Book picks similar to
Ocean Floors From the Tales of Dan Coast (Dan Coast, #2) by Rodney Riesel


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mystery-thriller-suspense
beach-mysteries
crime-fiction

Key West Normal (Bric Wahl Series book 3): The Whole Ball of Whacks (The Bric Wahl Series)


Wayne Gales - 2016
    After a faked drowning and new names, courtesy of the Witness Protection Program, they can travel all over the world and live the life of the rich and famous, but all they really want to do is go home. They know as long as they stay far from Key West they will be safe.Or will they? This third novel in the “Bric Wahl” series takes Bric and Karen on an amazing voyage, first by motor home across the US and then on a sixty one foot sailing yacht, visiting ports in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Pacific Ocean before they set sail for Key West. They feel safe traveling under their new identities and enjoy their surroundings, believing the people who want to harm them are far away.Or are they?Resigned to leaving Key West forever, they both wonder if all the wealth is worth the loss. After all, the only thing they really wanted was a slice of Key West Normal, and now they have to hide for the rest of their lives.Or do they?Bric and Karen hatch a plan that will let them sneak back to the keys under disguise, but after they return, Bric discovers some disturbing activities in Key West. He takes action, knowing that it may very well end his relationship with the love of his life.

The Key West Caper


L. Lee Watkins - 2014
    I grew up in Small Town, Tennessee, joined the Army after graduation, now live in North Miami, tend bar for a living, and the right girl has not come along yet. Sounds dull, so most people lose interest. That is just fine with me, because the rest of the truth isn’t the least bit dull. My name is Dallas Kincade, and I have this guy living with me, well, more like coexisting with me. He is really an alter ego that camps out back in the recesses of my mind and lives for one purpose, that purpose being to come out and give me a hand when I get in a spot of trouble. That doesn’t sound too bad, except that the other Dallas has a single-minded tire-iron kind of mentality, thinks that every problem can be solved by committing mayhem on everyone in reach. Needless to say I try to keep my Demon in check. The best way to do that is to live a peaceful and uncomplicated life, one that keeps me as far away from trouble as I can get. Unfortunately, fate considers peaceful and uncomplicated to be its mortal enemy, so it lobs trouble my way every chance it gets. And somehow there always seems to be a good looking woman involved. In this case, the woman’s name is DeeDee Malone. We met at a party a few months ago, talked a while, became party-induced friends, and then we parted with the assumption that our paths would never cross again. But fate has other plans for Dallas Kincade and DeeDee Malone. It all started when I received a note from an old friend, Stanley Morrissey, who seemed to be in a spot of legal trouble down in Key West. Although I would rather pet a rabid skunk than get messed up in one of Stanley's capers, I felt obligated to go see what was going on. Turned out Stanley was charged with murdering a shipmate and two passengers on a charter boat out of Key West, but a high placed cop in the Key West PD was convinced that Stanley had been set up. To prove his theory, the cop needed someone to snoop around the water world of Key West to see what could be stirred up, and that someone was me. My cover was a 32 foot sailboat that had been confiscated from a drug suspect, and it would be all mine if my little team could find the real killers. So I ended up in an unlikely alliance with Bunning, the cop, DeeDee Malone the gal from the party, a hillbilly iceman named Bobby Ray Lewis, and a cathouse madam names Marilou Zirkle. To say this was an unusual group of characters would be an understatement, but we got the job done.

Tampa Bait


Edgar Winner - 2012
    Because if you do, you may find out what happens when a former cop with a gun and nothing to lose decides to push back

Subtropical High


Gregory S. Dew - 2014
    With a street value over eight million dollars, the grungy duo sets up a buyer then rumbles through Florida in their 1973 El Camino to unload the square grouper and end their financial woes. Unfortunately, in their efforts to make the rendezvous, they become unexpectedly entangled with a host of unsavory characters, including an expatriate haunted by his single testicle, a destitute real estate developer with a penchant for GMILFs, a toupee-wearing pederast, Florida’s first closet-gay Governor, and a game warden turned eco-maniac, all of whom must be dealt with as a Category 5 hurricane, Cyclone Tyrone, spins ashore.

The jagged line (Harry Briscombe, #2)


Carolyn Mahony - 2017
    Then she hears that her father has been seriously injured in an accident. Forced to come home and face her demons – and her ex-fiancé – she soon begins to suspect there is more to her father’s accident than meets the eye. Driven by the need to make amends, she resolves to unravel the truth – but the deeper she digs, the more her own life becomes embroiled in the dangerous forces she is unleashing. Things start to spiral out of control until her very survival is under threat. Can she even trust the ones she loves? DS Harry Briscombe is facing a personal dilemma that threatens his career. Already investigating a local murder, Dominic Cartwright’s accident raises the possibility that the two cases could be linked. Between the two of them, Harry and Kirsty get caught up in a trail that is increasingly perilous. It’s becoming a race against time … and time is running out. – If you love Clare Mackintosh and Rachel Abbott, you'll love this book Questions to the Author How did the plot idea come to you? – In drabs and drabs – it was very irritating! I started off with just an idea in my head of a character meeting up with her estranged father because of some secret he was going to tell her, but I didn't know what that secret was. I wrote that whole scene and a couple of others before I ditched it. The current theme (no spoilers) was as a result of a real case that I heard on the radio and I just thought how easily every day people can get caught up in that sort of thing, tempted by the money. The various sub-plots along the way are themes that interest me – and I think everyone has views on them one way or another. The title The Jagged Line is more about the fine line we draw between truth and the stretching of it; between morality and immorality … and how easy it is to cross those lines. So ... Harry’s got a new side-kick in Beth. Will you continue their stories on? Definitely! Beth has a very interesting back-story to develop, which was hinted at in The Jagged Line. It will come into its own in my new novel (yet to be named!). We already know that she comes from a tough background but even she will be surprised at what comes out! And now for the Big question … when will your 4th novel be published? – That really is the big question! I’ve literally only just started it, so it’s a question of how quickly I can get it done. At the moment I’m struggling with the finer details of the plot, which is slowing things up a bit, but I’m sure I’ll get it sorted and I’m hoping that it will be out in the next 6-9 months. If people would like to be among the first to receive early notification of when it will be published, they can sign up to my website here: www.carolynmahony.com to be notified of its release date. Categories for The Jagged Line Include Mystery & Crime books Psychological Suspense books Psychological drama books British Detective Series Mystery and Suspense books Women's Grit-Lit

Zero Duval


Elizabeth Hilleren - 2013
    Dead women can't talk. But to vacationing Professor of Forensic Psychology Rex Jamison, it’s just a matter of figuring out how the dead are going to tell you what they want you to know. Newly promoted to Detective, David Sharkey entices Rex to team up with him to solve his first murder case. Secrets, lies, jealously, and greed will soon take center stage and everyone becomes a suspect. When another victim appears, the town’s people are sent into a tail spin and the summer heat is turned up on Sharkey and Rex to end the terror now.

Chickens


Laurence Shames - 2014
    This is a little story about a fateful confrontation of a very feisty rooster vs. Bert the Shirt and his chihuahua. Which side will back down? Who will come away with the neighborhood crowing rights? Who's the chicken, after all?

False Justice


Diane Capri - 2017
    Her career as a broadcast journalist is on fire, she finally found a good man to come home to, and her new Manhattan apartment is the stuff of dreams. When a stranger sends her a chilling but cryptic email about a newly nominated Judge in her hometown, she knows she should ignore it. Secret sources armed with conspiracy theories were nothing but trouble. Still, she can’t seem to shake the feeling that there’s something amiss about Judge Aaron Michaels. Driven by an insatiable quest for truth and a desire to do the right thing, she heads back to Tampa and comes face-to-face with a killer.

Bean Counter


T.A. Clark - 2016
     When the head of Nick Rohmer’s Miami accounting firm is found dead after a suspicious accident, Nick finds his quiet, comfortable, boring life slipping out of his control. With most of the firm’s management either on vacation, sick, or dead, Nick is thrust into the unfamiliar position of actually having some responsibility. The weight does not sit easily on his shoulders. He’s relieved when the instructions from the Chicago head office are – don’t do anything until we get there. This he can do. He tries to stick to his ‘do nothing’ instructions even as the firm’s largest client threatens to jump ship. But Nick’s plan of inaction is short-lived when he is convinced to try to save the business. He secures an invitation to dinner on the private island of the mega-wealthy, and highly dysfunctional, Keene family. Things quickly go from bad to disastrous when another dead body shows up, and Nick finds he's the prime suspect. As he gets sucked into the mystery, Nick’s focus quickly changes from trying to save the business to trying to save his skin.

Poop, Booze, and Bikinis


Ed Robinson - 2014
    Now he’s back with this hilarious look at the nautical lifestyle. From Poop to Booze to Bikinis, he covers the funnier side of the issues encountered by boaters all of types. With chapters like Signs You Live on a Boat, Stupid People on Rental Equipment, and Zombies Can’t Swim, you’ll find plenty of laughs. There’s even a chapter for Tim Dorsey fans. If you are a liveaboard, cruiser, weekender, wannabe boater, have boating friends, or are just a fan of Ed Robinson’s wit, you will enjoy this light hearted romp through many maritime topics.

Dead Water


Matt Brolly - 2019
    Fast paced, full of twisty goodness, a well-drawn and intriguing main protagonist and a well-constructed and horrifically addictive storyline.’ Liz Loves Books ‘I was Dead Impressed with the fast paced plot; Dead Curious about who 'The Watcher' was; Dead Impressed the author managed to fool me; Dead Surprised when the killer was revealed and felt the ending was… well… Dead Perfect!’ Noelle Holten, bestselling author of Dead Inside‘Fantastic stuff. A must read for any lovers of crime. Matt Brolly has a cracking series on his hands.’ NorthernCrime'An action-filled, totally gripping, page turner!' Carol Wyer, author of Little Girl Lost

Bonefish Blues


Steven Becker - 2014
    When a fly fishing guide discovers his favorite spot is in jeopardy and the secret it holds. Together with the son of his nemesis and a reluctant local woman, he sets out to save the Key.

Island Intrigue (Mango Bay Mysteries)


Marty Ambrose - 2009
    Between boring town hall meetings and tedious elementary school events, the island seems to be settling into a deep freeze. But when a local boy disappears, Mallie swings into investigative mode much to the dismay of sexy island cop Nick Billie. To complicate matters, the newspaper’s pseudo-psychic becomes Mallie’s unwitting sidekick, offering unwanted advice from the astral world. When the boy’s father turns up dead, Mallie unfortunately finds herself once again tracking down a killer. As Detective Billie’s reserve finally begins to melt, Mallie starts to wonder if the murderer will put her on ice as well.

Already Gone (A Detective McDaniel Thriller Book 4)


Axel Blackwell - 2021
    It's a tense arrangement not helped by Jayda’s drug use and her new boyfriend’s frequent visits. One Friday night, an argument turns physical and the tensions boil over into bloodshed.The following morning, a neighbor finds the front door ajar, the house trashed, and a puddle of blood soaking into the bedroom carpet. Detective Darren McDaniel and his partner, Brent Vanderwyk, quickly determine it’s a case of domestic violence turned deadly. But both Levi and Jayda are missing – as is the little girl.As the detectives plunge into the hunt for a suspect, a body and a missing toddler, the case becomes increasingly bizarre. The couple have ties to money laundering, drug trafficking, organized crime, and even darker secrets. As much as Levi and Jayda hated each other, plenty of other people had reason to want either or both of them dead.With their suspect list steadily growing, and the missing toddler’s time slipping away, McDaniel and Vanderwyk race against the clock, piecing the puzzle together, hoping to save little Cami before her time runs out.

The Sheriff


Charles Hirsch - 2017
    He can't figure out why the thought is there, why he's thinking that way, after all he's only sixty years old and in good shape. A series of weird crimes confront him, challenging him at a time he feels most vulnerable. Eventually, assisted by a reliable deputy and a young, heavily-tattooed, former drug-running woman, the mysteries deepen. The clues are few and far between, the violence vicious and seemingly unwarranted. Eventually things slip out of control, until a small, seemingly unimportant detail surfaces that brings into focus what might be happening. Filled with exciting action, great dialogue and a very real sense of place, this book offers much for the mystery and action lover. And, at only 213 pages, it's a fast, exciting read, a "two-nighter," or perfect for a vacation read.