Book picks similar to
The Hangmen of Sleepy Valley by Brett Halliday


novels
old-west-mystery
20th-century-lit
ebooks-obtained-for-free

Maeve Binchy: Circle of Friends / The Copper Beech (Two Complete Novels)


Maeve Binchy - 2003
    Now two of her top-selling works have been brought together for the first time in an outstanding volume that shines with moving storytelling that celebrates Ireland, its people, and the journey of life itself. Circle of Friends is the heartwarming tale of two girls: Benny Hogan and Eve Malone, friends from the time they're in school together. Off to the university in Dublin to begin a new life and face new challenges, they help and support each other in a world that can bring them great new riches, expanded friendships, and also betrayal of the worst kind. In the Copper Beech, the children of the village of Shancarrig grow up without much obvious excitement, but there's far more there than meets the eye. The mysteries and adventures behind closed doors in a small town shape the children's futures and the life of the town in this moving novel of a country town in Ireland.

The Millionaires' Death Club


Mike Hockney - 2008
    It provides exclusive access to the greatest pleasure mankind has ever known. There's just one problem. Membership is fatal. When two terminally bored Hollywood superstars hear an urban legend that some English students have discovered the secret of ultimate pleasure, they come to London to discover if the rumours are true. They employ young socialite Sophie York to help them. Sophie is a forgotten Reality TV contestant and a self-styled entertainment consultant. She thinks she's landed the job of her dreams but when she and her famous clients collide head on with Oxford University's richest, smartest and most sinister students, it soon becomes a nightmare. The Millionaires' Death Club is a chick lit thriller...with the wickedest of twists.

The Celtic Cross


T.J. Walter - 2018
    The ensuing murder investigation is plagued with interference from above and several false leads frustrate the investigators. But slowly they unravel the mystery and unveil a story of resentment and greed. The detective team is led by DCI. Matthew Prior and his partner, Siobhan Williams. He is a gritty and determined veteran and she his perfect counterpart. He is happily married and she, despite being physically attractive, frightens most men off with her sharp brain and wit. Despite all the hurdles put in their way they gradually get to the truth. In the process they uncover a world of deviance and cruelty rooted in the deep past.

When Loss is Gain


Pavan K. Varma - 2012
    

Song of the Sound


Adam Armstrong - 2001
    She can provide a home for her daughter while she studies the marine creatures she loves. When she meets John-Cody Gibbs whose understanding of wildlife is so profound as to be almost magical, it seems she has found the perfect man. But John-Cody is still grieving the loss of Mahina, the woman he had loved for more than twenty years. And he has a dark secret in his past and enemies who are more than ready to use it to destroy his earthly paradise.From the Hardcover edition.

Between Two Scorpions


Jim Geraghty - 2019
    In his new book, he brings that biting sensibility to a globe-trotting thriller. The results are explosive!” – Ben Shapiro, author, The Right Side of History and founder of The Daily Wire “Powerful, real, and relevant, Jim Geraghty's Between Two Scorpions is a well-written and dynamite page turner and a welcome addition to the thriller genre.” –Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Mission Critical The new face of terror is staring at you in the mirror. A long dormant CIA asset emerges from hiding to request a meeting with his former handler, the beautiful, enigmatic intelligence operative Katrina Leonidivna. She’s skeptical that the source, a shady arms dealer, is on the level. But when Katrina barely escapes with her life after an explosion rips through the café where they met, she’s forced to take his tip seriously. Alongside her husband, Alec Flanagan, and a rogue crew of covert agents from every corner of the intelligence community, Katrina races around the globe to uncover the truth. What this dangerous clique of operatives discover is a plot that could rip America apart from the inside. A plot that pits neighbors against one another and turns everyone into a potential threat. A plot that could make anyone take up arms against their own country. A plot that Katrina, Alec, and the rest of their crew have to stop before it’s too late. But when everyone is a suspect, no one is safe and the entire nation is under suspicion. Hot on the trail of a terror cell capable of turning anyone—and everyone—into a deranged killer, only this dangerous clique of spies has a chance to stop the terrorists from weaponizing America’s greatest asset—freedom. Between Two Scorpions is a thrilling race against time that introduces an unforgettable cast of characters in the first volume of the Dangerous Clique Series. “A fun and quirky international thriller. Geraghty sets a fast-paced story against a recognizable backdrop of societal division and cultural ruthlessness. A compelling read.” – John A. Daly, author of the Sean Coleman Thriller series “The action explodes in the first chapter and keeps coming, but the mayhem and madness is leavened by Jim’s trademark wicked humor and clever pop culture references that would make Dennis Miller beam with pride. It’s makes for a terrific ride, with a trippy ending that will leave you eager for a sequel. Just one more thing – if you are afraid of snakes, be careful…” – Kurt Schlichter, author of Wildfire and Indian Country “Taut, vivid, and engrossing. A deliciously messy entanglement requiring unforgettable characters to confront the action—and their individual failings—head on. It all leads to a spine-tingling denouement, leaving the reader gasping for breath and craving a sequel.”– James A. Gagliano, Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and former member of the FBI’s elite counterterror unit, the Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) and CNN Law Enforcement Analyst

Darklings


Ray Garton - 1985
    Is your world familiar? Comfortable? Does it seem the same today as it was yesterday? It isn't. Something is loose in your world that wasn't there before. Something terrible.It is born of the devil, nurtured in evil, and set loose to do its vile work. It moves its foul form with a sleek, sudden, malevolent grace. It comes, it touches, it takes over. Then the horror begins. An aging surgeon, a captured fugitive, a pregnant mother, an innocent hospital worker -- each is its victim, driven by a grotesque impulse to acts of murder, mayhem, nymphomania, infanticide, cannibalism.Can it be stopped? Perhaps...But the battle will be waged by a few brave, desperate souls on the edge of Hell, while Satan awaits the triumph of his cherished Darklings.

Jalamanta: A Message from the Desert


Rudolfo Anaya - 1996
    Rudolfo Anaya returns to the deeply spiritual themes of his hugely popular Bless Me, Ultima with this insightful tale of a prophet and his message to save humankind from itself.

Murder is Medical: A Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mystery (Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries Book 10)


Diane Weiner - 2019
    Louis to find out where Evan will be doing his residency, the Match Day celebration takes a deadly turn. The dean of the medical school dies at the reception. Was it a heart attack or was it murder? Kept in St. Louis due to a personal crisis, Susan teams up with the mother of the detective assigned to the case. It's double trouble as the duo uncovers secrets worthy of murder. Meanwhile, Susan confronts her biggest fear--losing someone close to her heart. Set in the biggest small town in the country, Murder is Medical takes you through a whirlwind of suspects and emotions as the mystery is unraveled.

Death of a Schoolgirl


Joanna Campbell Slan - 2012
    Picking up where Brontë left off, the year is now 1851, and Jane’s life has finally settled into a comfortable pattern. She and her beloved Edward Rochester have married, and have an infant son. But Jane soon finds herself in the midst of new challenges and threats to those she loves… Jane can’t help but fret when a letter arrives from Adèle Varens—Rochester’s ward and Jane’s former pupil, currently at boarding school—warning that the girl’s life is in jeopardy. Although it means leaving her young son and invalid husband, and despite never having been to a city of any size, Jane feels strongly compelled to go to London to ensure Adèle’s safety. But almost from the beginning, her travels don’t go as planned—she is knocked about and robbed, and no one believes that the plain, unassuming Jane could indeed be the wife of a gentleman. Even when she arrives at the school, the headmistress takes her for an errant new teacher, and berates her for her late arrival. Most shocking to Jane is the discovery that Adèle’s roommate has recently passed away under very suspicious circumstances, yet no one at the school seems concerned. Taking advantage of the misunderstanding, she decides to pose as the missing instructor—and soon uncovers several unsavory secrets, which may very well make her the killer’s next target…

Killer Femmes: 5 Irresistible Crime Novels From Around The World


Libby Fischer Hellmann - 2014
    Between us, we’ve written over 60 novels and have been nominated for (and even won) numerous awards, including the Edgar, the Anthony, the Agatha, the Macavity, the Barry, the Lovey, and the CWA Dagger. Killer Femmes presents: Easy Innocence by Libby Fischer Hellmann Cross Current by Christine Kling The Flower Master by Sujata Massey Killer Instinct by Zoë Sharp Louisiana Hotshot by Julie Smith Easy Innocence by Libby Fischer Hellmann When pretty, smart Sara Long is found bludgeoned to death, it's easy to blame the man with the bat. But Georgia Davis — former cop and newly-minted PI — is hired to look into the incident, what she finds hints at a much different, darker answer: how far teen girls will go for approval from their peers. Winner of the Lovey Award, Best PI novel, 2008. Library Journal (Starred Review): “Hellmann brings to life the reality of bullying among teenage girls with enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Highly recommended.” Cross Current by Christine Kling Fort Lauderdale tug and salvage captain Seychelle Sullivan is en route to pick up a tow when she discovers a swamped boat. Inside are a murdered woman and a half-dead Haitian girl in a blood-stained white dress. Determined to protect the child, and somehow keep her from being sent back to Haiti, Seychelle explores the hidden world of Florida’s Haitian community. Booklist: “Kling adds swift plotting, convincing nautical detail, voodoo lore, and tropical scenery . . . Florida's answer to Grafton and Barr.” The Flower Master by Sujata Massey A suspenseful, hilarious mystery about spirited California girl Rei Shimura on the loose in modern Tokyo. While studying flower arranging at a posh ikebana school. a high-ranking teacher is stabbed to death. Rei is then stalked by the mysterious killer. Winner of the Macavity Award for Best Mystery of 2001. Publisher’s Weekly:“…a harmonious mix … enhanced greatly by the richly detailed Tokyo setting, from ancient tea houses to arcane rituals involving the cherry blossom festival.” Killer Instinct by Zoë Sharp When Susie Hollins dies only hours after foolishly taking on Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Fox at the New Adelphi Club, it gains Charlie attention she well could do without. As a former Special Forces trainee now teaching women’s self-defence, Charlie might seem an ideal target to a lunatic looking for a challenge. But she’s been a victim before and this time she’s not going down without a fight… Marilyn Stasio, NY Times: “Sharp means business. The bloody bar fights are bloody brilliant, and Charlie's skills are both formidable and for real.” Louisiana Hotshot by Julie Smith Talba’s got the beauty, the brains, the computer savvy, the poetic soul, the youth, the right demographic, and the sass. Eddie’s got the detective agency. (Also a short fuse and a bad attitude.) They're the perfect team to ferret out a pedophile on the edge of New Orleans' freewheeling rap scene. The Times-Picayune: “A stroke of genius … Louisiana Hotshot is fresh, fast, and touching.

Home for Christmas


Lizzie Lane - 2014
    Robert is the nephew of a Lord, and Lydia a mere doctor’s daughter – and a German doctor at that. While her parentage is no hindrance to their relationship in peacetime, when war is declared Robert’s family makes it clear they no longer approve of the match. With no means of contacting Robert on the Western Front, Lydia volunteers herself, joining the Red Cross. But her love affair with Robert has had more than one consequence…

He Made Me (a Booker & Cash Story Book 2)


Oliver Tidy - 2017
    Someone is demanding a lot of money from her husband and she wants to know why.What do the dying words of one man - he made me - actually mean?As the mystery unfolds people will come undone and reputations will be ruined before the answer becomes clear.At the end of the day Mrs Swaine might end up wishing she’d let sleeping dogs lie… Also available in the Booker & Cash series: Bad Sons

Boom Town


Trevor Scott - 2006
    Tony retired after twenty years in the Navy as an aviation ordnanceman, but this training might not be enough when he is hired by an old friend to look into a murder suicide in Bend, Oregon, a resort Boom Town in the high desert east of the Cascades. Was it a murder suicide as the local sheriff thinks? Or has this idyllic community been ripped apart by not only murder but scandalous sexual deviance, lust, jealousy and the quest for the almighty dollar? Follow Tony as he wades through a cast of characters as diverse as the Oregon landscape to solve this mystery.

Excess Baggage


Judy Astley - 2000
    But as a penniless and partnerless house-painter with an expired lease on her flat and a twelve-year-old daughter, she could hardly turn down her parents' offer to take them on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Caribbean. She'd just have to put up with her sister Theresa (making no secret of preferring Tuscany as a holiday destination) and brother Simon (worrying that there might be some sinister agenda behind their parents' wish to take them all away) with their various spouses, teenagers, young children and au pair. In a luxury hotel, with bright sunshine, swimming, diving, glorious food and friendly locals, any family tensions should have melted away in the fabulous heat. The children should have been angelic, the teenagers cheerful, the adults relaxed and happy. But...some problems just refuse to be left at home.