Book picks similar to
Ivory Tower Cop by George Kirkham
thriller
first-reads
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mystery
The Starlight Club
Joe Corso - 2011
"They looked like mob guys. They had that arrogance exuded by those who liked to intimidate - those who were the proud purveyors of fear." Amidst the nightly gaiety was the back room, where business deals were made, hits were ordered, and territories were divided. Trenchie, not being a "rat" is just released from his ten-year prison sentence. A new life is waiting - complete with envelopes of money and a steak house to call his own. He finds the woman of his dreams who brings along ex-husband baggage. Hit man Jimmy The Hat finds unexpected fame and fortune in Hollywood, yet always stays true to the "boys", especially Trenchie. His loyalty costs him his life. "Crazy Joey Gallo" and his brothers break away from the Profaci family and go "rogue, on their own now. They split their gang into several small groups and spread them out over the five boroughs." Harsh punishment awaits those who talk. "The colt 45 caliber bullet did its deed, taking with it a sizable portion of Rag's brain, forming a pink mist, mixed with bone and grey matter that puffed in front of Rag's head like a small mushroom, deflating when it met the chilly evening air. The current would soon carry his body at least a mile away."
Words in the Dark
Giulia Beyman - 2010
As she searches for answers, she is tormented by grief and doubt—until she starts receiving mysterious and inexplicable messages in Scrabble letters, messages that Nora believes could have been written only by Joe.Using a strength she didn’t know she had, Nora follows these strange clues to discover the truth about Joe and their life together—and navigates the danger inherent in her new, special gift.
Dark Homecoming
William Patterson - 2016
Their honeymoon was idyllic and Liz is blissfully happy—at first. But she feels increasingly uneasy in her lavish new home. Huntington House and its staff still seem to be in the thrall of David’s first wife. In fact, the housekeeper, Mrs. Hoffman, has made it clear that Liz can never measure up to the stunning, sophisticated, deceased, Dominique. Though Dominique drowned in a yachting accident, Liz still senses her spirit in the house. She hears unexplained noises…sees shadowy figures vanishing down the long corridors. The scent of Dominique’s favorite flowers fills the air. But Liz’s fears are more than insecurity. Two young women connected to Huntington House have already met terrible deaths. More will die—and soon. Because behind the house’s polished façade is an unimaginable secret and a love turned to twisted, unnatural obsession…Praise for William Patterson’s The Inn "The Conjuring meets The Shining in William Patterson's deliciously creepy thriller. Fast-paced, horror-filled, clever and impossible-to-predict, this heart-pounding tale will leave you breathless." --Kevin O’Brien, New York Times bestselling author
When David Died: A True Story
John Locke - 2016
Now, engaged to Michael Thorne, she finally gets her wish: Michael’s parents (David and Alison), and his sister (Jessie) have fallen in love with her. But when David suddenly hangs himself, police detectives focus on Nicki. Yes, she was with Michael when the hanging took place. Yes, they were 70 miles away. Nevertheless, Detectives Broadus and Rudd are convinced she’s somehow responsible. As the evidence against her mounts, Nicki is determined to maintain her relationship with the family. And she’ll do so, by any means necessary. PRELIMINARY COMMENTS: I cringed. I gasped. My eyes bugged out of my head. I kept saying, “No. He. Did. Not. Go. There!” But of course he did. It’s John Locke, after all. In other words, I loved it! Locke’s books are the fastest reads on Amazon, and this one is no different. It’s vicious, brutal…(and) deliciously unsettling. While a departure from the author’s norm—if you can call anything he writes normal—his typical page-turning elements are on full display. I couldn’t put the damn thing down!
Nothing Good Happens at ... the Baby Hospital: The Strange, Silly World of Pediatric Brain Surgery
Daniel Fulkerson - 2016
But after falling backwards into the specialty, Dr. Fulkerson found neurosurgery to be a field filled with joy, sadness, a little humor, and courageous and inspiring patients.In an honest and compelling retelling of his long and winding road to train and then practice as a pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Fulkerson guides others through his journey from medical school to service on a small military base, through residency training, and finally, to a practice in a highly specialized children's hospital. The journey reveals the dramatic swings of emotions experienced by both patients and doctors in an increasingly hostile medical environment. Dr. Fulkerson also shares stories of dedicated professors who train medical students and resident surgeons to care for the tiniest neurosurgical patients.Nothing Good Happens at ... The Baby Hospital offers a compelling glimpse into the joys, tragedies, and hopeful moments that surround the highly specialized and sometimes silly world of pediatric neurosurgery.
The Organ Takers (The McBride Trilogy #1)
Richard Van Anderson - 2014
Down but not out, he perseveres and is given a second chance to establish a career in surgery. But, as McBride stands on the threshold of a new life, the malignant underside of his fellow man intervenes. Under the threat of violence, David is forced to perform illegal organ harvests in a makeshift operating room hidden in a dilapidated meatpacking warehouse in lower Manhattan. Unable to resolve the excruciating moral dilemma faced each time he invades the body of an unwilling victim, David McBride fights to free himself from the situation and in the process, loses everything. When he finally loses the last shred of his humanity, he seeks revenge with surgical precision ... and instrumentation.
Die Again Tomorrow
Kira Peikoff - 2015
But when she unwittingly gives an unscrupulous mogul a chance to profit from her murder, she becomes the target of a terrifying killer who makes nature seem tame by comparison.At first left for dead, she is rescued by a medical research team that operates outside the law. She awakens to find she's the living proof of a breakthrough that can change the world. Some people would pay any price to control it. Others would simply steal the secret--even if it costs Isabel's life. As powerful rivals pursue her, Isabel must risk everything to protect those she loves--or die again tomorrow.“Die Again Tomorrow held me captive me from the opening chapter—in which a murdered woman is subjected to a secret medical procedure that brings her back to life. From there the story takes off like a rocket, full of surprises, fascinating science, and vivid characters. If you enjoy the medical thrillers of Crichton and Cook, this book is for you. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”—Douglas Preston
The Trail
Ray K. Anderson - 2015
When the police start to catch up with Leroux, he panics and decides to escape to Canada on the Appalachian Trail, where thru-hikers use trail names and travel anonymously. Leroux, who is overweight and unhealthy, struggles at first on the trail but begins to relax as he gets stronger and can utilize the physical changes he gains from his intense hiking as a disguise. His urge to kill, however, is invigorated by the nearness of female hikers, and his intention to stay away from them on his trip begins to weaken. His life is further complicated when Desert Storm veteran Karl Bergman, who is also trying to escape his own failure, becomes suspicious of Leroux and begins to pay careful attention to his every move. Leroux becomes increasingly panicked as he realizes that both Bergman and the police are close on his tail as he races to the border hoping to find a haven with his Canadian family. In this cat-and-mouse thriller, Ray Anderson dives inside two men’s minds as they struggle to fight their identities and confront their fears and internal turmoil.
East of England
Eamonn Martin Griffin - 2019
He's got a choice. Stay or leave. Go back to where it all went wrong, or simply get out of the county. Disappear. Start again as someone else.But it's not as simple as that.There's the matter of the man he killed. It wasn't murder, but even so. You tell that to the family. Especially when that family is the Mintons, who own half that's profitable and two-thirds of what's crooked between the Wolds and the coast. And who could have got to Matlock as easy as you like in prison, but who haven't touched him. Not yet.And like Matlock found out in prison, there's no getting away from yourself, so what would the point be in not facing up to other people?It's time to go home.East of England blends a rural take on the noir thriller with a fascination with the British industrialised countryside that lies east of the Wolds, between the Humber and the Wash. Unlit byways rather than the neon-bright and rain-slicked city. A world of caravan parks, slot machines, and low-rise battery farms.The flatlands of the east coast; decaying market towns and run-down resorts, and the distant throb of offshore windfarms. Where the smell you're trying to get out of your clothes is the cigarette taint of old phone boxes and bus shelters, and where redemption, like life, is either hard-earned or fought for, one way or another.
No Justice
J.K. Ellem - 2017
He’s not looking for trouble. He just wants to be left alone but trouble always has a way of finding him. Martha’s End is a good town, filled with bad people, and Shaw soon finds himself caught between two feuding families, the McAlister’s and the Morgan’s, whose bitter rivalry dates back generations. But dark and sinister things are happening on the Morgan ranch. Women have gone missing, the local police turn a blind eye, and Jim Morgan, the rich and powerful family patriarch rules the town with his three brutal sons. And then there is Daisy McAlister, the last of the McAlister family blood-line. Since her father died she has single-handedly run the family ranch and the Morgan’s will stop at nothing to get their hands on her land. But Ben Shaw has a unique skills-set and a mysterious past that could tip the balance in her favor. There is no justice in this town. But justice is coming… No Justice is a standalone adult thriller that you won’t be able to put down. A secluded ranch with dark secrets. Best friends with bitter memories. A small town run by a family of bullies. And a new face in town who lands right in the middle of it all. It's a stand alone adult thriller BUT be warned: It has content for mature readers only. Read what others are saying about NO JUSTICE: “The story was fantastic. I loved the beginning. It drew me right in. I love the main character. He is the type I dream about. He is laid baçk, but won't back down when backed in a corner. Even after finishing the book I still picture him in my mind. I like a strong woman lead character. Daisy is that type. She won't back down. She is making it in a man's world. She is strong yet still shows her woman’s side. She knows her limits. She doesn't get clingy with Shaw. She knows what it is between them. Both are believable characters. The Morgan boys you hit dead on. You got me hating them from the start. I mean I was getting angry just reading about them. The storyline was great. I couldn't put it down once I started. It held my interest throughout the whole book. I loved the ending. I hope there are more coming.” Julie Blumke “Just finished your book and it caught me from the first sentence till the last. My favorite type of book deals with mercenaries, and vigilantes which your book touches on. It keeps you on edge as each page is turned. It holds interest throughout the book. I would not change anything. This book will be a big hit. Full of so much action. I didn't want it to end. Should you decide to continue the story of Ben that would be much welcome. I love who Ben really is was never revealed. Kept him a mystery. I can see many more stories following this one featuring Ben. Thank you for such a great book.” Bernie A Harrison
Diamond Reef
Douglas Pratt - 2020
Chase Gordon has the life.The former Marine works part-time as a bartender to support his life island-hopping on his 40-foot sailboat.When the pretty young wife of one of his fellow Marines shows up looking for her husband, Chase steps in to help her out.Immediately, he finds himself in a stand-off between one of South Florida's most dangerous drug dealers and the D.E.A.Now, he's left wondering what kind of trouble his friend might be facing.Can Chase even save him?Filled with action and adventure, Chase Gordon is the next Travis McGee.
Avenged
Daniel Judson - 2013
Betrayed in an attempt to secure proof of the crime, she finds herself alone in an unfamiliar city—mysterious Old Montreal—her prey now the predator, and only five days left to finish the job for which she has sacrificed so much.Already pushed to the limits of her considerable resources, Elena must suddenly recalibrate her mission when her estranged half-brother Miles enters the picture, desperately in need of her protection. But keeping Miles alive may cost Elena her one shot at settling the score. Unless…Elena is quick and Elena is clever, but to honor her father as well as avenge him, she’ll have to do the impossible.This book was initially released in episodes as a Kindle Serial. All episodes are now available for immediate download as a complete book.
The Perfect 10: A Palm Beach Murder Mystery
Eric O'Keefe - 2020
IT’S A BLOOD SPORT IN THE PERFECT 10.The final of the US Open is just days away, and Juancito Harrington, the world’s best polo player, is found dead in a posh Palm Beach hotel suite.The good news is that Palm Beach P.D. quickly identifies the trophy wife of Juancito’s team owner as the primary suspect. The bad news is that everyone in polo knows that Kelly Dick doesn’t murder her lovers. She recycles them.Only one man can crack the case: Rick Hunt, a West Point graduate currently assigned to the White House. Hunt is no detective, but he’s a lifelong polo player who needs no introduction to the world’s top pros. Or his ex-fiancée. Or her new boyfriend, an old teammate with a score to settle.
Lawyers Gone Bad
Vincent L. Scarsella - 2014
In this case they’re investigating the local District Attorney, who may have committed the ultimate ethical wrong - murder.Novelist Vincent Scarsella draws on his over 18 years of real life experience as head of the Eighth Judicial District Grievance Committee in Buffalo, New York to craft a gripping, suspenseful novel about lawyers gone bad.But the story is more than a crime novel. It concerns friendship, loss, unrequited love, and ultimately, justice. It seeks to answer the question, does what goes around, come around?
Admit to Mayhem
D.J. Adamson - 2014
We prefer the charade that we are in control. Lillian Dove, however, is constantly reminded she has very little control over her life and only has the ability to move to the choices that come her way. The Lillian Dove Series is a journey in recovery. While Lillian is a recovering alcoholic, like many who struggle with addictions come to understand, stopping drinking does not mean life returns to normal. However, as this series begins, Lillian does realize she has compulsions and addictions to many things, not just Absolut. How we handle dependency and denial is what allows for choice. In Admit to Mayhem, Lillian needs to admit her life has become unraveled again when she becomes an eyewitness to arson. Probing into a cold case of arson sixty years ago and the arson she witnessed at the beginning of this novel helps her admit to some of her own life’s challenges and successes. Admit to Mayhem, offering comedic dysfunction, is not only a suspenseful mystery but an important step for Lillian’s self-identity--and possibly for the reader’s.Admit: I admit that my life has become unmanageable.