Book picks similar to
Back of the Bayou by Dawn Lee McKenna
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fiction
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novella
Secrets and Ink
Lou Harper - 2013
In LA's glittering world of dreams, he works an unglamorous job at a gourmet grocery store. His past is so deep and dark, the details are lost even to him. All he knows is he was once cursed by a meter maid, and ever since, his love life has sucked.When Detective Nick Davies becomes a regular at the store, Jem dares to hope he's un-hexed at last. He should have known that sex with a remarkably normal guy, devoid of weird fetishes and fatal personality flaws, was too good to be true.During a post-encounter cuddle, Nick recognizes the tattoo on Jem's back—and remembers him as a young hustler he arrested nine years past.As Jem's memories come crashing back, he flees from Nick, but fate contrives to keep pushing them back together. And when Jem's old partner in crime is found murdered, the stakes are raised for life, for love, and a dangerous drama with no guarantee of a Hollywood ending.Warning: Stars a mild-mannered store clerk with a shady past, a hunky cop whose passion in the bedroom is as big as his passion for justice, and celebrity sightings you won't see on TMZ.
Hannah-Beast
Jennifer McMahon - 2018
The mean girls made sure of it. To this day, for a haunted local mother, the most unsettling Halloween costume of all is an urban legend they call Hannah-Beast. It’s a reminder of the past she can’t forget. Especially tonight when it’s come back, so close to home.Jennifer McMahon’s Hannah-Beast is part of Dark Corners, a collection of seven heart-stopping short stories by bestselling authors who give you so many new reasons to be afraid. Each story can be read in a single sitting. Or, if you have the nerve, you can listen all by yourself in the dark.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton: The 2nd Epilogue
Julia Quinn - 2007
Hey, we never said it was easy to marry a Bridgerton, just that it was fun.
Drowning
Briar Lane - 2018
Ran away from my crazy religious parents, ran away from the judgment, and ran away from what I couldn't accept about myself. And all of that wouldn't be so bad... if I hadn't also run away from my best friend. But now I'm forced by circumstance to come back. And I'm terrified. Because I made a lot of mistakes in leaving, some of the worst mistakes of my life. I don't know if I've grown up enough to face them. I don't know if I can face Amy. Or, even worse, if she doesn't forgive me... I don't know if I can survive walking away again.
Nobody has ever made me feel as good and as bad as she does.
I've never been as close to anyone as I was to Jessica. But she just left when I was at my most vulnerable. She did worse than that, in fact. There are things I don't know if I can forgive, things I never planned to forgive. And then she just waltzes back into my life unexpectedly I'm supposed to just forgive her? What if I don't want to forgive her? But that's the problem, I do want to forgive her. I want to have her as my best friend again... and so much more. But I'm terrified of what is going to happen if I allow myself to love her again.
This is a standalone lesbian romance novel with HEA ending!
Cherringham - Episode 31-33
Matthew Costello - 2020
Sarah's a Web designer who's moved back to the village find herself. But their lives are anything but quiet as the two team up to solve Cherringham's criminal mysteries. This compilation contains episodes 31 - 33.TRAIL OF LIESLast year at Cherringham High, and for three girls that means facing the School Summer Challenge, a grueling fifty-mile hike across the Cotswolds, through thick woods, over steep hills, camping each night under the stars. But when one of them disappears in the middle of the night and is found dead in the morning, most believe a terrible accident has taken place. Was it really an accident? Jack and Sarah aren't convinced - and soon discover that secrets and lies can have terrible consequences ... and always leave a trail ...DEATH TRAPWhen Edward Townes - famed writer of novels about knights and maids, and castles and conquering - attends a medieval launch party for his latest book, he arrives ready to do more than celebrate. But party night brings a blizzard, a once-in-a-century storm that sees Townes staggering home, alone ... only to be found dead the next day. With Cherringham cut-off and the blizzard still raging, Jack and Sarah start investigating. Their questions reveal that many of those still stranded in the dark village have secrets. And Townes' killer is still in the village ...CLIFFHANGERWhen a hiker falls from a cliff edge while walking the Cotswolds Way, it seems like no accident. The more Jack and Sarah investigate the walkers on the trail that day, the more likely it seems that danger is still afoot. Is there a potential killer in this Cherringham tour group? And when will he or she strike again?
The Single Staircase
Matt Ingwalson - 2013
Did her parents kill their only child and hide the body? What other solution could there be?This is a modern police procedural. It's also a classical locked-room mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the end.All profits from the sale of this novella will be donated to charities that help find missing children.
No Honor Among Thieves
J.A. Jance - 2015
Jance’s popular series sleuths, join forces to solve a terrifying crime in this exclusive enovella that has everything you want in a thriller—page-turning action, breathtaking twists and turns, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and…Legos.“A semi’s gone over the embankment.” The call wakes Sheriff Joanna Brady in the middle of the night, but what brings her fully alert is the rest of the story. The driver didn’t drift off to sleep and cross the center line—he was shot, multiple times, by someone with serious firepower. And when the truck crashed through the guardrail, its payload wound up scattered all over the road—boxes upon boxes of Legos.Legos that are being tracked by B. Simpson’s security firm to reduce black market sales—and Ali Reynolds is just the woman to get to the bottom of the crime. She has the tech and the intel to follow the money (or, in this case, the Legos), which makes her a valuable asset to Joanna’s team. Soon these two strong women realize that they’re not just sharing a case, they’re kindred spirits—which is paramount, because the killer they’re up against is anything but child’s play.__________Unabridged, 1 audiobook sound file, 2 hours 32 minutes 47 seconds
Sunshine Hunter
Maddie Cochere - 2012
Often, she is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and things go downhill quickly. All of the books cross genres of chick lit, mystery, romance, humor, and action, bringing you a fast-paced, easy-breezy read.Working in a weight-loss center by day and a racquetball club by night, Susan Hunter enjoys her life, the sport, and her friends. ... Sunshine Hunter opens with Susan finding out her new boyfriend of three months is married. To escape the drama, she accepts an offer from her best friend to tag along for a week in Florida. Here the mystery begins, and Susan believes she and her friend are being stalked. She also learns of a murder back home in Ohio and soon finds out she's wanted for questioning. The story takes an adventurous turn when she ends up in the Gulf of Mexico. ... Humorous, sometimes ominous, Sunshine Hunter is quirky and fun! Approx. 52,000 words.
The Body Reader
Anne Frasier - 2016
Held in an underground cell, her only contact was with her sadistic captor, and reading his face was her entire existence. Learning his every line, every movement, and every flicker of thought is what kept her alive.After her experience with isolation and torture, she is left with a fierce desire for justice—and a heightened ability to interpret the body language of both the living and the dead. Despite colleagues’ doubts about her mental state, she resumes her role at Homicide. Her new partner, Detective Uriah Ashby, doesn’t trust her sanity, and he has a story of his own he’d rather keep hidden. But a killer is on the loose, murdering young women, so the detectives have no choice: they must work together to catch the madman before he strikes again. And no one knows madmen like Jude Fontaine.
The One Night
Meghan Quinn - 2021
At first, he’s skeptical. How could a gritty dive bar possibly solve his problems? But then he runs into Nora McHale.Nora isn’t at the bar looking for love. She’s there to unwind after yet another exhausting day at her bakery. And even if she were hoping to meet someone, it sure wouldn’t be Cooper—her best friend’s ex-husband.According to the unwritten rules of romance, Cooper and Nora are completely off limits to each other. But after a fun, flirty night at the bar, they can’t ignore the wild attraction between them.Is this the beginning of something real, or will their passionate night together be their one and only?
The 4th Man
Lisa Gardner - 2016
With no physical evidence, no signs of sexual assault, and no witnesses, all the police have to go on are the three men who were in the library with her: her boyfriend and two campus security guards . . . all of whom have secrets, none of whom can be proven guilty.Five years later, ex-FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his wife, former police officer Rainie Conner, agree to consult on the still-unsolved case, delving into deep background to comb for any clue that will lead to the woman's murderer. But with no leads and the case colder than the body, will they be able to build a case against one of the three suspects, or is there a fourth man out there? And if the killer has eluded the police this long, how far will he go to ensure justice is never served? With Gardner's singular ability to delve into the minds of criminals and law enforcement alike, The 4th Man is a shocking look at the reasons for taking a life . . . and just how far profilers need to go to learn them. It also includes an early look at Gardner's next chilling thriller, Right Behind You, coming February 7, 2017.
Java Frost
Courtney Hunt - 2016
He spends all his time in his lab, searching for a cure, and avoiding contact with people. Growing up as a child prodigy, he’s never been good with relationships, but now he’s suddenly responsible for his young daughter, Livvy. At a loss for how to relate to the solemn, quiet child, he knows he needs help fast.At just turned thirty, preschool teacher Amy Lane wants to travel over her summer break. Though she’s up for any adventure, she needs a part-time job to fund her wanderlust. Unfortunately, part-time jobs are scarce in the quaint and charming town of Ashford Falls.When Ben observes Livvy interacting so easily with her teacher during a chance encounter at the coffeeshop, he hires Miss Amy on the spot to teach him how to have fun with his daughter. But when he becomes smitten with the lively teacher who brightens the gray January days, will he learn how to have fun and fall in love all at the same time? Java Frost is the first book in the heartwarming Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, featuring an entire year of couples finding their happily-ever-afters in the quaint and adorable small town of Ashford Falls, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you enjoyed Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, or Hart of Dixie, you’ll love Courtney Hunt’s charming Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, filled to the brim with warmth, humor, and a dash of the unexpected.Step into Cupid’s Coffeeshop where happily ever afters are served daily. Treat yourself to Java Frost today!Publisher's Note: Java Frost is a romance novella (approximately 67 pages) and contains some mature content. Recommended for readers over 18.
Special Delivery
Lia Fairchild - 2011
Flowers had always been a big part of her life. But delivery driver Dave brings more than just bouquets. Can he help Amy find happiness again? Will Amy get even more than she bargained for? Find out in this short story about love, loss, friendship and flowers. If you're looking for a quick read (only 5k words) with a sweet romantic feel, this is for you.
Come Closer
Sara Gran - 2003
A memo to her boss that's replaced by obscene insults. Amanda—a successful architect in a happy marriage—finds her life going off kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she's doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea.The new voice in Amanda's head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. Is she possessed by a demon, or is she simply insane? Described as “a new kind of psychological thriller” by George Pelecanos and “this year's scariest novel” by Time Out New York, Come Closer has become a modern classic “with a kick that will stay with the reader for days afterward” (The Dallas Morning News).
The Summons
Shona Husk - 2011
If he could grant her wish, she'd finally be safe. He would protect her. But what would he ask in return...?Enjoy this short free prequel and a sneak peek of The Goblin King, the first of a highly imaginative new paranormal series by Shona Husk.