Book picks similar to
Flame by Carla Kovach


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disappear-kidnap-missing
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Restless Spirits Boxset (Meade Mansion #1-3; Riley Watson #0-2)


Skylar Finn - 2019
    a mansion overlooking a bluff... an unsolved murder that has gone too far. The Haunting of Meade Mansion (1,2,3) One couple must unearth the secrets of a small-town murder before it's too late. Emily thought she was leaving her money troubles behind when she inherited an old house from her great aunt who went missing the previous year. When she and her husband Jesse arrive at the house, they discover Aunt Matilda was murdered--and the culprit is still at large. Guided by the ghosts of Matilda and the orphans she raised, Emily and Jesse must catch the criminal and save themselves before it's too late. The Haunting of Riley Watson (1,2,3) by Alexandria Clarke When Lucia Star, a fake psychic and desperate for cash, takes a job at a ski lodge in the mountains of Vermont, she ends up in the middle of a real-life haunting. Soon, the ghosts are out in full force, and Lucia is stunned to discover she’s one of only two people who can communicate with them. Can Lucia give the spirits what they want?

The Haunting of Crowford Station (The Ghosts of Crowford Book 11)


Amy Cross - 2022
    

The House Called Mbabati: A Novel Out of Africa


Samantha Ford - 2016
     The Mother Superior crossed herself quickly. “May God forgive them both,” she murmured as she locked the diary and faded letters in the drawer. Deep in the heart of the East African bush stands a deserted mansion. Boarded up, on the top floor, is a magnificent Steinway Concert Grand, shrouded in decades of dust. In an antique shop in London, an elderly nun recognises an old photograph of the mansion; she knows it well – it is called Mbabati. Seven thousand miles away in Cape Town a woman lies dying, she whispers one final word to journalist Alex Patterson – Mbabati. Sensing a good story, and intrigued with what he has discovered about the dead woman’s past, Alex heads for East Africa in search of the old abandoned house. He is totally unprepared for what he discovers there; the hidden home of a once famous classical pianist whose career came to a shattering end; a grave with a blank headstone and an old retainer called Luke, who is the only person left alive who knows the truth about two sisters who disappeared without trace more than twenty years earlier. Alex unravels a story which has fascinated the media and the police for decades. A twisting tale of love, passion, betrayal and murder; and the unbreakable bond between two extraordinary sisters who were prepared to sacrifice everything to hide the truth. Mbabati is set against the magnificent and enduring landscape of the African bush – where nothing is ever quite as it seems. Samantha's first novel The Zanzibar Affair was a very well received and highly acclaimed debut novel which used Africa as a backdrop to her story telling. Once again she has drawn on her knowledge and experiences of Africa, its culture and the lives of the rich and privileged to weave an even more tangled web of mystery, intrigue and suspense in this; her second superb novel. “The House Called Mbabati is skilfully written and layered with mystery and intrigue. Set against the romantic backdrop of Kenya and South Africa, the author manages to sweep the reader away into another world where the scenes are so well depicted one can almost smell the hot dry earth and the dusty pelts of the animals. An unforgettable cast of characters within a story which twists and turns at a ferocious pace. A real page turner with a breath-taking and richly rewarding ending. A cracking good story ." John Gordon-Davis (author)

The Haunting of Waverly Hall


Michael Richan - 2016
     The reason? It's haunted. Especially the old town hall. When Rachel returns to Eliza begging for her help, Eliza agrees to use her “gift” to help Rachel redeem her past. Rachel takes her to the small, long-abandoned town of Waverly, where the few remaining houses hold a terrible secret that killed Rachel’s friend many years ago. All of the houses seem interconnected, especially the old town hall, where the most frightening hauntings occur. Eliza unravels the town’s hidden past while trying to avoid the fate of Rachel’s friend. She discovers why the hall is haunted — but understanding a ghost’s reasons for being aren’t always enough to get it to stop, especially when it’s addicted to sick and horrific behaviors. Her friends Robert and Granger help, but there’s no guarantee they can conquer the ghosts of Waverly Hall. The Haunting of Waverly Hall is the sequel to The Haunting of Pitmon House.

Destiny's Cradle


Paul Crawford - 2019
    The hole disgorges a naked man, barely conscious and clutching a human leg bone, and then vanishes. Even more astonishing to Ben and Tessa, this man is a stranger to them and, in their close-knit world, no one has ever seen a stranger before. When he recovers, that stranger, Thomas Morgan, finds himself trapped in a small rural community where everyone regards him with bewildered awe. He alone knows they are inside the earth-like biosphere of an immense starship, The Destiny, on a thousand-year voyage to colonize a distant planet. While he had been in cryogenic hibernation, Ben, Tessa, and the others in this rustic community appear to be descendants of a small ‘wake’ crew that was originally charged with maintaining the ship's operating systems. Clearly something happened, long ago, that upset the carefully laid plans of the starship's designers, a crisis, now long forgotten, that left the wake crew and its descendants trapped for generations within the biosphere, its exits locked and its walls, shielded by a holographic force field, invisible to everyone inside. Soon, Tom Morgan finds himself struggling, with the help of Ben and Tessa, to prevent a disastrous conflict between the simple farmers born in the biosphere and their technologically-advanced ancestors, now emerging from cryo and led by Tico Calder, the starship’s arrogant and ruthless captain. To succeed, he must discover the cause of the crew's entrapment, including the role played by Agatha, an enigmatic young computer prodigy who lived hundreds of years earlier. He must also deal with the threat posed by Dante, a sentient robot of unknown origin, who has secretly controlled The Destiny for centuries and has the crew's fate, though not necessarily its best interests, in its unpredictable hands. And, finally, Tom and his young friends must face what's awaiting them on the bewildering planet below, for the massive starship has finally reached its destination. DESTINY'S CRADLE is a stand-alone hard science fiction novel, with a complex, scientifically plausible setting, well-drawn characters, and an intricate, thought-provoking plot. It is set a world riven by conflict and distrust, a world in which the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of just a handful of individuals.

Annabelle: The Cursed Doll


Taffy Sealyham - 2014
    The interview took place in the Warren's back yard in Monroe CT after myself and several classmates took a tour of the Warren's occult museum. I attended the weekly classes the Warren's used to have every week. Ed discusses how they got involved with the case, his interview with the girls, the attacks on Lou, how they got rid of demonic spirit from the girls apartment and what happened after they removed the doll and took it to their home. The doll is currently in a case in the Warren's Occult Museum.

The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet


Karen Tomlinson - 2019
    A vicious fae warrior with a conflicted heart. And a bond powerful enough to strengthen them both, or tear their world apart.When Diamond Gillon's home is brutally attacked, she is catapulted into a terrifying, war-torn land where legendary beasts arise, magic is condemned, and half-blood fae like her have no rights. Inexplicably, she is drawn to Commander Hugo Casimir, a ruthless elite guard owned by the cruel, immortal fae queen. Forced by the queen to train her magic, Diamond becomes a weapon. Now she must triumph against the queen’s enemies or see those she loves, die.Commander Hugo Casimir believes he is good for nothing but ending lives. To endure his servitude to the queen, he has built a wall around his heart and hides it away from the world. Only when he meets Diamond does he consider that his life can mean so much more, that he can be so much more.But Hugo’s queen is determined not to lose his loyalty—or him. To keep Diamond alive Hugo must make them both believe he is as cold-hearted as ever. Neither Diamond nor Hugo are aware that beyond the veil to the mortal world, the god of Chaos awaits. Soon both must embrace the bonds which unite them and seize their destiny, for war is coming. And the fate of the Eight Kingdoms rests with them...Prepare yourself for magical lands, heart-pounding battles, sailing through vast oceans, and flying with fierce dragons in this epic romantic fantasy that fans of Sarah J. Maas will love.This breathtaking series is the read you never knew you were waiting for. Dive in now!"Karen Tomlinson took this amazing story from a really good beginning to an amazing conclusion. Watching both the story and the author grow through this first work has been a privilege. If you haven't read this series, do so now. I can see her as the next Sarah J Maas. She's already so close!"-Judi S *****"This author has bestowed a gift on us with this series. It is not to be missed!"-Amazon reviewer *****"I have one thing to say...Brilliant! I have not enjoyed that many fantasy series since Elise Kova's Air Awakens series. I am sad that this series is ended, but so thrilled with the outcome of such an amazing adventure. Amazing. ❤" *****

Time Will Tell


Eva Jordan - 2019
    Writer, Lizzie Lemalf, and her loving but somewhat dysfunctional family are still grieving over the loss of a much-loved family member. Lizzie is doing her best to keep her family together but why does the recent death of a well-known celebrity have them all in a spin? The police suspect foul play; Lizzie and other family members suspect one another. Lizzie begins searching for answers only to find herself being dragged back to the past, to 1960's London to be exact, and to the former life of her father, that up until now she has never been privy to. Every family has its secrets but how can the past hold the key to a present day celebrity death? They say the past comes back to haunt you. Surely the truth will out? Maybe, but only time will tell...

Thyme to Kill


Tegan Maher - 2019
    Divorced, low on funds, and unhappy with where she's at in life, she decides to buy a lodge in the mountains and start over. When she arrives at her new home, she finds the grand lodge is a run-down mess. To make matters worse, she finds the one person she's connected with standing over a dead body on her first full day in town. Now, Toni needs to find a way to clear her new friend of murder while searching for a job and figuring out what to do with the lodge she'd pinned her dreams on. Throw in a goofy dog who needs a home, a ghost reluctant to share his space, and a handsome neighbor eager to help her rebuild, and she's got her hands full. Determined to make her fresh start a success, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work, but will it be enough? This is the first book in the Haunted Lodge Cozy Mystery series.

The Rochdale Poltergeist: A True Story


Jenny Ashford - 2015
    Until I did. And then I was thinking, ‘Oh God, do I really want to continue with this?’” - Steve Mera BSc., Director of the Scientific Establishment of Parapsychology Steve Mera had been investigating paranormal phenomena for many years, and had never seen anything that shook him to his very foundations. All that changed in 1996, when he was called in with his team to look into the bizarre occurrences taking place at a small bungalow in Rochdale, Manchester, England. Flying objects, disembodied voices, phantom smells and sounds, and strangest of all, copious falls of water seemingly coming from nowhere plagued the Gardner family for nearly a year. What Steve experienced during the investigation was enough to make him question his entire career path, and remains one of only a handful of cases that he is completely unable to rationally explain. This account, written by horror author Jenny Ashford from interviews conducted with Steve about the case, is a bone-chilling foray into the paranormal that will make even the most ardent skeptic sleep with the lights on.

The Silent Ones #1


James Hunt - 2018
    One note. Three abductions: Ten years ago, former Seattle Police Detective Chase Grant assisted on a homicide case that led to the capture and imprisonment of one of the country’s deadliest serial killers. But even behind bars Dennis Pullman is still wreaking havoc.

Stitched: A gruesome tale of control, fear and brutality


Cheryl Elaine - 2019
    To the outside world, Andrew Brooke is a cop who’s obsessively committed to his job. But behind closed doors, he enforces his dominance and disciplines his wife, Emily, in the most inhumane ways. When his life begins to fall apart and his reputation becomes tarnished, he unleashes his anger and seeks revenge on those who dare to encounter him. Emily Brooke is left broken by her husband’s hand, with no means of escape. Eventually, though weak and confused, she manages to flee. But is the life she escapes to a better one? Detective Donavan has his own demons to battle following his wife’s death. Assigned a missing person’s case that leads to a series of brutal attacks, he follows the trail of a serial killer dubbed ‘The Stitcher’ - but will his own dark secrets get in the way of justice being served? Stitched perfectly demonstrates how cruel life – and people – can be.

Exit Five from Charing Cross


Valerie Keogh - 2014
    Money, a beautiful wife, two children. But nothing in Jake’s world is as it seems. He dislikes his wife, never sees his children and is in so much debt there doesn’t appear to be a way out...unless....?Faced with the only decision that seems to make sense, he makes a choice that will change all their lives forever.

Victoria's Most Haunted: Ghost Stories from BC's Historic Capital City


Ian Gibbs - 2017
    But looming behind its picture-perfect façade is a city shrouded in mystery, with restless, disembodied beings that whisper ghastly tales of mystery, violence, and horror.Known as British Columbia’s most haunted city, Victoria is teeming with a plethora of spirits. Through this brand-new collection of disturbing tales, you’ll come face to face with:The Grey Lady who chills hotel guests to the boneA decorated World War I soldier who protects tenants from something sinisterAn inconsolable child who haunts the pool area of a defunct hotelThe blood-soaked spectre who runs through the infamous Fan Tan Alley to escape captureThe ghost of Robert Johnson, who perpetually re-enacts his own suicideThe phantom of a cranky hermit who plagues a beautiful lake houseA spinster who gives tours of her childhood homeAnd many moreGet to know Victoria’s best-known hauntings along with some you may have not have heard before.

The Absence of Screams


Ben Follows - 2017
    His daughter was kidnapped and his wife was murdered. Now, he spends his days pretending to be paralyzed and touring the country, raising money for missing children. He hopes that if he helps enough people find their missing child, someday he will find his own. Just as he's about to give up hope, he finds one of the kidnappers. He attacks her, but she refuses to give him back his daughter. In his rage, he kills her, but not before she signals an accomplice. For the second time, Marcus watches his daughter disappear into the night. With no one to trust and sinking in deepening quicksand of lies and deception, Marcus will need to risk everything if he's going to unravel the mystery of his daughter's disappearance. Even if that means losing his life. With a riveting plot that will keep you guessing until the last page, The Absence of Screams is a must-read for Thriller fans.