diary by Rebecca Forster


legal-thriller
fiction
american-crime
mystery

The Whole of the Moon


Kevin McManus - 2016
    or take it. Conor Doyle is a haunted man. In the winter of 1988, he returns from London to his old home town in Western Ireland, hoping to find a reason to stay. What he thought would be a joyful reunion becomes something more, as he's drawn into the fallout surrounding a shocking crime. While the Irish Garda are looking for the prime suspect, Conor's relationships are tested with jealousy and betrayal, and he must look deep inside himself to make the decision that will change his life forever.

Beat to a Pulp: Hardboiled


David CranmerAmy Grech - 2011
    This collection includes thirteen lean and mean stories from the fingertips of Garnett Elliott, Glenn Gray, John Hornor Jacobs, Patricia Abbott, Thomas Pluck, Brad Green, Ron Earl Phillips, Kent Gowran, Amy Grech, Benoit Lelievre, Kieran Shea, David Cranmer, and Wayne D. Dundee and a boiled down look at hardboiled fiction in an introduction by Ron Scheer. Edited by David Cranmer and Scott D. Parker.

Happiness Economics


Shari Lapena - 2011
    Pressured by a starving fellow poet, Will establishes The Poets' Preservation Society, a genteel organization to help poets in need. But when Will meets his muse, the enigmatic and athletic Lily White, he becomes inspired not only to write poetry, but to take guerrilla action in support of poets everywhere. Poetry meets parkour and culture clashes with commerce in this hilarious look at how we measure the value of art.

Jenny is Free


Sylvia Ann McLain - 2019
    He puts her on a steamboat in Natchez-Under-the-Hill, telling her to go to free soil in Ohio. But it's a journey she will not complete. By chance, she meets an acquaintance, Walker Jackson, and together they make decisions that will alter the course of their lives in ways they can't foresee. Carefree, the Natchez mansion that Cornelius inherits, becomes the focal point of a world beset by changes. Jenny's decisions eventually take her to New Orleans, where she finds friendships and motherhood in the midst of loss before she returns to Carefree. Cornelius is a man of high principles, but he is also a man of great ambitions. Ultimately, deceit and the resurgence of an old crime threaten to destroy the world of Carefree.

Can You Keep a Secret?


Mary Monroe - 2016
    Lola came from a loving home, even though it included her father’s live-in mistress. And Joan is a secret wild child chafing under her mother’s watchful eye. So when Lola’s quiet world shatters and her hopes seem out of reach for good, Joan has the perfect consolation in mind.But the besties will soon discover that boyfriends, money, and good times are no real escape from their families’ ever-scandalous drama. Soon, with demanding stepparents, conniving relatives, and simmering secrets closing in, they’ll have to watch each other’s backs and use their quick wits to save their lifelong dreams…Praise for the novels of Mary Monroe“Readers who enjoy watching characters’ fortunes rise and fall will relish this tumultuous family.” —Booklist on Family of Lies“Once again, Monroe displays her gift as a marvel with this sensational novel.” —RT Book Reviews on Lost Daughters

Promise Me / No Second Chance / Just One Look


Harlan Coben - 2011
    So he makes two neighborhood girls promise him that if they are ever in a bind but are afraid to call their parents, they must call him. Several nights later, the call comes at two a.m. The next day, a girl is missing and Myron is the last person who saw her. Racing to find her before she’s gone forever, Myron must outrun his own troubled past and decide once and for all who he is and what he will stand up for...NO SECOND CHANCEShot twice by an unseen assailant, Dr. Marc Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed. His six-month-old daughter has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, the ransom note arrives: We are watching. If you contact the authorities, you will never see your daughter again. There will be no second chance. With no one to trust, and mired in a deepening quicksand of deception and deadly secrets, Marc clings to one unwavering vow: bring home his daughter, at any cost.JUST ONE LOOKWhen Grace Lawson picks up a newly developed set of family photographs, there is a picture that doesn't belong-a photo from at least twenty years ago with a man in it who looks strikingly like her husband, Jack. And though Jack denies it's him, he disappears that night, taking the photo with him. Now, to save her family from a fierce, silent killer who will stop at nothing to get the photo, Grace must confront the dark corners of her own tragic past...

The Chateau Hauntings: A Riveting Haunted House Mystery Boxset


James Hunt - 2021
    The estate is in disrepair, but one couple is determined to restore the estate to its former glory. But when strange accidents begin to become more dangerous, putting their crew’s lives at risk, the fixer-upper couple realize they might have bitten off more than they could chew.The Haunting of Calhoun MansionThree murders. One night. No convictions.Nicole Harper, a hospice nurse with a floundering marriage, is assigned a new patient in the remote Northwestern wilderness. But when Nic meets her new patient, she discovers the old woman's family history is as troubling as her medical condition.The Haunting of the Holloway FamilyA job opportunity has brought the Holloway family to a small desert town on the Arizona/California border in the middle of nowhere. But what is thought as a godsend soon devolves into a parent’s worst nightmare.

Godfather of the Bride


Laura Durham - 2019
    But never drama with "the family." When a member of the mob shows up on her elderly neighbor's wedding day, Annabelle is surprised. But she's even more surprised when she learns the truth about Leatrice's past. To add insult to injury, Annabelle is one of the bridesmaids and everyone keeps asking her about her wedding plans. With wise guys on the loose, colorful hairdresser Fern dressed as a priest, and guests dropping from the heat, suddenly bridezillas don't seem so bad! Can Annabelle and her crew get the bride down the aisle before someone sleeps with the fishes?Godfather of the Bride, a novella, is the 14th book in Laura Durham's hilarious Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner Mystery series. If you like larger-than-life characters, madcap capers, and an insider’s look at glamorous society weddings, then you’ll love this award-winning cozy series.

Inferno: by Dan Brown -- Review


Expert Book Reviews - 2014
    Langdon faces a scientist bent on destruction: a scientist who finds inspiration in Dante Alighieri's Inferno. Langdon awakes in a Venice hospital with no memory of how he got there. He has little time to collect his thoughts or make sense of the visions that tell him to "seek and find" before an assassin arrives. Langdon must set off to put the pieces together. This comprehensive review gives you a complete overview of the plot, key characters, and the author's writing style, both good and bad. Inferno navigates topics such as human overpopulation and social responsibility while Langdon tries to make sense of his visions and come to terms with the feeling that he is the only person who can save the world. In this review, you'll also find critical opinions of the novel as well as an evaluation of the novel's high and low points. Fans of Dan Brown won't be disappointed by this offering, as it has all the trappings of his previous works. Conversely, while the action will keep readers turning pages, some may find his prose weak, as his storytelling relies heavily on his common tropes. Nevertheless, Brown's fourth Robert Langdon novel has plenty to offer.

The House of Three Murders


Gary J. George - 2013
    The encounter alters all of their lives in different ways, but none of them will ever be the same. The novel follows the four: three white teenagers and a young Mojave Indian, as their lives spin off in different directions. A deputy sheriff, a liquor store owner and a woman living a marginalized life are part of the unfolding story. The narrative provides a look into small-town life in an isolated desert railroad town. A member of the Mojave Tribal Council, her wheelchair-bound son, a politically ambitious school superintendent, a lonely man grieving his wife, and a mysterious, wealthy family play prominent roles in the novel.

The Children in the Lake: A Story You Will Never Forget


Mark Edward Hall - 2019
    Nearly a century later there are those who still report seeing the children swimming beneath the surface like elusive dolphins. After losing her husband in a violent car crash, Rachel King and her two young sons venture to Arrowhead Lake to heal. When Rachel discovers that Great Woods Timber is planning to clear-cut this beautiful wilderness she enlists the help of Lilly Bowman and her mysterious father, chief and shaman of the Wabanaki nation. But dark events have been set in motion and Arrowhead Lake is under siege by a sinister force of mercenaries. When Chief Neptune vanishes, Rachel and Lilly call on Seth Ferguson, the local deputy sheriff for help. Together they discover an astonishing truth; a shadowy cabal that will stop at nothing to obtain the secret of Arrowhead Lake, a secret that if unearthed could have far-reaching consequences. When one of Rachel’s sons vanishes in the Lake, she and Lilly embark on a harrowing journey to find him. What they discover is a mind boggling truth that will change their lives forever. *

Marc Kadella Series Vol 1-3


Dennis Carstens - 2017
    Highlighting the beginning of his career, this collection features Marc’s involvement with an accused serial killer, the family of an influential (and irresistible) socialite, and the young mother of a missing toddler caught up in a media circus. Chock-full of grit and street savvy, this action-packed legal thriller series is a Grisham fan’s dream. (And we dare you not to fall in love with Marc’s best friend, badass private investigator Maddy Rivers). We guarantee you’ll tear right through these first 3 novels, now bundled in a page-turning box set.BOOK ONE – THE KEY TO JUSTICEFinancially embarrassed, getting a divorce, living in a shabby apartment, and distinctly short of clients, Marc Kadella’s beginning to question why he ever went into the law when a friend brings him the case all Minneapolis is watching--defending an accused serial killer. If he wins, it could turn his life around— if he blows it, he better go into sales.It's a classic David-and Goliath setup, and the author’s got some pretty fancy twists in store as Kadella unravels a complicated plot to set his client up, and Maddy battles demons that just keep coming at her. Fans of John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, and of course the most beloved lawyer sleuth of all time, Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason, will gobble up this one and go back for the rest of the series.BOOK TWO – DESPERATE JUSTICEAfter winning the case of a lifetime, Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer Marc Kadella welcomes the new energy his career is receiving. Another lawyer asks him to represent the co-defendant in a murder trial resulting from a petty crime that spiraled out of control—the somewhat “accidental” murder of the nephew of Vivian Corwin, grande dame of the influential Corwin family. Disarmingly charming and still downright sexy at sixty-eight, there’s more to Vivian than meets the eye. You just gotta love a society doyenne who can toss off, “… if I wasn’t a lady, right about now I would say: f--- you.”Marc has no illusions about why he’s being brought into the case, or what will happen. What he doesn’t know is that he’s gotten on the wrong side of a crooked judge; he just knows the guy hates him and will do everything he can to make life miserable for Marc and his client.BOOK THREE – MEDIA JUSTICEAn adorable—and photogenic—two-year-old girl is kidnapped, and, when her remains are found, her twenty-two-year-old widowed mother Brittany is arrested for her murder. But before she can even be charged, she’s been tried and convicted by the media., at the center of which is Melinda Pace, a cynical, mostly-functioning alcoholic Minneapolis television personality with a “legal news” show called The Court Reporter. Not even in the alternative universe of television news could she be described as a reporter, since she makes no attempt at or pretense of presenting the truth, or even the facts. She does do a great job of producing through-the-roof ratings and whipping the public into a frenzy—with tragic consequences.

Off the Grid


Mark Young - 2011
    A government-sanctioned coalition recruits Gerrit to retrieve information vital to U.S. interests, where he discovers the murdered body of a scientist dumped in a Vienna, Austria, hotel room. This discovery—coupled with an intercepted message about a covert operation called Project Megiddo—hurls Gerrit into an international thriller that forever changes his world.Others emerge to aid in Gerrit’s fight. Alena Shapiro, a former Mossad agent—whose parents fled their Russian homeland to resettle in Israel—seems to watch over Gerrit like a guardian angel. Joe Costello, a cyber security specialist who promises to unlock the secrets of Gerrit’s tragic history. Hank “Redneck” Riley, a reformed Aryan racist—making amends for his past—uses his unusual skills to give these crusaders an edge against an unyielding foe. Finally, Willy Williams, former banger from San Francisco, elevates his street skills to become a formidable computer hacker.Facing overwhelming odds, Gerrit and his small band of fighters struggle within the shadows of a global conflict. Advanced technologies are the tools; global supremacy the goal. Gerrit must learn to fight and survive in an Orwellian future that begins today.

Muted


L.H. Owens - 2019
    Although unable to speak since the tragedy that took place on his eighth birthday, his words reach out to people across the globe. When he learns that more than a thousand Friesian stallions are being held by the U.S. pharmaceutical company, Pilatos Industries, he knows he has to do all he can to free them. The heir to Pilatos, the cool and efficient lawyer Karen Lawford, will do everything in her power to stop him. Karen's mother, a breeder of international show jumpers, notes that, "Those stallions represent an evil at the heart of Pilatos, and one wrongdoing is usually an indication of others." The extent of that evil becomes apparent as the release date of their new drug approaches. With Pilatos relying on the success of the revolutionary Stablex, there are no limits to what they will do to ensure Lane does not interfere with the Stablex stallions, which are needed to produce the drug. Lane tries to convince Karen that the stallions at Pilatos must be given their freedom, but his beliefs are losing the battle against the Pilatos creed of greed, and it is only when she learns the shocking truth of what lies at the centre of the laboratories that any change can take place… but is it too late for Lane? Sometimes, you only know how much you love someone once you lose them. The story takes you to The Spanish Riding School, the mountains of Austria and the wilds of America and Australia as Lane tries to reawaken Karen's love of horses and bring back the colour to her grey life. He believes she is the key to saving the stallions, but, since childhood, her father has taught her to put Pilatos ahead of all else, and that loyalty appears to be an insurmountable obstacle in his mission to free the stallions. A moving love story set against the greed of the corporate world. A story that explores what is important in life as the wisdom of Lane Dimity touches all those around him. You don't need to like horses to enjoy the book, but even the most experienced horse people will appreciate the knowledge shared by Lane. Quotes from readers: "I fell in love with Lane...where can I meet him? A great love story and I learned so much about horses." "I couldn't believe what Pilatos were doing, then I looked around where I work and I realised that is exactly what they would do. Chilling, enlightening and, thankfully, uplifting." "I read it for the horses and I wasn't disappointed. Lipizzaners, Friesians, Warmbloods, mustangs and others, presented knowledgably by a writer who knows horses. It left me with a lot to think about. I loved this book."

Revenge at Sea


Brian O'Sullivan - 2020
    Stuck in a hospital bed on his 40th birthday, he overhears a sinister conversation.Sensing an opportunity, Quint starts his own investigation, bypassing local law enforcement in the process. His inquiries lead him to the scene of a savage murder. And a second one, even more barbaric.Then things spiral out of control. Quint becomes a suspect in the murders and believes his father’s recent death might not be an accident.Quint tries to clear his name but realizes the real murderer is above the law. To find justice, he has to resort to extreme measures: following the sadistic killer out to sea.