Book picks similar to
Tangled Threads by Sandy Hill


fiction
fiction-general
sidelined
historical-novels

Lies in White Dresses


Sofia Grant - 2019
    This historical novel was inspired by the true stories of those who “took the Reno cure.”Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing. The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.

Birdcage Walk


Helen Dunmore - 2017
    Soon his plans for a magnificent terrace built above the two-hundred-foot drop of the Gorge come under threat.Diner believes that Lizzie’s independent, questioning spirit must be coerced and subdued. She belongs to him: law and custom confirm it, and she must live as he wants.In a tense drama of public and private violence, resistance and terror, Diner’s passion for Lizzie darkens until she finds herself dangerously alone.

Color of Blood


Keith Yocum - 2018
    His wife’s death left him devastated but he’ll do anything to lose himself into work at the Inspector General’s office of the CIA. A brilliant, if prickly investigator, he’s spent his career chasing down the Agency’s thieves and liars. When his boss forces him to take a low-level assignment to investigate a missing employee in Australia, he soon finds that even in the red dust of the Outback, there is romance – and death – just a sweltering heartbeat away.

The Strange Journey of Mr. Daldry


Marc Levy - 2011
    The life we know and another one, that lies waiting for us. Alice is a “nose”—a creator of perfumes. She is passionate about her work and her only distraction from her job is her motley group of friends, who convene for late night soirees in her apartment—much to the annoyance of her cantankerous neighbor Mr. Daldry. On Christmas Eve 1950, something happens that will change Alice's life forever: during an outing to Brighton with her friends, a fortune teller makes a mysterious prediction about Alice's future. Alice has never believed in soothsayers but she cannot stop thinking about the old woman's words. “The most important man in your life was walking behind you a few moments ago. To find him, you will have to undertake a long journey and meet six people who will lead you to him. You have two lives in you, Alice. The life you know and another one, which is waiting for you…” From then on her nights are plagued with nightmares that are as real as they are incomprehensible. Alice's neighbor, Mr. Daldry, notices the unrest that the fortune teller provokes in Alice. For reasons he will not reveal, Daldry encourages Alice to take the predictions seriously and convinces her to set off to find the six people who will shape her fate. To make sure that Alice does not change her mind, the eccentric bachelor even agrees to accompany her on the journey… The Strange Journey of Mr. Daldry takes us into the heart of Europe in the 1950s, into lives that are haunted by the demons of a recent past. It's a story of friendship and things left unsaid, personified above all by Mr. Daldry, an unforgettable character who is as passionate as he is restrained, as serious as he is funny, as reliable as he is surprising.“One of Marc Levy’s best novels to date.” - Le Figaro“Another success for Marc Levy.” - L'ExpressOne of France’s bestselling authors, Marc Levy’s novels have been translated into 45 languages and over 28 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide.

A Knife in Darkness


Lexie Conyngham - 2016
    But suspicion, intrigue and death await both inside and outside her new home, and the forces of nature take few prisoners.

Take What You Can Carry


Gian Sardar - 2021
    Olivia Murray, a secretary at a Los Angeles newspaper, is determined to become a photojournalist and make a difference with her work. When opportunity arrives, she seizes it, accompanying her Kurdish boyfriend, Delan, to northern Iraq for a family wedding, hoping to capture an image that lands her a job in the photo department. More important, though, the trip is a chance to understand Delan’s childhood and bridge the differences of their pasts. Yet when the return home proves less safe than Delan believed, Olivia is confronted with a reality she had not expected, and is awakened to the dangers of a town patrolled by Iraqi military under curfew and constant threat.But in this world torn apart by war, there are intoxicating sights and scents, Delan’s loving family, innocence not yet compromised, and small acts of kindness that flourish unexpectedly. All of it will be tested when Olivia captures a shattering, tragic moment on film, one that upends all their lives and proves that true bravery begins with an open heart.

Breaking Twig


Deborah Epperson - 2011
    Not even Twig’s vivid imagination, keen wit, and dark sense of humor is enough to help her survive the escalating assaults of Helen and a new stepbrother, but help comes from an unexpected source—Frank, her stepfather. Sometimes, having one person who loves and believes in you is all a girl needs to keep hope alive. Often raw and irreverent and sprinkled with all the Southern flavoring found in a good bowl of chicken and dumplings, BREAKING TWIG, is about finding love where we least expect it, destroying lives with easy lies, and realizing each of us determine our own truth. (Taken from author's website.)

Inn at Raven's Crest


Salem Marlowe - 2017
    When the opportunity arises, the two jump at the chance to make this dream a reality. They find an old Victorian home that has been vacant for many years and believe this is their chance to fix up and open the Inn at Raven’s Crest. Maggie quickly learns of the ghosts still living in the house. She befriends them; talks to them; helps them find peace, and offers a way to get to the other side. As the first guests arrives, so does an awful storm which puts out the roads, the power and the internet, thus leaving all of the guests captive at the Inn. When one person is found murdered, and then another, everyone is frightened and not sure who to trust and who the murderer is. There are many signs that point to one and then another suspect before the final chapter is revealed. Inn at Raven’s Crest by Salem Marlowe has a plot we may have read before, but the characters and the events are brand new and kept me glued to my Kindle. Each time I thought I had solved the mystery, another twist changed my mind. I couldn’t help but root for Maggie and Lee and for the future success of the Inn. Each character was well portrayed and had all the human characteristics of good and evil in them. I would love to see what happens when the next set of guests arrive at the Inn. It would be an awesome TV series with new guests arriving weekly. I highly recommend reading Inn at Raven’s Crest; mystery fans will not be disappointed. Two friends buy an abandoned Victorian house and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Before renovations are completed they discover their home has come complete with ghosts, and an old, unsolved murder. Can they solve the mystery and get the ghosts to leave? Or will they get caught up in a new set of murders, ones that are decimating their guests?

The Girl I Used to Be


Heidi Hostetter - 2021
    Still reeling from the shock, the only thing she receives in the hasty divorce settlement is the deed to her husband’s sprawling beach house on the New Jersey coastline. Jill never cared about money—only her marriage—but with Marc determined to take everything she owns, the beach house is her only lifeline left.With no other choice, Jill travels to the shore intending to sell the house quickly—but the task is not as easy as she expects. Still, she can’t help but be charmed by the beautiful seaside town and its sweetly old-fashioned ways. Despite everything, Jill is starting to see a path back to who she was before she met her husband—not the demure, polished housewife she’d become, but the smiling young woman with the strong Jersey accent who loved her family more than anything.Then Jill dives deeper into Marc’s secrets and she stumbles across something in her husband’s past that changes everything. Could Jill herself have been unknowingly complicit in what Marc did and, if so, what will happen to her when the truth finally comes to light? With Marc determined to bury the evidence, can Jill find a way to save herself before her once perfect husband takes her down with hi

A Fire Sparkling


Julianne MacLean - 2019
    Rattled by the discovery, Gillian attempts to unravel the truth behind the photos, setting her off on an epic journey through the past…1939. England is on the brink of war as Vivian Hughes falls in love with a handsome British official, but when bombs begin to fall and Vivian’s happy life is destroyed in the blitz, she will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves…As Gillian learns more about her grandmother’s past, the old photo begins to make more sense. But for every question answered, a new one takes its place. Faced with a truth that is not at all what she expected, Gillian attempts to shine a light not only on the mysteries of her family’s past but also on her own future.This gorgeously written multigenerational saga is a heart-wrenching yet hopeful examination of one woman’s struggle to survive, perfect for fans of The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky.

The Orphan House


Ann Bennett - 2018
    Place of birth, unknown; father, unknown; mother unknown. Present day. Sarah Jennings knows there’s one place she can go to find some peace and quiet during her difficult divorce. But arriving at her beloved father’s home in the countryside, she finds him unwell and hunched over boxes of files, studying the records from Cedar Hall, the crumbling orphanage in town. He says that hidden behind the wrought iron gates and overgrown ivy are secrets about their family, and he asks for her help. Sarah goes to speak to Connie Burroughs, the only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall. Her questions take Connie from the comfort of her nursing home right back to a chilly night in 1934, when as a little girl she saw her own father carrying a newborn baby, bundled in rags, that he said he’d found near the broken front gate. The day Connie began to protect his secrets. But just as Sarah begins to convince Connie that the truth can set her free, she realises that unlocking the past might have heartbreaking consequences… An emotional and uplifting reminder that incredible acts of courage can change the course of history, Ann Bennett’s powerful tale is inspired by the lives of the children who lived at her great-grandfather’s orphanage. Fans of Before We Were Yours, The Orphan’s Tale and The Orphan Train will be hooked. What readers are saying about The Orphan House: ‘Oh my goodness. What an amazing story of life, love, loss and finding yourself… awe inspiring. I honestly am left reeling. This is my first book from this author, although it definitely will not be my last. Thank you for a journey that I will not soon forget.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘An amazing and spellbinding read. Exceptionally well done. I hated when it ended.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wonderful storytelling! I have just finished reading this book and I’m bereft! I was able, for a few days, to lose myself completely in the story… I highly recommend this book to anyone.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘True to life and totally believable. The plot was intriguing, and the delivery was perfect.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Loved this book… captures so many emotions… couldn’t put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘This was a fantastic read… it lured me in and I ended up hooked. By about the halfway point, I was completely captivated by the story and the mystery kept me guessing as I tried to figure it out… beautifully written.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars This book was previously published as The Foundling’s Daughter.

Miss Sylvia's Stolen Bible


Harper Harris - 2018
    You’ll have a dog gone good time… and some delicious Southern treats! Kari Jacobs has driven cross country from San Francisco and is one hour away from starting a new life and job at a law firm in Appleton, North Carolina, when her car breaks down near the Red Rivers Plantation. She was only looking for a tow, but found a mystery. Ms. Sylvia, her sister-in-law Delilah and her butler Henry live at Red Rivers Plantation and they all seem to be stuck in the past. Kari can get their help, as long as she walks their two Great Danes and solves the mystery of the stolen Winters’ family bible. But theirs is a world of polite etiquette and stately manners, and Kari has a hard time getting them to talk so that she can figure out the answers they so desperately seek. But at least their cooking is scrumptious! Sylvia thinks the Bible was stolen by her bitter rival who owns the next plantation over, but she isn’t even sure when, and no one can explain why. Questions multiply and Kari can’t help but be drawn into a feud that reaches back into the last century. It's Kari's first introduction to the South, their customs are strange, and she has far more questions than answers. Such as, will she ever get her car fixed so she can get to Appleton, and will she be rewarded for her patience by being able to meet the Great Danes’ litter of puppies before leaving town? * INCLUDES MISS DELILAH’S SUCCULENT SOUTHERN PEACH PIE RECIPE! *

The Secret Stealers


Jane Healey - 2021
    Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.Donovan has faith in her—and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference—for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.

Tangled Web


Wendy Saunders - 2017
    There's only one thing missing... her sister.Cassandra hasn't seen her sister since the night their wealthy, prominent father died from a massive heart attack. She had only been five years old at the time and can barely recall the events of that night. All she can remember was that men came to the house and that it was the last time she saw her sister. Her alcoholic, emotionally unstable mother refuses to discuss her and will only say that she had been sent away to an exclusive boarding school in Europe. But, as the years pass by with no word from her, Cassandra begins to suspect there is more to her father's death and her sister's disappearance than she first thought.Desperate to find answers she hires a private investigator, but when he turns up dead it becomes clear someone doesn't want her looking into her family's past. When wealthy businessman Jackson Evans stumbles into her life, with problems of his own, they realize his family and hers are inexplicably entwined in a web of deceit and murder, which spans two decades.One by one, everyone who was in her home the night of her Father's death, begin to die under suspicious circumstances and it becomes a race against time to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim.

The Killdeer Connection


Tom Swyers - 2017
    It's an Amazon international writing competition winner. . Some readers say it's just as good as a John Grisham novel. Some say it's better. Others compare it favorably to books by Lee Child, Michael Connelly, or David Baldacci. Readers of Scott Pratt, Thomas Benigno, Robert Dugoni, and John Ellsworth also enjoy Killdeer.* * *When your friend's life is a lie, the truth can kill you.David Thompson is a burned-out lawyer and family man just trying to make ends meet when he stumbles into the crosshairs of the law. He's in the wrong place at the wrong time and becomes a suspect in a friend's murder because the law has nobody else to pin it on.Thompson goes on the run to find his friend's true killer before he's thrown in jail and railroaded all the way to the lethal injection table.But the truth is a slippery slope full of court drama, mystery, mayhem, and murder because his friend lived a secret life built on lies. When Thompson gets too close to the truth, the real killer goes on the hunt. The law and a killer want Thompson now. His wife and son just want him back home.Suddenly, a tidal wave of terror strikes the country and Thompson's quest to save his own skin suddenly explodes into a race to save both his family and the nation.But he may be too late . . . The Killdeer Connection is the 1st standalone book in the Lawyer David Thompson Legal Thriller Series. If you like gripping thrillers full of suspense, mystery, and mayhem with twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end, you'll love Tom Swyers' tale of Big Oil, trains, and wild rides over the backroads of America. Buy both Killdeer AND Caged to Kill (the next in the series) right now! ***Here's what readers are saying about Killdeer:"Low-cost Kindle books, I have found, are generally all a little rough and amateurish, but this book is as good as it gets. There is suspense and surprises and twists that are breathtaking and unique. I enjoyed this book as much or more than books by the NY Times bestsellers. It was a fast, exciting and rewarding read. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy quality." - Gardengale"I never saw the end coming. The book was hard to put down to go to sleep the night I started it. It's as good as any Grisham novel I've ever read." - Mountain Mom"Unputdownable. This book absolutely draws you in and makesyou feel as if you're there. Lee Child meets John Grisham."-Robann"This is a new legal writer who deserves to be viewed with Grisham and Baldacci.From page one word you are drawn in until the last word on the last page."- Ken "This book grabbed my attention and interest from the first page and it never let go!" - Maria"His story hooked me from page one and kept steaming along, just like the trains in the book. This author is just as good if not better than John Grisham." - Artist 2017"It was exciting, clean as to language, no sex just a really great legal thriller. I highly recommend this book!" - G.L.H. "If you dig John Grisham you will enjoy Killdeer."- Steve"Move over John Grisham!." - Greg"Lots of twists, turns, me guessing...action packed, more suspense, more of me guessing. A great read! Another new author for me." - Montzalee"I often felt as though I was watching a mystery or action movie. I really felt drawn in to the story. The pace is steady and the mystery keeps you guessing and interested. I highly recommend this book." - Susan"Tom Swyers delivers another thrill ride from the opening scene tothe high-octane ending." - Kelly"I had weeds in the garden, dishes in the sink, unwashed laundry,but I couldn't put the book down." - Phebe"A well written legal thriller you will not want to put down."-Bette"One of the best legal thrillers I have ever read." - Rob"An excellent legal thriller in the manner of John Grisham."- SimonGet Killdeer & a copy of Caged to Kill now!