Book picks similar to
Vice by A.J. Lape


southwestern-usa-read
womens-fiction-and-nonfiction
mystery-suspense
noir

Daughters of the Sea


H.R. Mason - 2021
    A new town filled with old secrets. One woman is determined to uncover the truth about her past, but Everwine Manor won’t easily give up the truth.Runa Brandon is naïve and uncertain, and she has been taken advantage of more than once. After disentangling herself from an abusive relationship, Runa begins a new life in Departure Cove, Oregon. Her mother, Asta, believes Departure Cove holds too many secrets that are better left buried, including the identity of Runa’s father.When Runa arrives in Departure Cove, strange things begin to happen. She experiences frightening visions, disturbing dreams, and unexplained physical changes. Then Runa meets Chase Everwine, a wealthy, mysterious man who pursues Runa with a passion that sweeps her off her feet.Runa falls hard for Chase, in spite of Asta’s warnings that his family cannot be trusted. Secrets and puzzles follow in Chase’s wake, and when Runa sees his family’s estate, Everwine Manor, she feels drawn to it. She doesn’t understand why the house calls to her but is compelled to find out.What Runa doesn’t know is that she is part of a long line of women who are blessed with inexplicable gifts and drawn to the power of the sea. As Runa uncovers the astounding secrets of her family tree, she also comes to realize there is more to her husband than meets the eye.

The Crime Writer (I See You)


Gregg Andrew Hurwitz - 2007
    He was discovered holding a knife, her blood beneath his nails. He himself doesn’t know whether he’s guilty or innocent. To reconstruct the story, the writer must now become the protagonist, searching the corridors of his life and the city he loves. Soon Drew closes in on clues he may or may not have left for himself, and as another young woman is similarly murdered he has to ask difficult questions not of others but of himself. Beautifully crafted and heartbreakingly told, The Crime Writer confronts our inherent fear of what we might truly be capable of—good or evil. Like nothing he’s written before, The Crime Writer takes Hurwitz in an exciting new direction and is sure to reach a whole new audience.

The Trophy Wife


Diana Diamond - 2000
    She has devoted herself completely to her successful husband, Walter, on his climb to the top of the banking world, kept his home, raised his children, and entertained his clients. Now he is about to dump her for the younger, more beautiful Angela Hilliard, the perfect trophy for his life of conspicuous achievement.But suddenly Emily vanishes from her home amidst clear evidence of violence. The kidnapper - demanding an enormous ransom - is known only by his mysterious computerized voice. Is this Walter's sick plan to get rid of his wife without the scandal that might ruin his career? Is it his mistress's way of moving Emily aside? Or is it one of Walter's business rivals, determined to beat him in the race to the chairman's office? From her basement prison, Emily pleads with her husband to save her. But as her captors panic, she realizes that she will have to save herself. In a thriller that spans the financial towers of the world's money centers and the underworld markets of the Caribbean, Detective Andrew Hogan races against the ransom deadline to discover the identity of Emily's kidnapper. The ending to this novel of marriages, mistresses, and money is a shocker that serves as a warning to men who are reaching for that one final trophy.

Noah Wolf Box Set #1: Books 2-4


David Archer - 2018
    These factors, which others would consider to be handicaps, allow him to evaluate situation instantly, and from a purely logical standpoint. His decisions and actions are never tainted by emotion or feelings, which frees him from any risk of fear or guilt.When Team Camelot is handed an unusual mission to rescue the abducted daughter of a foreign president, Noah and the rest go into it with confidence, and are quickly successful. Back home, they are ready to celebrate, but something doesn't feel right. The mission was too easy, and there are indicators that someone may have discovered who they are and tracked them back to Neverland. Noah's house is entered while the team is away, and he is unable to shake the feeling that the mission was nothing but a ruse to expose E & E.It doesn't take long for him to decide that they must return to the field, their new mission to track down a Russian counterpart of their own Allison Peterson. Nicolaich Andropov has marked Noah for termination, so Noah decides to use himself as bait to draw the man into a trap. Unfortunately, Andropov is known as a ghost, a man whose appearance is unknown, able to move in absolute secrecy and remain several steps ahead of any who pursue him. When Noah fails to recognize this fact, Sarah becomes a hostage and pawn in a battle to the death.There's only one tiny chance to save her, but it will mean Noah must go unarmed and alone to meet his nemesis. The game is on, with his own life and Sarah's as the prize.

A Dangerous Man


Mike Ryan - 2017
    He got married, had two kids, even started his own business. But a deep, dark secret he's been hiding is about to shatter his world. Casey thought he was done with his past-but his past wasn't done with him. Everyone is about to find out, though--he's still a very dangerous man.

Mindless


R.W.K. Clark - 2018
    Step into the mind of a sociopath.Melvin discovers a past buried deep inside his memories that shouldn’t be revisited. His controlling mother is determined to not let him go, and she goes to extremes to not only save his life but maintain control of it. What she doesn’t understand is that her son is not the same good boy he used to be.Melvin finds himself harboring fantasies and psychotic thoughts that lead him down a terrible violent path, where he leaves a trail of victims behind him.Get ready to meet the most hideous menace ever in this spine-tingling serial killer psychological thriller.Author Commentary‘Mindless’ is my fourth psychological thriller and one that I am quite excited about. ‘Mindless’ is a tale that I geared directly at adults; this book is not for the young mind. The reason for going back to this genre was based around the response I got from my book ‘Passing Through,’ which seemed to garner a more extensive fan base and made me realize that perhaps fans wanted me to stick with Psychological thrillers. Personally, I was ready for such a change myself.I wrote the book with the full intention of disturbing the reader. That was the reason for Melvin Frink’s mental instability being as shaky as it was. This guy has been through so much in his life, so many terrible things. That even though he had made it to med school, he was walking a fine line in his mind.Why did I choose to write such a sexually disturbing and violent psycho-thriller? After so many that were so mild-mannered. Many reasons come to mind. For one, fans expressed a liking for my novels, ‘Passing Through,’ ‘Brother’s Keeper,’ and ‘Box Office Butcher’; all three are Psychological thrillers. I felt that it was time to indulge my love for thrillers while satisfying my fan base by giving them what they wanted. ‘Mindless,’ while much more disturbing in many ways than the others, was just what I think we all needed to bring us the satisfaction of reading a book that kept us turning pages only to find out what type of sickening behavior could occur on the next page. I think readers will be surprised, and I hope that they enjoy every last page of this suspense thriller.I have to admit that I was ready for something a bit more gritty, and I don’t think that I have it out of my system quite yet. I am longing to write more that causes my readers and me alike, to grind the teeth and wince while allowing the passages to wander through the mind. Deep inside, we carry our anger and our resentments, our pain, and our suppressed memories, but we can never be totally rid of them. I like to explore the sickness of the mind and where it can take an individual. As a matter of fact, that is precisely what Melvin Frink, with all of his education in neuropsychology, should have been petrified of the most, but he was not.I also understand that some will not like the book. That’s okay. As individuals, we must be true to what we prefer, and this will not be the book for everyone. I wrote it for my Psychological thriller fans. I should warn those who prefer more laid-back plotlines; if this type of thing is not your preference, you should avoid this.So, I offer you ‘Mindless,’ and it is my desire that you get from reading this book, what I got from writing it: The realization that insanity is just a step away from each and every one of us. With that in mind, tread lightly, and enjoy the food for thought that I am offering to feed you.

Romeo's Town (Mike Romeo Thrillers Book 6)


James Scott Bell - 2021
    

The Five Mouse Brothers


Rachel Yu - 2011
    But then...One brother, falsely accused of thievery, must face the "Wheel of Doom." What will they do to rescue him from his fate? Fortunately, an ingenious plan with the help of their family secret may just save the day. Join the mouse brothers on this fun and entertaining adventure, adapted from a classic Chinese folktale.If you enjoyed The Five Mouse Brothers, then check out The Five Mouse Sisters, now available.AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:Best-selling author Rachel, 16 years old, is a young high school student from California who spends her free time using her vivid imagination to write stories. She has an unquenchable passion for science fiction and fantasy. In fact, A Dragon Named Dragon, is inspired by one of her favorite books, Dark Lord of Derkhom, by Diana Wynne Jones. A Dragon Named Dragon children's picture book is Rachel's first endeavor to the literary world.Rachel was recently featured on MTV Geek.geek-news.mtv.com/2012/01/23/meet-the-sixt...3081 KB

A House of Ghosts: A Riveting Haunted House Mystery Boxset


Mason Dean - 2021
    Struggling with writer’s block and a tight deadline for his new novel, David Pragmore suggests a retreat away from Hartford to his wife, Susan, in order to find fresh inspiration. The publishers want David’s new book to shine in the horror genre, so when David reads about the odd manor with a haunted past, it seems like the perfect place to recapture his muse. But David and Susan quickly discover that some stories aren’t meant to be told.The Haunting of Saxton MansionAuthor Rob Hooper and his wife, Janet, are looking for a quiet place to live. The grandiose, isolated Victorian-style relic is everything they could want. A mysterious, widowed owner offers them a deal that can’t be passed up. But they quickly discover that some things are too good to be true.

Dead Souls MC: The Complete Collection


Savannah Rylan - 2020
    But can they handle the heat when it comes to the women who steal their hearts?Featuring...KnoxGraveBrewerRockDieselCageBearSaintRykerToxin

A Girl Apart


Russell Blake - 2017
    A mysterious phone call.A deadly international conspiracy.A brutal killer who'll stop at nothing to keep the sins of the past hidden.When investigative journalist Leah Mason returns home to El Paso with her career in flames and her romantic life in tatters, things seem like they can't get any worse.Leah soon discovers she couldn't be more wrong.Bludgeoned by life's body blows, her prospects change overnight when she sets out on the trail of a brutal killer who's terrorized a city for decades.Can she discover the truth before he claims another victim? Is the handsome stranger she finds herself drawn to hiding a secret that could cost Leah her life?If you love lightning-paced mysteries from Connoly, Archer, and Patterson, A Girl Apart is sure to be one you can't put down.Get it now!

Murder In Miami: A Forest Pines Mystery


Duncan Whitehead - 2017
    The FBI claim they need her expertise; but is she just the bait? Meanwhile, as the killings continue, Jenny finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving the board members of a run down condo building in Fort Lauderdale.

The Cuckoo Wood


M. Sean Coleman - 2018
     Samantha Jaynes took her life in the cold lake. Now Rosie Trimble has done the same. Both claimed they had seen an angel. And they're not the only ones. A spate of teenage suicides rattles the rural community of Kirkdale, in England's Lake District. Before they died, each of the girls talked about seeing an angel. Is this collective hallucination, or is something more sinister leading these young girls to their deaths? That’s a question for Dr Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective. Brought in to help the police, she finds a community rooted in fear and suspicion, bound by their strange faith, unwilling to help, unable to forgive. Because the people of Kirkdale have buried their dark past once, and they’re not about to let Ripley dig it up again. The Cuckoo Wood is the first Alex Ripley Mystery

Stray Dogs


John Ridley - 1997
    I don't know what it is, but it works that way for man and animal alike. I've seen some peculiar things on a hot day too. I've seen a scorpion sting itself to death. It just keeps drivin' its tail into its body again and again. A little killer killing itself. And what a man'll do on a hot day. A man could get his self killed just for rubbing shoulders with another. . . ."A loner, a drifter, a gambler--John Stewart asks little of life. But when his '64 Mustang busts a radiator hose in the middle of the empty Nevada desert, he prays to God, Buddha, L. Ron. And rolls into the tiny town of Sierra. Where he finds . . . nothing. A gas station whose former owner is lying low in the cemetery. A strip of barren, dust-blown store fronts. A truck stop cafe with more flies than customers.Stewart wants out. Sucker-punched in a rigged poker game, he's got to get to Vegas to settle a debt. Or else.Then in walks Grace, a seductive knockout who can read fortunes in faces. In the next twenty-four hours, Stewart becomes ensnared in a web of dirty double-crosses, cold propositions, and desperate souls--deadly ground where murder is just one gasp away.A stunning, fast-paced novel, Stray Dogs unfolds with unrelenting tension, memorable characters, and shocking twists of plot. John Ridley has created a hypnotic story that is pure noir, from its first page until its shattering climax.From the Hardcover edition.

Southern Heat


David Burnsworth - 2014
    Brack Pelton, an ex-racecar driver and Afghanistan War veteran, witnesses the murder of his uncle, Reggie Sails. Darcy Wells, the pretty Palmetto Pulse reporter, investigates Reggie's murder and targets Brack.The sole heir of his uncle's estate, Brack receives a rundown bar called the Pirate's Cove, a rotting beach house, and one hundred acres of preserved and valuable wetland along the Ashley River. A member of Charleston's wealthiest and oldest families offers Brack four million dollars for the land. All Brack wants is his uncle's killer.From the sandy beaches of Isle of Palms, through the nineteenth-century mansions lining the historic Battery, to the marshlands surrounding the county, Southern Heat is drenched in the humidity of the lowcountry.