Book picks similar to
Stranger on Big Hickory by Stephen W. Meader


stephen-w-meader
young-readers
didn-t-care-for
fiction

Rain Of Gold Part 1 Of 2


Victor Villaseñor - 1991
    And Rain of Gold is possibly his finest work -- a sweeping tableau of family ties and cultural traditions.pA pair of strong families, two proud but embattled lineages, find themselves bound together by time and circumstance. Through political upheavals, loves gained and lives lost, the families struggle to keep what is precious to them. This premise would make a mesmerizing novel -- but this story is all true.p"A great love story...magnificent." (Albuquerque Journal)

In PURRsuit of the Unknown: A Klepto Cat Mystery


Patricia Fry - 2020
    

The Chameleon (Clay Brentwood Book 6)


Jared McVay - 2018
    The town hall in Waco, Texas was alive with activity. Nearly every citizen, except for the sheriff, the bartenders and the men who preferred whiskey to politics, turned out to hear Senator Rodney P. Morgan discuss his plans for building a university of higher learning just outside of town. This was a big-ticket item for the people of Waco and they had high hopes for the new school. Good schools were few and far between out here, especially universities. The good ones, like Harvard and a few others, were all back east and very expensive. Henry Lowe, owner and pharmacist of the Corner Drugstore, set up a table near the front of the town hall where he handed out free bottles of his newly invented soda pop. He was still working on a name for it, but claimed it was a real pepper upper. The new drink was a big hit with the women and children, along with a few of the men. Not many, but a few. Most of the men preferred beer or whiskey, or even coffee to this sweet tasting non-alcoholic beverage. Two of the men who tried it said they enjoyed buttermilk over the sweet soda. Undaunted, Henry declared it a big success. Being a widower, Henry was also a big hit with many of the widow ladies in Waco and proclaimed his new soda drink would make him rich and famous. Senator Rodney P. Morgan, a large man in his fifties with a strong jaw, steel blue eyes, and mutton chop whiskers, stood on the stage looking out across the room filled with people. He had no doubt the idea of a university of higher learning would garner him the votes he needed to help get him elected for a second term. Whether he could actually raise the money, or build the school was of no consequence. If he could make them believe this was of a prime interest to him and he was trying to do as he promised, he was guaranteed to win their votes and that was why he was here. That’s what political campaigns were all about, winning votes, not actually getting anything done. If he’d learned anything during his first term, it was to make the voters believe you were looking after them and their interests. And, if he did actually get something passed that was important to them, they would say, “He did exactly what he promised to do and you can’t ask more than that.” BACK COVER The newspapers called him, "The Chameleon," because during each assassination the killer looks incredibly like someone that everyone knows, including the Governor of the state of Texas. When Clay Brentwood gets on his trail, he has to wonder if those around him are what they seem. Even, Clay's boss, Bill McDaniel, head of the Texas Rangers - has been acting strangely and Clay can't be sure he is the same man he has known all these years. For Clay, the problem is obvious - how does he stop a madman with no known identity?

Carson Kettle


Wyatt Cochrane - 2021
    Marshals failed, can farm boy Carson succeed?After the Civil War, to the people of Oak Bower, Arkansas, “…he'd always be Carson Kettle, son of the man who'd chosen the winning side in the war and would forever pay for it.”Folks in town all called both him and his father ‘Yankee Lover.’ All but her, and she’s gone.Only sixteen, and untrained and untried in the ways of Colts and fists and evil gunmen, Carson’s determined to ride into the Indian Territories and bring Lijah Penne to justice. But Lijah’s feared by all, and even the best deputy United States marshal can’t find him.Can youth and determination overcome an experienced outlaw, forged in the crucible of the Civil War to kill man, woman, or child, without a second thought?No one thinks so. They say: leave it to the grownups, you’re too young, too inexperienced.And maybe they’re right, but they don’t feel what Carson feels, and he saddles up anyway…Book one in a new, clean, Classic Western Series.

The Legend of Jake Jackson (Jake Jackson #7)


William H. Joiner Jr. - 2020
    

Marriage Jitters


Madhuri Tamse - 2020
    She struggled organizing the wedding as Viren Dewan’s classy extravagant attitude kept hurdling her work. Least did she know they had a history together, a knot which his family easily forgot and hers denied to accept. What would happen when that past resurfaced?A roller coaster ride of a forgotten accidental marriage, claiming its identity between Innocence versus Power.

and Cain Smiled (Shad Cain Book 10)


Lou Bradshaw - 2020
    But it was anyone’ guess, whether or not he would stay that way for long. Bunny, like the wild and crazy Coonskin Kelly and the level headed and even the even-tempered Wellington, were the men who turned Cain from boy to man. Without their help, he may not have survived his first fall and winter in the Rocky Mountains. Cain makes it a habit to do what he can for the all the old trappers he comes across. Slipping a few dollars in one of their pouches, was pretty common with Shadrac Cain. He had been told by an unreliable source that the elder of the group had passed away. But a much more reliable source knew for certain that the old trapper was still above ground and needing help. There seems to be an organized force working to get Bunny out of his home and off his wild and nearly worthless land. Ride along with Cain and Dog as they do all they can to keep the old man’s final years’ worth living. Somewhere along the way another soul came into Cain’s life and takes a big chunk of his heart.

Polquillick (Trengillion Cornish Mystery Series Book 2)


Daphne Neville - 2014
    Following their wedding, Ned Stanley and his bride head for The Ringing Bells Inn in Cornwall for a month-long honeymoon. Several days later they are joined by Ned's best friend, George Clarke, who has recently split up with his girlfriend. By nature, George is very much a happy-go-lucky young man, but within days of his arrival in Cornwall, strange dreams begin to disrupt his sleep. Dreams which, as the days unfold, dominate his thoughts, test his mettle, and threaten his very being. Polquillick is the second in a series of seven books located in Trengillion on Cornwall's beautiful Lizard Peninsula. The first - The Ringing Bells Inn - was released in April 2014.

The Weight of Birds


Amanda Lewis - 2020
    

Lovina's Choice


Hannah Schrock - 2019
    Heartbroken and mistrusting of love Lovina vowed never to fall in love again. Her parents want nothing more than to see their daughter happily married and arranges a courtship between her and Stephen Ropp. When she becomes friends with quiet and shy Aaron Graber, Lovina is surprised to find how much she enjoys spending time with Aaron. As their friendship grows, so does her feelings for Aaron. Until the day of the barn raising when Noah returns after two years. Confused and surprised Lovina is faced with Noah for the first time again. He declares he never stopped loving her, but can Lovina believe him after he let her down once before. As she tries to shy away from her parents arranged courtship with Stephen, trying to decide how she feels about Noah, Lovina spends more and more time with Aaron. When disaster strikes a second time, Lovina is forced to face her feelings and make a decision that would determine the rest of her life. Enjoy this heartwarming sweet Amish romance as Lovina Raber learns to love and trust again. Will she fall for the boy her parents have arranged, or will she rekindle her feelings with Noah? Can her friendship with Aaron possibly turn into something more? Find out now and enjoy the ups and downs of falling in love in Lancaster County.

Seven Fingers a' Brazos


Eric H. Heisner - 2018
    When a wagon train of homesteaders is massacred by outlaws, a young male survivor is determined to rescue his stolen siblings. Dragged from his now peaceful existence, former military scout, Holton Lang invests himself in the search for the stolen captives as well as the difficult task of keeping the young man alive. As the search continues across three states, Holton meets old friends and finds new meaning in life as his job of survival embraces a newfound kinship.

The Ever Open Door


Glenice Crossland - 2008
    Jim's only complaint is that Sally is too soft hearted for her own good, always at the beck and call of any neighbour, friend or even stranger. Sally, on the other hand, accuses Jim of being a soft touch for anyone after a drink or two at the Rising Sun. Both accept that neither will ever change and they love each other and their daughter Daisy deeply. Theirs is a close-knit family in a close-knit community where gossip - both good and bad - abounds and neighbour looks out for neighbour and friend for friend. And when Sally's generosity leads to an inheritance it should mean a change of life for the better, instead it brings danger and difficult choices for them all...

The Ghost of Harry Black


Dave Garty - 2015
    She decides to swap the hectic streets of London for a slower pace of life in the sleepy Kent village of Cloverdale St Mary, but her move to the countryside runs into problems when she finds that her new home is haunted. Meadow Cottage is still home to the man who re-built it from a derelict ruin twenty years before, the ghost of Harry Black. Candice defies his attempts to force her to leave and they agree to share the idyllic village home. The question is can a mortal and a ghost live together?

Can't Get You Out of My Head


Sue Shepherd - 2018
    But it's time to get on with her life. Could a seductive Italian, a smooth-talking charmer or backpacking around Australia be the answer?Lisa feels she's always lived in her sister's shadow. Maybe now it's her turn for some fun, whatever the consequences. But will her drunken antics land Beth in trouble?And when it comes to the crunch, will one sister have to give up what she wants so the other can have what she needs?Another entertaining page-turner from the No.1 bestselling author of Doesn't Everyone Have a Secret? – where things, and people, are not always as they first appear!

Until I Find You (Billie Carlson #1)


Anna Smith - 2022
    Perfect for fans of Marnie Riches and Martina Cole.WHEN YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING, YOU'LL STOP AT NOTHINGBillie Carlson left the police force under a cloud. Once a promising young officer she now works as a private investigator, rooting out insurance scams and spying on cheating spouses.One morning a distraught young woman comes into her office saying that her baby has been stolen. Her story seems unbelievable, yet something about her makes Billie want to help - Billie knows what it's like to lose someone too.To get to the bottom of the case Billie must rattle some dangerous cages and rely on old police friends for inside help. Soon she discovers a network of crime deeper and far more twisted than she ever could have imagined. But is she in way over her head?