Book picks similar to
A Bad, Bad Thing by V.J. Chambers


mystery
psychological-thrillers
crime-passion
guilty-pleasure

The Girl Before


Rena Olsen - 2016
    . . wasn’t? Clara Lawson is torn from her life in an instant. Without warning, her home is invaded by armed men, and she finds herself separated from her beloved husband and daughters. The last thing her husband yells to her is to say nothing. In chapters that alternate between past and present, the novel slowly unpeels the layers of Clara’s fractured life. We see her growing up, raised with her sisters by the stern Mama and Papa G, becoming a poised and educated young woman, falling desperately in love with the forbidden son of her adoptive parents. We see her now, sequestered in an institution, questioned by men and women who call her a different name—Diana—and who accuse her husband of unspeakable crimes. As recollections of her past collide with new revelations, Clara must question everything she thought she knew, to come to terms with the truth of her history and to summon the strength to navigate her future.

The Tenth Nail


Kwen D. Griffeth - 2014
    This wasn’t Nate’s first homicide; it wasn’t even the first murder of a prostitute that he’d investigated. But, this one bothered him. Maybe it was her youth; she appeared to be in her early twenties. Maybe it was her looks, as death had yet to rob her of her beauty. Maybe she reminded him of his daughter, Lizzie, who was only a few years younger. Maybe it was something else entirely. ˃˃˃ A Gritty, Riveting Thriller With little to no evidence and only vague descriptions to go on, Nate and his partner Manny Trujillo are determined to seek the truth, no matter where that journey leads them. The story moves first in one direction, and then in another. The ending? You’ll never see that coming.Very well-written, enthralling and impossible to put down, The Tenth Nail is a thriller you won’t forget. Scroll Up And Grab Your Copy Today!

The Liar's Child


Sheryl Browne - 2021
    With the same heart-shaped face, long brown hair and dark eyes, the two girls look identical. In fact, they look like sisters.Is the secret I’ve been holding on to for so long about to be revealed?That night, I cuddle Poppy even harder, desperately trying to decide what to do. And then my husband’s phone vibrates. A message. And then another. And another. All from a number I don’t recognise.Is someone going to tell my husband what I did? Could I be about to lose everything I have worked so hard to protect?But I’ve spent so long hiding the truth, I never stopped to wonder if I was the only liar in the family… The only thing I’m sure of is that nobody is going to take my child away from me.If you can’t get enough of addictive psychological thrillers like Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Marriage, you’ll love The Liar’s Child. With nail-biting suspense and an ending that will make your heart pound, this is one book you simply won’t be able to put down.

Maggie


Netta Newbound - 2017
    When sixteen-year-old Maggie Simms’ mum loses her battle with cancer, the only family she has left is her abusive stepfather, Kenny.Horrified to discover he intends to continue his nightly abuse, Maggie is driven to put a stop to him once and for all.However, she finds her troubles are only just beginning when several of her closest allies are killed.Although nothing seems to be linking the deaths, Maggie believes she is jinxed.Why are the people she cares about being targeted?And who is really behind the murders? Sometimes the truth is closer than you think.

Her Greatest Mistake


Sarah Simpson - 2018
    which has become the perfect lie. Gone is the charming, attentive Gregg - instead Eve wakes up each morning beside a manipulative and sinister man who controls his wife's every move. So Eve flees her immaculate marital home to keep herself, and young son Jack safe. Yet no matter how careful she has been, she knows Gregg will be relentless in his pursuit of his missing family. And that one day, when she's least expecting it, he will find them... What was Eve's greatest mistake? Marrying Gregg? Leaving him? Or leaving him alive...?

The Last Girl


Nick Twist - 2018
    Impossible to put down. A most original ending.After surviving a plane crash, June West surrenders to a shallow existence of a life without memories--without purpose. She is stuck in a hospital where she is taken care of and told what to do with the rest of her life. But how come she has no relatives? No family, children or friends? Hell, she isn't even sure her name is June West. Slowly, her grasp on the world starts slipping. She hears baby cries every night. She eavesdrops the nurses talk about the last girl. Then she receives a note from under the door: you have twenty four hours to save your daughter or they will kill her."★★★★★ Intriguing, puzzling, curiouser and curiouser.." ~ M. J. Smith - AmazonTop Reviewer"★★★★★ Put [Nick Twist]'s book into the hands of the right director and Hollywood could make a most intriguing film. " ~ Diana F. Von Behren Amazon Top Reviewer"★★★★★[He] has a voice and style that set him apart from other novelists... in its originality." ~ Grady Harp - Amazon Top Reviewer"★★★★★ It is doubtful that even that most seasoned mystery reader will guess the answers. This book is the work of a genius." ~ BeatleBangs1964 Top Reviewer"★★★★★ Nothing is as it seems and the plots twists keep you riveted to the end.." ~ Martin A Hogan Amazon Top Reviewer

The Wife's Secret


Kerry Wilkinson - 2018
     Fifteen years later, Charley is marrying Seth Chambers. It should be the happiest day of their lives, a chance for Charley to put her past behind her, but just hours after the ceremony, she is missing. No one saw her leave. No one knows where she is. One thing is for certain…Seth is about to discover he doesn’t really know the woman he just married. And his nightmare is only just beginning. A totally gripping psychological thriller that will keep you reading until the very last jaw-dropping twist.

The Butterfly Garden


Dot Hutchison - 2016
    Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding...

Sour Candy


Kealan Patrick Burke - 2015
    They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat together overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to set his own bedtimes and eat candy whenever he wants. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined.What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.

A Fool's Circle


Suzanne Seddon - 2019
    If it wasn't for her best friend Jill Reynolds, she would have taken the suicide option a long time ago.As she desperately seeks a way to escape, she is contacted by a solicitor. Kate's old aunt has died and she has been left a small fortune.For the first time, she sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She dreams of a fresh start, a new home, a new life. What Kate doesn't know is that Jill and Alan have their own secrets, and are both desperate to get their hands on her money.Kate soon finds herself falling for the charms of Jonathon Jacobs in what she believes to be fate finally intervening and offering her a second chance, unaware that each move he makes has been directed, orchestrated and well-rehearsed as he begs her to leave her husband Alan.But is it all too late, as she finds herself in the frame for murder

Rotten Apple


Natasha A. Salnikova - 2012
    He has his own advertising company, a few girlfriends and a perfect wife, who is so naïve she doesn’t even notice her husband’s multiple affairs. But, one day, Alexander meets Karen. The woman is five years older than he and she wants to marry Alexander instead of letting him go, as others did. She doesn't want to give up; she wants Alexander to belong to her and only her. Alexander finds a reason for leaving that he thinks is good enough for Karen – his wife is pregnant. He obviously can’t leave her now (except she’s not). He hopes it will bring them to the finale of the relationship. He just doesn’t know how far a woman in love can go, a woman who was betrayed. When Karen finds out that Alexander wants to break off their relationship she doesn’t step back, but takes the reins of fate into her own hands. She decides to fight for her love no matter what the consequences. But everything turns out differently than she had expected and she becomes a marionette in somebody else’s game.The book was originally published in Russian in 2011, becoming an instant hit. This is translated and adapted version for English speaking readers. Enjoy!

Beside Myself


Ann Morgan - 2016
    At first it is just a game, but then Ellie refuses to swap back. Forced into her new identity, Helen develops a host of behavioural problems, delinquency and chronic instability. With their lives diverging sharply, one twin headed for stardom and the other locked in a spiral of addiction and mental illness, how will the deception ever be uncovered? Exploring questions of identity, selfhood, and how other people's expectations affect human behaviour, this novel is as gripping as it is psychologically complex.

Do Not Disturb


Freida McFadden - 2021
    She leaves behind her home, her job, and her family. She grabs her passport and heads for the northern border before the police can discover what she’s done.But when an unexpected snowstorm forces her off the road, Quinn must take refuge at the broken-down, isolated Baxter Motel. The handsome and kindly owner, Nick Baxter, is only too happy to offer her a cheap room for the night.Unfortunately, the Baxter Motel isn’t the quiet, safe haven it seemed to be. The motel has a dark and disturbing past. And in the dilapidated house across the way, the silhouette of Nick's ailing wife is always at the window. Always watching.In the morning, Quinn must leave the motel. She'll pack up her belongings and get back on the road to freedom.But first, she must survive the night.Do Not Disturb is a Hitchcock-style psychological thriller that will keep you tearing through the pages until you reach the shocking conclusion!

The Secret Girl


C.M. Stunich - 2019
     The sinfully gorgeous members of the Student Council—Church, Ranger, Spencer, Micah and Tobias—can't ever find out. I already get picked on because my father's the headmaster. I don't need them to know I’m the only girl, too; I’d rather dress like a boy. Adamson All-Boys Academy now has its only female student, but I'm not about to be their guinea pig. Not when there's a secret at this school nobody is talking about. Not when the last female student here ended up dead. ***THE SECRET GIRL is a 90,000 word lighthearted reverse harem/high school bully romance novel with a mystery/suspense twist. This is book one of three in the series. Contains foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual.

Right Next Door


Leah Montgomery - 2019
    When the two meet the couple next door, they think they’ve struck neighbor gold. Jill and Marcy become fast friends, but It isn’t until Marcy receives an ominous letter that she begins to suspect Jill’s husband, Mark of hiding something. Something dark. Something violent. Shannon Vogle was the victim of an elaborate kidnapping. After being set free, she becomes obsessed with finding the man who took her. Who tortured her. Who changed her. Both women want answers. Both are determined to get them. Neither is prepared for what she will find.