Book picks similar to
Slaughter of Innocents by M.G. Cole


thrillers-mysteries
uk
crime-and-conspiracy
families

Guilt


Michelle Kidd - 2021
    or created?A missing child.A killer on the loose.A past that refuses to die.When a six-year-old boy disappears from a local fair, every parent’s worst nightmare is about to come true.And for Detective Inspector Nicki Hardcastle, twenty-two years after her own nightmare began, the past she thought was buried starts catching up with her – and fast.Leading the hunt for the missing child, Nicki soon finds the chase takes on a personal twist, with her own memories haunting her every move. With time set against them, and a killer following his own chilling agenda, can Nicki and her team stop history from repeating itself? Only time will tell.But it’s time they don’t have.

If They Could See Me Now


Denise Welch - 2016
    Now that her children are close to flying the nest, she is looking across the table and thinking, Is this really how my life was meant to be?As women, we make sacrifices for our children, for our husbands and for our families. Some are worth it and some we may regret. But there comes a point when it's time to follow our own hearts. This is the story of what happens when we do. It probably helped to have been round the block a few times when it came to creating Harper, but I think her story can be enjoyed whoever you are and whatever your age.I hope you'll grow to love her, as I have - and to laugh and cry with her on her journey. Lots of love,Denise xx

The House by the Marsh


William Blyghton - 2017
    Bereft and alone, a small madness fell upon William. Fleeing to his flat in London, he locked himself away and grew a beard. Some months later, whilst reluctantly attending a dinner party, William saw her, and felt that perhaps Providence had plans for him after all. Jennifer, however, saw things differently. Quite by chance, although nothing is by chance, William came to live in Suffolk, in the house by the marsh, and here a sense of ease slowly enveloped him. With each ebbing of the tide, his madness seemed to diminish. And yes, Providence did have other plans for him, plans which set tongues wagging in the village. But some saw the deep sadness that William carried, and they opened their arms to him, challenging preconceptions of love, friendship and community. The House by the Marsh by William Blyghton lays bare the almost taboo subjects of grief, love and hope for men and women in their later years. With humour and compassion the author peels back the defensive layers of apparent competence to reveal a vulnerable humanity, and shows the miraculous effect of Love in all her guises.

Axe to Grind


A.L. Fraine - 2021
    A woman is slaughtered in vicious attack, and left in an abandoned building, handcuffed to a chair. Invited by a former colleague to join a new team in the South of England, DCI Jon Pilgrim takes on the case of the murdered young woman. Partnered with the captivating DS Kate O’Connell, they hunt for the killer. The victims links to the local gangs seems to lead to an open and shut case, but Jon isn’t convinced. The killer seems to be sending a message. But what is it? Just as things seem to be making sense, another body is found in a similar state.This victim seems unrelated to the first, but it’s clearly the same killer.Jon must deal with gang bosses, jealous partners, and come to terms with his own tragic past to find the killer before the death toll rises.But as things escalate, Jon fears the past is about to repeat itself, and tear him apart.

Buried Secrets


Oliver Davies - 2020
    A bloody scarf, a criminal father, and an ancient castle mark the trail, and before Callum knows it, that simple missing persons case turns into a deadly web of greed and lies.Can MacBain cut through it all in time to save the child's life? And, if so, what will be the cost?

Eyes of the Wicked


Adam J. Wright - 2020
    The police are shocked to discover that she’s a missing schoolgirl they’ve trying to find for the past three weeks. Traumatised by her ordeal, she’s unable to tell them what happened to her. A woman’s body is found crucified in a barn on the Yorkshire Moors. Evidence found at the crime scene links her to the schoolgirl. Hot on the heels of a commendation for her work on a serial killer case, Detective Inspector Danica Summers is invited to join an elite task force specialising in the investigation of high-profile crimes. Concerned that she’s only been invited because she’s good PR, Dani is desperate to prove that she’s worthy of her place on the team. When the case involving the missing schoolgirl and the murdered woman is taken on by the newly-formed Murder Force, Dani is touched by the vulnerability of the victims and is determined to capture the monster who ruined their lives.Her search for justice will take her to the heart of darkness.The Murder Force series by bestselling author Adam J. Wright will delight fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Joy Ellis, Mark Dawson, and readers of fast-paced mystery thrillers and police procedurals.

Evil in Mind


Trevor Negus - 2021
    One deadly obsession.Nottinghamshire, 1984. Jimmy Wade is pure evil - he first killed at the age of eleven and lately he’s been feeling those urges again. And now he finds an unlikely partner in psychopathic police sergeant Mick Reynolds.Against the background of a bitter, acrimonious strike called by the National Union of Mineworkers, the two embark on a horrific killing spree, Wade's natural cunning and Reynolds' knowledge of forensics and police procedure allowing them to stay one step ahead of the law.DI Danny Flint is tasked with investigating the series of brutal murders and so begins a deadly game of cat and mouse. The killers revel in playing mind games, confident they will never be caught.Then, as he slowly closes in on them, Danny discovers that someone he cares about is in terrible danger…Evil in Mind – the first in a gripping new detective series featuring DI Danny Flint.

The Silent Man


J.D. Weston - 2020
    The case will make or break him. The faces of the victims haunt his every waking moment. But now, at last, he has the killer in custody.However, with harassment charges against him and a lack of substantial evidence, Myers is forced to let the killer walk free – a move that will push him to the very edge of sanity.Harvey Stone is a man of few words. As the adopted son of a wealthy businessman, his needs are few and his deadly skills are plenty.But when Harvey’s guard is down and a member of his family is killed, Harvey is given an ultimatum: find the killer, or never return.With two desperate men seeking the same killer, their paths must surely cross. But following a roller-coaster ride of murder and lies, only one man can prevail. The question is, who has more to lose?Set at the turn of the century on the edge of East London, where the gritty suburbs meet the rolling countryside, this British detective novel is a breath-taking blend of suspense, action, and mystery with a dark edge that will keep you awake for nights on end.The Silent Man is the first book in the brand-new British crime thriller series from award-winning crime writer J.D. Weston, author of the Stone Cold Thriller series and the Frankie Black Files.The Harvey Stone series is perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Lee Child, James Patterson, and Michael Connelly.

Corn Dolls


K.T. Galloway - 2021
    Snatched from her home during a game of hide and seek. Left behind in her place is a doll crudely twisted from stalks of corn.Psychotherapist Annie O’Malley thought she’d left the police force forever. The trouble is she thinks she knows the identity of the killer, and she’s the only one who can hunt him down before it’s too late.O’Malley is drawn back to a world she thought she’d escaped, to a case where every turn reminds her of her childhood and her missing sister. When she’s partnered with DI Joe Swift, a man with more ghosts than people in his past, O’Malley has to make the hardest decision of her life.Save a stranger. Or save herself.The first in the Annie O'Malley Thriller series is perfect for fans of Alex Smith, JD Kirk, and J.E. Mayhew.

Nine Lives


Anita Waller - 2021
    The police realise this new death is linked to a spate of cold case murders and the killer is back. Five years earlier, four young women were found murdered, their bodies left in woody areas, and the new victim shares similar hallmarks. But why did the killer stop killing for all that time and what has inspired them to start again? As more young women fall victim to a vicious and calculating murderer, Erica and Beth find themselves chasing their tails. But when a witness is identified the case takes an unexpected and macabre turn. Can Erica and Beth bring the killer to justice, or will this case prove too much?

The Cove


Gregg Dunnett - 2021
    But before she can arrest him, a mistake sends the case careering off the rails.And then the pandemic hits.Six world-changing months later, and Christine Harvey has been widowed by the disease. She decides to build a new life for her children on the Dorset coast, buying a stunning clifftop property.But no one tells her the house is right next door to where the murdered girl lived. And nobody warns her that the girl’s father – who still lives there – was very much a suspect in the case before it collapsed.Christine tries to commit to her fresh start. But the increasingly unsettling behaviour of her new neighbour leads her to speculate on what really happened on that dark, winter night.She soon realises her own children are in terrible danger, but with nowhere else to go, and the case officially closed, the only person who can help is the detective who blew up so spectacularly in the first place.Together they must unmask a calculating and merciless killer, before he strikes again.And if they fail, Christine’s daughter will be the next child lying dead in the cove.

Tomorrow's Path


Anna Jacobs - 2016
    But, some months later, many thousands of miles away in Western Australia, Jessica’s path is destined to cross with Jivan’s once more – and she begins to see a different side to this talented yet reserved and private man. For his part, Jivan finds himself increasingly drawn to the unpretentious Jessica, and impressed by her single-minded determination to follow her dreams of becoming a successful writer. But following a bitter divorce, Jivan has vowed never to get romantically involved with a woman again. Can Jessica break down his emotional barriers? What’s more, Jivan’s vengeful ex-wife is determined to stop him embarking on a new relationship – and is prepared to go to any lengths to achieve her aim.

The Girl I Used to Be


J.A. Baker - 2020
    She and her partner Wade appear to have the perfect life, but after receiving a series of threatening letters, her life takes a sinister turn.Stella is forced to examine her past to find out who is behind the letters. All evidence points to a man with whom she had a one-night stand.Deciding to confront him, Stella soon discovers he is not the one responsible and must delve deeper into her past.After a visit to her estranged alcoholic mother, Stella is forced to look even closer to home.Meanwhile, the threats escalate.But who is behind the campaign of hate and why?Stella is about to find out...

Some Particular Evil


Vera Morris - 2016
    ASIN: B01LY2X5X3 taken from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...**Who killed Susan Nicholson?Laurel Bowman has started a new life as a teacher on the isolated Suffolk coast while she tries to get over the murder of her sister. But it seems she cannot escape from death. Laurel is shocked to find that the headmaster's wife has been killed, and all the school staff are suspects. The detective in charge, idiosyncratic DI Frank Diamond, was involved in her sister's case. Together they start to unravel the truth. Soon the murderer strikes again and Laurel must fight, not just for justice, but for her life.

Love For The Lost


Catherine Fox - 2000
    Finally, the experiences of loss which have haunted her psyche since childhood manifest themselves physically when she discovers the washed-up body of a child on the beach. It vanishes with the next wave - did she imagine it?