Book picks similar to
Beneath the Book Tower by Steve Hamilton


steve-hamilton
alex-mcknight
mystery
hamilton-steve

Chasing Darkness


Danielle Girard - 2002
     A tough special-agent with the Department of Justice, and a dedicated single mother to her orphaned nephews, Samantha Chase is unbreakable. Until two women, both from the shadows of Sam’s past, are discovered strangled. For Sam, the most unnerving detail is the eucalyptus branch tucked behind the victims’ ears—the signature of a notorious serial murder already convicted and executed for his crimes. To detective Nick Thomas, the only link to the copycat killings is Sam herself. And when she becomes the target of threats—each one more menacing than the last—his feelings for her just might jeopardize the case. But to understand the killer’s twisted motive is to explore Sam’s past—and a crime she’s spent a lifetime trying to bury... AWARDS: Winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award OTHER SUSPENSE NOVELS by Danielle Girard: Savage Art Ruthless Game Cold Silence The Rookie Club

Exit Strategy


Kelley Armstrong - 2007
    A former cop, drummed out of the force because of a scandal, she is an expert at disguise and cool under pressure. But when fellow hitman Jack arrives on the scene, Nadia’s very private existence is seriously challenged.A series of victims are being murdered seemingly at random all over the US — different areas, different walks of life, different MOs. There is nothing to tie them together except a random page torn out of a single book, "Helter Skelter". Does the Helter Skelter killer — as the hysterical media now dub him — have a real connection to Charles Manson? Or is there something even more sinister at work?Is this, in fact — as Jack believes — the carefully planned exit strategy of a fellow professional killer, determined to leave the life, but equally determined to clear up an old mistake or two? And, if so, who is the real victim? Now, the highly suspicious and secretive hitman community will have to break their cover — at least, to each other — and help take down this killer before the cops and the Feds discover his true connection to their own secret, exclusive society.

A Reason to Live


Matthew Iden - 2012
    Twelve years later, the victim's daughter begs for help: the killer is stalking her now. But Marty has retired to battle cancer. A second shot at the killer - and a first chance at redemption - Marty has A Reason to Live.

Hour of the Hunter


J.A. Jance - 1991
    . .The brilliant psychopath Andrew Carlisle spent only six years in prison for the brutal torture–murder of a young girl of the Tohono O'otham tribe. The testimony of Diana Ladd -- a teacher on the reservation -- put Carlisle behind bars, and now she can't ignore the dark, mystical signs that say a predator has returned to prowl the Arizona desert. Because no matter where Diana and her young son hide . . . he will find them.Six years after her husband killed himself after being accused of murdering an Indian girl, Diana Ladd relys on a Native American wise woman and a local police detective to protect her and her son from her late husband's partner, recently released from prison.

Partners


John Grisham - 2016
      Sebastian Rudd, rogue lawyer, defends people other lawyers won't go near. It's controversial and dangerous work, which is why Sebastian needs his bodyguard/assistant/sidekick: Partner. So if Sebastian is just about the most unpopular lawyer in town, why is Partner so loyal to him? How did they meet? And what's the real story of this man of few words who's as good with a gun as he is with the law? The surprising answers are all in PARTNERS, John Grisham's first exclusively digital short story.

Double Homicide


Faye Kellerman - 1993
    Did the deceased, a wealthy art dealer, stumble on a burglar stealing a priceless painting, or did one of his many enemies finally seek revenge?Dorothy Breton is called to downtown Boston to find that her elder son is a witness to the killing of a promising athlete in a shoot-out. The evidence is stacked against the obvious culprit - until the autopsy shows the young man didn't die of gunshot wounds . . .

Parker Pyne Investigates


Agatha Christie - 1934
    The Queen of Crime.Curious? Then you're invited to read ... 'Parker Pyne Investigates'. In the US, known as, 'Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective'. Two titles, same great short stories. In fact 12 of them! Our detective's personal ad posed a simple question, 'Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne'. The answer was a resounding 'I am not happy' for a jealous wife who suspects her husband of infidelity, for a lonely widow driven to assume a new identity, for a distraught mother whose son has been kidnapped, and for a strangely reclusive bride-to-be. But what sort of detective would solicit in the personal column? The sort who has a knack for investigating affairs of the heart. For therein lie the darkest motives for murder. And they are proving most lucrative for the hopelessly romantic, and highly suspicious, Parker Pyne.The 12 stories are: 1. The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife, 2. The Case of the Discontented Soldier, 3. The Case of the Distressed Lady, 4. The Case of the Discontented Husband, 5. The Case of the City Clerk, 6. The Case of the Rich Woman, 7. Have You Got Everything You Want?, 8. The Gate of Bagdad, 9. The House at Shiraz, 10. The Pearl of Price, 11. Death on the Nile, and 12. The Oracle at Delphi. Librarian's note #1. the short story, Death on the Nile in this compilation starring Parker Pyne, should not be mistaken with the novel, Death on the Nile starring Hercule Poirot. Both by Christie.Librarian's note #2: there are two more Parker Pyne stories in other collections. The stories are titled: 'The Regatta Mystery' and 'Problem at Pollensa Bay'. Including these two, there are 14 Pyne stories for your reading pleasure.Librarian's note #3: this is the entry for the collection of 12 short stories, "Parker Pyne Investigates' ('Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective'). Entries for each of the individual stories are located elsewhere on Goodreads. All 14 can be found by searching Goodreads for: 'a Parker Pyne Short Story'.

Sins of the Child


Shannon Heuston - 2019
    Now an ordinary wife and mother, she hides a terrible secret someone is determined to expose to the world. Who is Polly's mystery stalker? And what do they know about the events that occurred in the woods that long ago July day?

Karma


Susan Dunlap - 1981
    . . with a little earthly aid from the dagger buried deep in his swirling red robes.  His followers say it was hi karma to die.  Now Jill Smith's seeking enlightenment--looking deep into prime causes such as love, hate, ambition, and dark dreams.  Among a host of devoted disciples, rough real-estate dealers, rival soul savers, and beautiful consorts, she's searching for the answer to a cop's prayers:  the person whose karma is to kill.

Back on Murder


J. Mark Bertrand - 2010
    Roland March is a homicide cop on his way out. But when he's the only one at a crime scene to find evidence of a missing female victim, he's given one last chance to prove himself. Before he can crack the case, he's transferred to a new one that has grabbed the spotlight--the disappearance of a famous Houston evangelist's teen daughter. With the help of a youth pastor with a guilty conscience who navigates the world of church and faith, March is determined to find the missing girls while proving he's still one of Houston's best detectives.

Fire in the Sky


Andrew Mayne - 2015
    So she's not happy about being sent to Louisiana on what appears to be a wild goose chase hinging on an elderly man's recollection of an event that occurred decades ago. Especially because her boss, FBI consultant Dr. Jeffrey Ailes, has paired her up with young, earnest rookie agent Nadine. After risking her life to help the Bureau catch the serial killer of the century, this is her reward?As she and Nadine clash about how to handle their strange assignment, Jessica must accept that, despite her best efforts, she's having trouble moving beyond her past as the rising star in a dysfunctional family of magicians. Raised in a world dedicated to deception, her refusal to accept things at face value is one of her strengths—but is it also a weakness that could cause her undoing?In this compelling short story from Andrew Mayne, master illusionist and the author of Angel Killer, we see a new side to Jessica Blackwood—and get an electrifying sneak peak at her next adventure, Name of the Devil.

Mission Flats


William Landay - 2003
    William Landay explodes onto the suspense scene with an electrifying novel about the true price of crime and the hidden corners of the criminal justice system. Only an insider could so vividly capture Boston’s gritty underworld of cops and criminals. And only a natural storyteller could weave this mesmerizing tale of murder and memory, a story about the hold of time past over time present–and the story of one unforgettable young policeman who ventures into the most dangerous place of all. By a gleaming lake in the forests of western Maine, outside a sleepy town called Versailles, the body of a man lies sprawled in a deserted cabin. The dead man was an elite D.A. from Boston, and his beat was that city’s toughest neighborhood: Mission Flats. Now, for small-town police chief Ben Truman, investigating the murder will mean leaving his quiet, haunted home and journeying to an alien world of hard streets and hard bargains, where the fierce struggle between police and criminals is fought for the ultimate stakes. Ben joins a manhunt through Mission Flats, where cops are scrambling to find their number-one suspect: Harold Braxton, a ruthless predator targeted for prosecution by the murdered D.A. To the Boston police, Braxton is a marked man. But as Ben watches the shadow dance of cops and suspects, he begins to voice doubts about Braxton’s guilt…especially when he uncovers a secret history of murder and retribution stretching back twenty years…back to a brutal killing now nearly forgotten. As past and present collide and a bloody mystery unfolds, only one thing remains certain: the most powerful revelations are yet to come.Mission Flats is at once a relentless page-turning mystery and a vivid portrait of a cop’ s life. Here are the street corners, courtrooms, and stationhouses; the deal makers, thugs, and quiet heroes. An unforgettable world–and the luminous, boundary-breaking debut of a new voice in suspense fiction–Mission Flats will haunt you long after the final pages.

Deadly Aim


Patricia H. Rushford - 2004
    Featuring determined police officer Angel Delaney, the first episode is sure to have armchair sleuths turning the pages as fast as they can to discover whodunit? When a police shootout results in the death of a 12-year-old boy, Officer Angel Delaney is blamed, convicted, and condemned by the media and the Sunset Cove community before the case even goes to trial. Angel will have her day in court, but before she has the chance to defend herself, the situation spirals out of control. Key evidence is missing, evidence that could have verified her claim of firing only one shot in self-defense. In short order, the body count rises, and suddenly Angel is a suspect in more than one murder investigation. Heartsick about the young boy's death, and questioning her judgment as a police officer, Angel joins forces with Detective Callen Riley to fight the mounting charges against her.

Run Girl


Eva Hudson - 2014
    It’s been eighteen years and she’s never stopped looking, not for him… or for the friend who has never been seen since.Now the Secretary of State’s granddaughter has gone missing in London, and it falls to Ingrid to find the teenager. There’s something about girls who disappear from view that gnaws at Ingrid, that makes her care more than she should, that makes her lose perspective and take unnecessary risks.It’s Ingrid’s first time in London—she’s only in town to train the Metropolitan Police––so she needs some local knowledge. She is reluctantly paired with a suave, good-looking and arrogant secret intelligence operative who leads her through the city’s back alleys and corridors of power. He’s charismatic and dynamic but when his methods become dangerously unconventional, the two of them clash… in more ways than one. Run Girl sets the scene for Ingrid’s future adventures working out of the US embassy in London. If an American citizen lands in trouble… or winds up dead… or gets accused of a crime they didn’t commit, Special Agent Ingrid Skyberg is on their case.Unlock the thrills and twists of this up-all-night crime thriller series, perfect for fans of gripping mysteries, strong women investigators and any reader who has ever wondered if there’s a female version of Jack Reacher. There is, and her name is Ingrid Skyberg.Please note: Run Girl is a novella - roughly half the length of an average novel.PRAISE FOR EVA HUDSON"I was immediately struck by the plotting savvy and grip-factor of Eva Hudson's writing – she is a natural storyteller" - Sophie Hannah"Ingrid is a fascinating character" - James Oswald"Gripped me from the first page " - DS ButlerABOUT EVA HUDSONAfter years of enjoying thrillers and police procedurals by authors like Lee Child and Michael Connelly, Eva was inspired to write thrillers herself. In 2011 she won the inaugural Lucy Cavendish fiction prize for her first novel, The Loyal Servant, and never looked back.

Moving Day


Jonathan Stone - 2014
    A life he could have easily lost long ago.When a con man steals his houseful of possessions in a sophisticated moving-day scam, Peke wanders helplessly through his empty New England home, inevitably reminded of another helpless time: decades in Peke’s past, a cold and threadbare Stanislaw Shmuel Pecoskowitz eked out a desperate existence in the war-torn Polish countryside, subsisting on scraps and dodging Nazi soldiers. Now, the seventy-two-year-old Peke—who survived, came to America, and succeeded—must summon his original grit and determination to track down the thieves, retrieve his things, and restore the life he made for himself.Peke and his wife, Rose, trace the path of the thieves’ truck across America, to the wilds of Montana, and to an ultimate, chilling confrontation with not only the thieves but also with Peke’s brutal, unresolved past.