Book picks similar to
In All My Sad Dreaming by John Caulfield
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Polar Bear Dawn
Lyle Nicholson - 2013
But not with employees of the same company in Oil Camps in the high Arctic and Northern Canada. Two detectives, one from Alaska and one from Canada, are given the case. They find the murders are connected. Now, they have to work together to find out why the victims were silenced. What secrets did their deaths conceal?Frank Mueller, the Alaskan Detective, is close to retirement. He’s been through three marriages and two stints in rehab. He is on probation with the force. He knows the Anchorage Police department has given him this case because they don’t want it investigated fully and there’s no booze in the Arctic oil camps.Bernadette Callahan, the Canadian Detective, is in her mid thirties with a lot to prove on the force. She is Cree Indian and Irish, raised on a native reservation in Northern Canada. She’s been ingrained with the ways of the ‘people,’ by her grandmother that have given her instincts. Her instincts tell her there is something more than four dead people—someone is settling a score. The real crime will happen soon.The oil companies think the deaths are bad for publicity and they want them solved quickly. The detectives are under pressure to come up with a verdict they know is wrong.Callahan begins to unravel a series of unlikely suspects. A Chemistry Professor with a grudge against big oil, a Mexican low life gangster and Wall Street Executives. How are they connected?Something is about to happen to oil supplies in the Arctic. The two Detectives can sense it. They know it’s real—can they convince others to act?
Spirit Matters
Patrice Greenwood - 2017
While trying to support her grieving Goth office manager, Ellen ponders the mysterious flashes of light she saw in another part of Santa Fe, wondering if they are related to Captain Dusenberry, the tearoom's resident ghost. She asks for help from the local spirit-tour guide, Willow Lane, who takes curiosity about the captain's unsolved murder to a new level, where Ellen finds herself exploring the very meaning of spirit. Will a séance in the tearoom finally provide the answers to her questions? (This is a novella, a short companion story to the Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries series. It is recommended that you read A Masquerade of Muertos before reading this story.)
Blabbermouth (A Brit Moran Mystery)
Joel Travis - 2010
Fortunately, Moran’s injuries are not fatal; unfortunately, his compromising admissions have been heard by a motley assortment of bedside visitors, including a local police detective and the younger brother of Cesar Hernandez, Moran’s backer in his bookmaking business. The book follows, courtesy of Moran’s often hilarious first-person narration, the consequences of his ill-timed frankness, which include assault, vandalism, theft and murder. When the police identify Moran as the prime suspect in the killing, he embarks on an amateurish and offbeat quest for the truth. Readers who like to smile while reading a whodunit should hope that the author manages to enmesh his creation in further investigations.
Maple Hills Mystery Box Set
Wendy Meadows - 2016
Good, clean, hobby sleuthing for you to enjoy.
Chill Waters
Joan Hall Hovey - 2004
It is the one place where she had always felt safe and loved. Devasted and lost, Rachael longs for the simplicity of her childhood. But Jenny’s Cove has changed. From the moment of Rachael’s arrival, a man watches. He has already killed, and mercilessly will do so again. Soon Rachael becomes a target for a vicious predator whose own dark and twisted past forms a deadly bond between them. And sets her on a collision course with a crazed killer. "...Joan Hall Hovey is a female Stephen King... a stunning, multi-layered, modern-day gothic, told with the unforgettable style and grace of a true master of suspense..." Rendezvous Magazine * * * Bloody Dagger Award Winner MIDWEST REVIEW by Cynthia Penn Chill Waters Joan Hall Hovey Evil stalks the unsuspecting --Recommended. Memories of idyllic summers spent with her grandmother motivate Rachael to buy the house in Jenny's Cove. Tired of the arguments and silences, she had tried to breath fire back into the dying embers of her marriage, only to discover her husband warming someone else's bed. Now at age forty-five and in the process of a divorce, Rachael longs for the simplicity of her childhood. Iris Brandt recognizes the arrival of evil, chilled by the malevolent energy that follows Rachael. The practical, no nonsense proprietress of local gas station feels compelled to warn her. Indeed, Iris would be correct, because from the moment of Rachael's arrival, a man watches. He has already killed, and mercilessly will do so again. And his stalking of Rachael has only just begun. Author Joan Hovey creates a taut thriller in CHILL WATERS. Woven with an uncanny magic, CHILL WATERS is rich in sensory imagery and dense with the darkness that lies in the heart of a madman. Hovey creates a rich cast of characters, each uniquely realized and memorable. At age forty-five, heroine Rachael provides a refreshingly mature viewpoint who still manages to grow and change with the flow of the novel. She has raised her children and fled a failed marriage to take control of her life only to confront a madman. With believable vulnerabilities
With This Ring
Margaret Maron - 2012
Hart and Martin Harry Greenberg (1993) and republished in “Shoveling Smoke: Selected Mystery Stories by Margaret Maron”, Crippen & Landru (1997).“The whole subject of bridesmaid’s dresses amuses me immensely. No one dress could be equally flattering to any bride’s six best friends, so someone’s nose is always out of joint. And as for their usefulness as a party/cocktail dress? In my lifetime, I have only seen two that might actually be worn after the wedding.”
Fenton's Winter
Ken McClure - 1989
Three subsequent victims inexplicably bleed to death: lab technician Susan Daniels, little Timmy Watson who was recovering from his 'life-saving' operation, and an orderly who cut herself on a broken vase. All three are found to have had a powerful anticoagulant introduced into their blood. What madman is at work in the hospital? And why?Biochemist Tom Fenton begins his own investigations after stumbling on some of the young doctor's mysterious research. And when his girlfriend Jenny is accused of murder he is even more determined to find the answers - putting his own life at great risk . . .
Isle Royale
John Hamilton - 2010
Living in a lighthouse can be murder.SYNOPSIS:The year is 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian smugglers arrive. The gang’s leader is Sean LeBeck, a former lover of Collene MacDougal—the lightkeeper’s wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.The lightkeeper’s son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter "Chippewa." A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves on the island. Given one last chance at redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day."Isle Royale" is approximately 72,000 words.AMAZON READER REVIEW -- 5 STARS"A rip-roaring historical adventure set in the delightfully unusual setting of Lake Superior's Isle Royale. Hamilton's love for the locale comes shining through; Lake Superior at times seems one of the characters in the drama. A carefully-researched Great War flashback is almost a novella within a novel, while providing crucial motivation for the story."ABOUT THE AUTHOR:John Hamilton is a bestselling author and journalist. His work includes books about fantasy & folklore, science fiction, the national parks, and pirates. "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West" (Sparrow Media Group) was a finalist at the 17th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in 2005. He is a two-time Golden Duck Award winner for excellence in children’s science fiction literature. John can be found most summers hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. He is also an award-winning photojournalist and nature photographer. Connect with John online at: www.johnchamilton.com.
Dead Harvest
Andrew Leatham - 2013
But when the police look inside they find something they never expected. A mysterious, ornate, but apparently ancient coffin. And what appears to be an Egyptian Mummy. Detective Inspector Ray Wilson is about to be thrown into the most baffling case of his career. And the most dangerous. He has to find out where it came from and where it was going. And more importantly why would anyone smuggle an Egyptian Mummy across the UK? Out of his depth, he turns for help to Cambridge’s world famous Fitzwilliam Museum and its curator of Egyptology, Karen Bowen. As a romance blossoms between Wilson and Bowen, the pair find themselves embroiled in a deadly conspiracy. As other identical Mummies are found around the world the trail leads back to a Turkish people smuggler - and a man with links to an evil trade that stretches back thousands of years. It will be the biggest case of Wilson's career - but one that may end his life. 'Dead Harvest' is a gripping detective thriller that introduces a memorable new detective. It is the first gripping installment in the Ray Wilson Thriller series. It is certain to appeal to fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. "A brilliant page-turner." - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of Trade-Off. "Chilling and realistic. A five-star read." - Robert Foster, best-selling author of The Lunar Code. Andrew Leatham is a former national newspaper and television journalist, turned public relations consultant. He lives in Lancashire. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
Snow Light
Danielle Zinn - 2017
Out of guilt, Thomas quits his job at Homicide Headquarters and relocates to the tiny village of Turtleville, where he regains control of himself and begins to enjoy life again. However, a year later, all the guilt and shame of the park murder re-emerges when a local hermit, Ethan Wright, is murdered with an unusual weapon and left on display in the centre of the village.For Thomas, the situation gets worse when DS Ann Collins, a colleague from his past, appears to help with the case. But things become complicated when the victim’s identity is put into question.Who is the victim? And why was he murdered?Thomas and Collins will find themselves trying to solve a highly unusual case and both may have more in common than they could have ever imagined.Danielle Zinn is a debut author not to be missed. If you like gripping murder mysteries full of twists and turns then you'll love Snow Light.
Native Roots
Mark Reps - 2019
This two-part novella explores Zeb’s roots as a young man and his early law enforcement career as a border patrol agent and Tucson policeman. A mysterious beating, illegal immigrants crossing the border, and a brush with the jaded world of politics mesh together to teach Zeb the meaning of justice, western style. This novella is a prequel to the Zeb Hanks Mystery Series.
Mercy Watts Box Set, Books 0.5-3
A.W. Hartoin - 2015
Coke with a Twist (A Mercy Watts Short) Mercy Watts' P.I. father ropes her into another investigation, this time to find the truth behind a young woman's attack. The case takes her from a dive bar to sorority row to the gutter, and unless she solves it fast, the case will be her last. A Good Man Gone (Mercy Watts Mysteries Book 1) It’s summer in St. Louis and Mercy Watts is on vacation from her parents. The great detective and his nosy wife are on a cruise and Mercy thinks she’s off the hook for doing any investigating for them. But when a family friend has a fatal heart attack, Dad has one of his famous feelings and orders Mercy to look into it. Mercy tries not to get sucked in. She really does, but she’s her father’s daughter. Soon Gavin’s death leads to a more grisly one, the death of a bride on her wedding day. Can the two be connected? Was Gavin murdered? Now Mercy can’t stop. You do for family. That’s all there is to it. Diver Down (Mercy Watts Mysteries Book 2) A sunny place for shady people. Vacations can be murder, especially when you’re Mercy Watts. She’s trying to get away from it all, including her godmother’s lawsuit and a certain situation with the mafia. So she heads to Roatan, Honduras, a place known for scuba diving and lawlessness. Mercy’s on the island less than twenty-four hours when she discovers that she hasn’t gotten away from anything. Her problems hitched a ride and increased tenfold. The deeper she dives, the more dangerous her vacation becomes. She must stop a murder or she’ll be the next on the hit list. Double Black Diamond (Mercy Watts Mysteries Book 3) Commit a crime. Save a child. Mercy Watts is off to Colorado for a ski trip with her boyfriend and his parents. She thinks her biggest problem will be pretending to be a normal girlfriend. A girlfriend that doesn’t know how to pick locks and absolutely never gets her face on the national news. But a desperate friend asks a favor that cannot be refused. Mercy figures she can fit it in between trips up the lift and dips in the hot tub. Simple, right? Not quite. Before she has a chance to do much of anything a brutal crime is committed and Mercy becomes a suspect. Before she knows it she’s saddled with a pint-sized partner, a stalker, and a ticking clock. All she has to do is solve a crime in order to commit a crime. A child’s life hangs in the balance. No pressure.
Mystery: The Isherwood Case Files
Johnny Scotland - 2015
Although Charley doesn't like the idea, he has no choice but to put up with it. Isherwood shows the squad what difference observation makes to how a potential crime scene is viewed, when asked to help by a member of the public who is worried for the safety of her sister. Is she right? Is the girl's fiance a monster who has already killed his previous wives? The problem is that he is perceived as a high profile member of society and the Chief warns the detectives to tread carefully. Will Isherwood tread on anyone's ego as he provides insight on this potential murder case? This is the first of the series of Isherwood Case Files in which our detective gets up close and personal with homicide, showing the squad the difference between the American approach and the more reserved British approach. Mystery 2:The Case of the Ghost Writer With Jon Isherwood being asked to help in the Los Angeles Police Department's homicide division, a call is received from a landlord who has found his tenant has been murdered. In this salubrious part of town, the ghost writer has found his demise. Will the clues be sufficient to pin the murder on anyone? Since the ghost writer lived a very private life, investigation takes Isherwood and his team to the home of a rich and famous author. There are many questions unanswered, though with forensics on their side, will they be able to work out the motive that anyone could have had to kill the solitary figure? Using observation, Isherwood and his team work toward finding a conclusion to a story which spells sadness, disappointment and revenge. But whose will the revenge be and will it be easy to crack the case? Readers will need to take the journey with our detectives to find the answers to their questions. Not all is always as it seems. Mystery 3:The Case of the Dead Man with No Identity When a victim is found at the bottom of the laundry chute in a hotel, where will the inquiries begin. There is no identification on the man and nothing to say who he was. Isherwood investigates the case of the dead man with no identity with his usual flare. Should he be looking in other places or are the clues there for him to find? As the story unfolds, is the killer who they think it is? Can a killer actually be charged with murder when the victim is seemingly already dead? One of Isherwood's most irritating cases, the blandness of the whole affair baffles him. Instead of being riddled with detail for him to unfold, this crime comes with no clues, no answers and no real leads. How will the detectives find out who killed Ian Bradshaw? And what stories can the dead body tell the coroner's office about how the death occurred? Readers will discover within the pages of this story. Mystery 4: A Case of Check Mate When a murderer leaves the calling card of a chess piece, Isherwood is left to find out the significance. Does this mean something particular? The preacher who was murdered seems an unlikely victim, though Isherwood is left to do what he can to make sense of the killing. Looking through past history, perhaps there are links that may have been missed, other than for that calling card.
The Rings of Grissom
Julia Huni - 2021
Now she’s really in for a cleanup.Triana Moore lost her job as a maintenance technician when her boss discovered her true identity. But decluttering the galaxy isn’t just for janitors. When she visits the ringed planet Grissom with security agent Ty O’Neill for his sister’s wedding, Triana discovers just how messy life can get. Deported before she can finish her coffee, Triana barely misses an exploding shuttle. But in true space janitor fashion, she decides to investigate. With the help of a pair of mischievous twins, a hard-drinking grandma, and her old frenemy Vanti, will Triana save the wedding?Of course she will. But how crazy will it get along the way?The Rings of Grissom tells the continuing story of Triana Moore, (former) Space Janitor, but can be enjoyed by new readers as well. If you want to avoid spoilers, read Triana Moore, Space Janitor first.
Ouna Bay Cozy Mystery
Deany Ray - 2016
But Becky's life is turned upside down when someone puts their eye on her beloved Blue Bay Café. Who would want her to give up her café? And most importantly, why? Could the new, handsome man in Becky's life have anything to do with it? As things heat up and sinister events become the norm, Becky decides to take matters in her own hands. Join Becky and her best friend, Rosalie, as they try to get to the bottom of this mystery and stop the madness. VANILLA BEAN MURDER What would you do if your best friend were a person of interest in a murder investigation? Rosalie just finished the last day of her job as a cashier and she's excited to start working at Becky's Blue Bay Café. But things take a bad turn when Rosalie finds the body of the bank director who inadvertently involves her in his murder before he dies. Now it's up to Becky and Rosalie to solve the murder and re-install normality in their lives. CAKE CONTEST MURDER Everybody in Ouna Bay looks forward to the annual town fair and the cake contest. It's that time of the year when they can enjoy throwing rings around a bottle while eating snow cones and catching up with friends. But nothing will be the same this year! Ouna Bay is rocked when the most hatred woman in town drops dead smack dab in the middle of the cake contest. Once again, it's up to Becky and Rosalie to find the killer, save the Blue Bay Café and bring back sanity into town. PEANUT BUTTER CRUMBLE MURDER Houston’s company lands a deal that could pave the way for the first shopping center in Ouna Bay, which is enough reason to celebrate at the local country club. But when the guest of honor is found dead at the party with one of Becky’s famous peanut butter crumble cupcakes, all eyes are on her! How did the cupcake make its way to that party? And who would want to frame Becky for the murder? And most importantly, why did the murder occur in the first place? Can Becky clear her name and find the real killer?