Book picks similar to
Diamond Cut Diamond (Lord Ambrose Historical Mystery #4) by Jane Jakeman
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The Bordeaux Connection
John Paul Davis - 2015
- KEITH HOUGHTON, international bestselling author of Killing Hope A clever, absorbing tale...The Templar Agenda grabs you right from the murderous beginning and takes you on a fast-paced, thoroughly researched thrill-ride... - DAVID LEADBEATER, UK #1 bestselling thriller author of The Bones of OdinFROM THE BACK PAGE
In Medieval England, the defence of the realm in times of need rested on the shoulders of twelve men - a secret brotherhood of knights, who answered only to the ruler of England. They were called The White Hart.As they are now...When a series of explosions rock the Scottish capital, The White Hart is once again called into action. While the attackers flee Edinburgh with a hoard of priceless historical manuscripts, in a lonely village in England recent intelligence photographs suggest a potentially shocking connection between the suspected culprits and the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister...For White Hart agents Mike Hansen and Kit Masterson, the new lead is just the first piece of a potentially explosive puzzle that threatens to tear a hole in the heart of government. As a new threat soon reveals itself, their only chance to bring to an end the recent chain of ruthless activities is to follow the trail to the bitter end. Right to the heart of its deadly conspiracy...Part one of a brand new series...
Riders of the Lone Star: Heck Carson Series Volume 1
John Spiars - 2017
Johnstone, Best-selling western author, John Spiars has created a timeless hero of the old west. The first novel in the Heck Carson Series, Riders of the Lone Star brings the wild and lawless Texas frontier to life. When the Law ain’t enough… He brings Justice. The year is 1852. Settlers on the Texas frontier are at the mercy of hostile Comanche and vicious outlaws, and the only ones holding the line between life and death are a few brave men, known as Texas Rangers. Outnumbered and outgunned, they bring law and order to the untamed land. They face impossible odds with nothing more than grit, determination, and a fast gun. It is this adventure and excitement that lures sixteen-year-old Jesse “Heck” Carson to leave his families ranch to join the fight. Heck quickly learns that this life comes at a price, the cost of which is hardship, danger, and possibly his own life. The bonds of friendship, loyalty, and duty lead him into epic battles that test his courage and resolve, and along the way he learns what it means to wear the star of the Texas Rangers. Excerpts: As fast as he could, he pulled the hammer back and fired, the first Comanche jerked once and hit the ground. The other warrior was no more than two feet away now. Heck wondered if he had another bullet left. Had he fired five or six shots? He couldn’t remember. Saying a silent prayer, Heck pulled the hammer back and looked at his approaching enemy. The point of the warrior’s lance was inches away from his chest when heck pulled the trigger. The barrel of the Walker was almost touching the chest of the charging Indian. Heck heard no sound, but saw the smoke pour out of the barrel and the big warrior dropped to his knees, and fell on top of the young Ranger. Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson approached the men on horseback, ready to do what had to be done. Looking at the group of riders, however, Sutter immediately recognized he had made a terrible mistake. These men were not military, not even by Southern standards. They were unkempt, filthy, and armed to the teeth. His heart sank as he noticed that most of the detachment were Mexican and their guns were not in their holsters. “What is going on here?” he said, unable to believe what he was seeing. The lead rider smiled and said, “This was even easier than Senor Cortina said it would be. Thank you.” Without saying another word, the man raised his pistol and fired two quick shots, hitting both Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson between the eyes. The man wheeled around with his rifle as Heck landed on his back, but it was a fruitless gesture. There was a look of pained surprise on the man’s face as Heck covered his mouth and pulled him to the floor. Heck plunged his knife into the man’s chest several times, as he kept his hand over the man’s mouth. After several seconds his muffled cries were silent. John Spiars is the author of the Heck Carson Series. He is a writer and amateur historian with a passion for the history and myths of the "Old West". His hope is to keep alive the western genre for this generation and all of those to come, while both entertaining and educating readers of all ages. He is a native Texan and lives in North Texas with his wife and four children. When not writing western novels, he maintains a blog and Facebook page about Texas history and travel entitled Under the Lone Star.
Like Souls Series (Books 1-4): Blood of Like Souls, Tears of Like Souls, Promises of Like Souls, Secrets of Like Souls
Val Conrad - 2017
Blood of Like Souls Julie Madigan's career with the New Mexico State Police ended in the puddle of blood on the floor when she survived having her throat cut. But a year of recovery left her desperate to hide the scars and to escape her past. She moved to Michigan, away from friends and coworkers who knew her secrets. Now a Medical Examiner Investigator, Julie Madigan plays by the rules, but the rules change when a killer sends her clues and evidence about two victims, taunting her with his unusual methods of murder, pulling her into his twisted game, targeting those she cares about. His goal - to prove Julie will kill like he does. While trying to identify him, Julie discovers the monster has been closer to her than she imagined, leaving her in a race to save the victims he's selected, forcing her to choose who lives and who dies. Tears of Like Souls Medical Examiner Investigator Julie Madigan might have survived her half-brother's brutal crime spree, but the emotional wounds left by Anthony Bock's evil run deep. She begins a walk down the path to healing with the one man who's always loved her - Zach Samualson, who works for the Drug Enforcement Agency. They begin to establish a new life together in Washington - until he reveals a secret of his own. Julie's torn between trusting him and running from her inner demons and the one question that's haunted her since she was sixteen -did Bock make her kill her father? Promises of Like Souls After a small wedding to Zach in Albuquerque, Julie Madigan, now Julie Samualson, goes back to Michigan to pack and say goodbye to her friends and coworkers before moving to the log cabin Zach had built for them prior to Julie's yes to marriage. But her arrival in paradise was without her groom, who had stayed behind in New Mexico to finish an assignment with his DEA unit while awaiting a transfer. Zach, however, faces a startling surprise that will change both their lives completely - that he is the father of a teenage daughter, whose mother was kidnapped by one of Zach's ex-partners who had turned against the agency and his partners. By a man with a single goal - to destroy Zach and all he holds precious. Secrets of Like Souls On her way down the stairs, Julie Samualson falls and injures her ankle, disrupting more than her family. She limps on to a Portland hospital to begin an investigation into the burns suffered by the sister of one of the sheriff's dispatchers - burns that don't appear to have been sustained in a fall. Then the wife of a fellow deputy goes missing, and the van found near the Columbia River. On crutches, Julie can only help process evidence. Meanwhile, Amber, her stepdaughter, asks if they can continue searching for clues about the bag they found on a trail ride - the contents include an old library card and piece of tattooed human skin made into leather. But when the three different cases begin to connect and threats get closer to her loved ones, Julie's world begins to unravel.
The Quiet Village
T.J. Walter - 2017
He discovers a quiet village deep in the countryside and settles there. He makes new friends and finds a new love, but there are undercurrents; events that threaten his newfound peace. Then a murder occurs and he finds himself drawn into the investigation, unsure of who among his new friends he can trust. How will he overcome this without losing all he has gained?
No Trench To Rest
Avan Judd Stallard - 2017
Except now he cannot escape the war that follows every step of the way as he and Henry—his comrade in arms—seek rest and recuperation in the mountains.Instead of wine and women, they find Germans and a secret plot to destroy France’s hub of munitions production. Cut off and outnumbered, they recruit a motley army comprising a women’s auxiliary and an old farmer with a big rifle and bad attitude.There’ll be no rest for these soldiers, not until Michel and Henry go to war.
The Curse: A Cozy Mystery From the 1920s
Alice Simpson - 2018
Jane grapples with a vandalized shop, a kidnapping, a creepy doll with seemingly supernatural powers, and a stolen diamond necklace. What do all these have in common? It's up to Jane to find out. About the Jane Carter Historical Cozy Mystery Series: This quirky historical cozy mystery series is set in the fictional American city of Greenville during the 1920s, and features Jane Carter, a young widow who returns home to live with her father after the tragic death of her journalist husband. Jane’s father owns a local newspaper, and wants Jane to take it over someday, but Jane is adamant that she has no desire to be a reporter. Instead, she turns her talent for writing to concocting melodramatic romances for fly-by-night rags who almost never pay on time. This work pays so poorly that Jane supplements her income by becoming an agony aunt, soliciting letters from the lovelorn through advertisements in the back of women’s weekly magazines. Jane dispenses advice to all and sundry, but her personal life is in shambles. Jane claims that she's holding out for a millionaire before she marries again, but the only man who makes her heart beat faster is Jack, a reporter on her father's staff. Not only has Jane vowed she will never be a newspaper man herself, she's doubly insistent on never again marrying one. While trying to turn out enough column inches of overwrought romantic bilge to keep her old car on the road, and herself in shoes, Jane runs into the most extraordinary circumstances. In Jane's madcap world, it's a constant round of kidnappings, curses, stolen jewels, counterfeit paintings, and hidden stashes of gold. There's plenty of crime to go around, but nary a murder. Accompanying Jane on her adventures is her best friend, Florence. Jane and Flo may get into one perilous situation after another, but they are never damsels in distress, because, as Jane puts it, "A real lady always carries her own pocket knife." Neither Jane nor Flo think it beneath them to slip a cosh into their handbag, either, should the situation call for it. All this getting into harm's way alarms the Carter's housekeeper, Mrs. Timms. Mrs. Timms believes it's her mission in life to turn motherless Jane into a proper lady, but seeing as Jane has just turned twenty-four, Mrs. Timms considerable efforts appear to have been in vain. However, the housekeeper won't give up trying, just as Jane won't give up on seeing Mrs. Timms and her father center-aisling it to the alter and saying, "I do." If you like light-hearted historical mysteries with quirky characters and a bit of zany humor, this may be the series for you! These are murderless mysteries. Despite a constant crime wave, there seem to be no murders in the city of Greenville. There may be plenty of peril in the form of kidnappings, heists, and the occasional assault, but nobody ever dies, and justice is always served. There’s plenty of romance, but sex is strictly behind closed doors. Suitable for readers looking for a "clean" mystery novel. This series may be of interest to fans of: Lee Strauss (Ginger Gold Mysteries), Jaqueline Winspear (Masie Dobbs Mysteries), Patricia Wentworth (Miss Silver Mysteries), Jessica Ellicot (Berl and Edwina Mysteries Series), Clara Benson, L. B. Hathaway (Posie Parker Mysteries), Leighann Dobbs (Hazel Martin Mysteries), T. E. Kinsey (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries), Margarete Addison (Rose Simpson Mysteries), Emily Organ (Penny Green Mysteries), and the Phryne Fisher Mystery Series.
Club Medicine
Jack Kinsley - 2015
A former addict who started the premiere private rehab in the hills of Malibu, California. He had it all: a thriving business, a beautiful wife, and a daughter who was the center of his universe. But when he relapsed, everything he built went right along with it. Now, he has a rehab filled with eccentric clients he's expected to keep sane, a dark secret he's desperate to keep hidden, and forces from his past that are determined to strip him of anything that remains.What's a self-made man to do? Backed into a corner, Travis finds himself stuck on one moral question: Can he commit murder in order to keep it all from slipping away? How far down the rabbit hole will he go? And, perhaps more importantly, how does he come back from it after that life is gone?Part thriller and part redemption tale, Club Medicine explores the heart of darkness within us all as one man balances on the razor's edge between self-actualization and self-destruction.
A Murderous Valentine (Admiral Shackleford Mystery #1)
Beverley Watts - 2021
Having been instrumental in improving the lives of so many (his words - others might be inclined to call it something slightly different...), he was struggling to reignite the spark in his own love life with the feisty Mabel. Short on ideas, he decides to gatecrash his much put upon former Master At Arms and best friend Jimmy Noon's Valentine idea and ends up in the middle of a murder mystery weekend... where real murder is on someone else's script. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a hotel full of potential murderers, the unstoppable duo embark on a series of blundering escapades in an attempt to uncover the Murderous Valentine... The Admiral and Jimmy may be more Laurel and Hardy than Holmes and Watson, but can they catch a murderer...? This humorous cozy mystery short read is the first in The Admiral Shackleford Mysteries.
Kidnapping The Devil
Donald Wells - 2013
When a kidnapper calling himself "Jack" kidnaps seven-year-old Samantha Ryan, Jessica and her husband join forces with the FBI to get her back safely.While Jack is a ruthless killer who has successfully kidnapped children before, he has never abducted anyone like Samantha, who herself is responsible for several murders.Complications arise from the start, and when an overzealous FBI agent forces Jack's hand, the cold-hearted criminal commits a horrific act that enrages Jessica's husband and sends him on a quest to exact a unique style of vengeance.
Artifice
Patrick Gooch - 2018
But an unscrupulous trader in works of art knows their true worth; and exploits the situation, involving Cleverden in his shady activities. A major heist is planned by the trader, which first necessitates the theft of many of Turner`s paintings. These are held to ransom in exchange for priceless artifacts displayed in the British Museum. Once again, Alan Cleverden is unwittingly swept up in this unlawful venture. One word to the authorities, he would most certainly serve time. A pawn in a highly-charged affair, the odds are against him as he tries to free himself from the trader`s clutches; ensure the safety of the Turners; and return to their original owners the paintings acquired by his grandfather during the Second World War. A fast-paced thriller, Artifice is a must read for those who appreciate fine art, and are drawn to mysteries that hold you spellbound to the very last page. Patrick Gooch has enjoyed an interesting and varied career. He studied History of Art, and went on to lecture at the Central School of Art and Design in London. Patrick worked in marketing, travelling throughout Europe and Central and South America. It was while travelling that he began writing. Married with two sons, he lives close to the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. “Absorbing and convincing heist thriller” Kevin McManus, author of 'New Blood'.
Tread
Clayton Lindemuth - 2014
Soon he stumbles onto a packet of photos showing Governor Virginia Rentier lustily paired with three high-ranking women in state government. Though Cinder and the Governor clashed sixteen years before when his wife died in a car accident, Cinder prefers to keep his dislike of Rentier focused on her politics. He's too busy blaming himself for his wife's death, fighting his way back into his son's life, and leading a crew of lazy secessionist misfits to become involved in an intrigue about the Governor's sex partners. But when the bullets fly, Nat asks questions, and learns that his sudden war with the Governor traces back sixteen years. And that the photos were put in his path by a provocateur who knows Nat Cinder's a rough-hewn rebel with enough weaponry cached across Arizona to start a revolution, and that the secret at the bottom of his wife's death will turn him into a powder keg. TREAD is what fans of Clayton Lindemuth's "thrilling, visceral, and unsparing" prose (Publishers Weekly) have been waiting for: a novel that pairs his lean noir voice with the explosive tempo of the modern political thriller.
Shooting to Kill: A Wild West Omnibus
Gordon Landsborough - 2016
QUICK ON THE DRAW Glenister McCreedie was never a lucky man. Imprisoned for a crime he never committed, deserted by the woman he loved and betrayed by his own family. His bad luck seems to be running out when he is released early from prison and finds a job on the railroads. But it doesn’t last long. First he gets into a fight with a man who turns up dead and whilst still on the run, his train is held up by his own brother’s gang. Then he somehow manages to offend the railroad boss’ daughter, the beautiful Elizabeth. With the fates out to get him, Glen has to use all his wits and strength to take control of his own destiny… THE FIGHTING COWBOY Steve Blondel is better known throughout the West as El Cougar – the fighting cowboy. An unbeatable force, he’s winning competitions nationwide and earning a reputation for his skills in the ring. As the first fighting cowboy to come out of the West, Blondel is quickly becoming the one to beat. Huge bets are placed on his success and people travel far and wide to watch him in action. But his career is suddenly interrupted when he learns of the disappearance of his brother, who has mysteriously vanished whilst enroute to a fight. However, it’s not long before Blondel realizes that his brother has been murdered by a gang of vicious train robbers, and his body tossed into the nearby canyon. Blondel vows vengeance, and locates the prime suspects of the attack – the infamous Morton family – who will stop at nothing to get what they want... BATTLE AT BROKEN KNEE Trouble always seems to find Careless O’Connor. But when he comes across a wrecked wagon off a lonely Texan trail, dangerously close to the volatile Mexican border, he has little premonition that this chance encounter will change his life forever. Lying amongst the debris of shattered wagon wheels and dead horses is the woman who will turn Careless’ world upside down. Little did he know the plight of Grace Whitfield, with her blue eyes, blonde curls and fierce desire to avenge the ruthless imprisonment of her brother, was going to lead Careless on many an adventure – both in the harsh desert and in his heart. Battling against terrifying odds, Careless and his crew – the beautiful Grace, brave young Yippee Clay, honest Burt and dastardly Big Mouth – struggle on in their quest for justice. Praise for Gordon Landsborough 'A punchy tale coupled with plenty of action - an engaging read!' - Philip McCormac, bestselling western author 'A must-read collection of western adventures.' – Tom Kasey, bestselling author of Trade Off. Gordon Landsborough (1913-1984) was a publisher, author and bookseller. Writing tales about the exploits of gun-toting cowboys fighting out on the arid sands of the Wild West, Landsborough was himself a pioneer in the English paperback publishing world of the 1950s. He was widely known amongst his peers as the ‘maverick publishing genius’.
Tune Up: The Secrets of Mylin - Book I
Joe Klingler - 2017
Hit and run. By a motorcycle. The victim is an elderly Asian woman. A young witness in a nearby dry cleaner and a truck driver suggest all “accidents” aren’t created equal. Then the Captain drops a new assignment on their desk: an affluent Bay Area lawyer is missing. The man’s wife stomps into their office screaming about a contract she found hidden in the backups of their home computer. A contract with a seven-figure payout, and an incriminating Exhibit A.Following the trail of both the motorcycle rider and the lawyer with Kandy complaining, “We’re homicide detectives, there should be a body,” leads to a vintage motorcycle club called the Ton Up where lips are sealed, a yacht harbor on the coast where riddles run deep, and a midnight roadside confrontation that ends with a splash. As the trails twist they soon find that these people and places have one thing in common:A violist named Mylin. Who plays in an all-female orchestra called The Girls of the Orient. And, unbeknownst to her, is the subject of a fine-art photographer’s latest collection.From San Francisco to Mexico, the treacherous cliffs of the Pacific coast to the desolation of Nevada’s high desert, Tune Up moves like Kandy’s turbocharged Mini through a foggy landscape of false identities, fake romance, and frenzied chases, as Qigiq realizes one picture really can reveal more than 1,000 words.
Semper Fidelis
Johnnie M. Clark - 1988
A machine gunner deep in the Vietnam bush, Shawn fought and won battles with no names, and watched brave friends give the ultimate sacrifice. Death chased him. Rain, leeches, and malaria sapped his strength. And back home in an ungrateful country, right and wrong were decided by what was easiest. Prayer was his last refuge, but it was hardest of all.
The Last Appeal
Bill Blum - 1997
After spending years with a death sentence hanging over his head, Ashbourne knows that his time could nearly be up. For Peter Harrigan, his attorney, in a way this case is the last shot at putting his own life back together. Five years earlier, while preparing Ashbourne's first appeal, Harrigan lost his entire family in a sudden car accident. For Harrigan, it really isn’t just a case. For Harrigan, after putting what little left he had into his work, losing the case would mean losing the final, fragile link to his past. Now when a surprise witness surfaces, Harrigan is not sure whether this new development is a blessing or a curse. His new witness is a master of deception who, at the same time, may hold the proof of Ashbourne's innocence. In Harrigan’s desperation to find the truth and free his client, he will have to plunge into the treacherous corners of California's radical environmental movement. In a final desperate race to lay his ghosts to rest, he will have to team up with a beautiful female investigator. Under the glare of the courtroom, the pressure is mounting as Harrigan has to face his old demons in order to try and finally lay the case to rest, once and for all. Praise for Bill Blum ‘A thrilling legal drama’ – Thomas Waugh Bill Blum is an experienced attorney. Familiar with the ins and outs, and the pitfalls of criminal procedures, he presents a riveting, hard-hitting and authentic legal thriller, one that offers a fascinating insider’s look at the shifting political dynamics within the criminal justice system. Bill Blum has also written for a wide array of publications, including the Los Angeles Times, ABA Journal, The Nation and California Lawyer, hosted a radio talk show, and lectured widely. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and family.