Book picks similar to
Amsterdam Rampant by Neil Cocker


fiction
urban-fiction
abandoned
contemporary

Yatrik


Arnab Ray - 2014
    But you have died.’Anushtup Chatterjee is thirty-two years old.He hates his mother. His job is a dead end. And his girlfriend has left him.Then one silent moonlit night, he wakes up in a deserted field in the middle of nowhere, with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. His wallet is gone. So is his cell phone.He is not alone though.There is another man there, a stranger with a gentle voice and a humble mustache, who has something rather unbelievable to say to him.That he, Anushtup Chatterjee, has already died.Mysterious and achingly poignant, Arnab Ray’s Yatrik is a story about hope and aspiration, love and regret, of the choices we make and those that life makes for us.

Governor's Road: A Novel of Southern Proportions


Laurie Byrne Smith - 2012
    This beautifully written book will keep you up all night. There are plenty of clues and there are a lot of hints, but even when you put them all together, it will be close to impossible to puzzle your way to the ending. If you are looking for a book, you can't put down, then Governor's Road is just right for you. Excitement, frisky loving, a mystery of epic proportions and traditional southern pathos make this book a fun and rewarding read. The terrorized children of Governor’s Road grew up without resolution or closure to the most devastating event of their young lives. Their friend, a child their age, disappeared one afternoon and somehow, they never seem to learn what happened. Saddened parents decide to protect their children and the obvious fear recedes in the face of the calm that settles back over the neighborhood. But, fear never really disappears until it's confronted. As adults, JoBeth and Billy set out to discover what happened to little Petey Shiner. The answer brings them to conclusion that there is no perfect childhood, even in a perfect town in a perfect decade. Every town hides its secrets and puts on a good face, even at the expense of its residents. Along the way, JoBeth and Billy discover love and romance. Their kindling of love takes you to places you can only want to return to…and their future makes you happy. It’s their past that is so hard to reconcile. As well as a lot of fun, a dark mystery and hot southern romance, JoBeth and her friends also encounter the harsh reality of Alzheimer’s and aging. Sometimes, a loved one can be lost more than once. The malevolent specter of mental illness surfaces when the reader meets Lucius Sifer and begins to understand the unusual existence the boy leads. The ending is grim but satisfies that need everyone has for justice. The most humble people can achieve heroism without fanfare or acknowledgment. As always, enjoy your adventure into the south...and remember, thoughtful book reviews are welcomed with open arms. Please see Observations of a Transplanted Southern Belle for more of Laurie Byrne Smith's work.

Sanctuary


Donna Ball - 1991
    Legend has it that their home is built on holy ground. Other legends tell of hideous beasts that roam the mountainside, Yeti-like creatures so terrifying that no one has ever dared disturb their sanctuary… until now.First there are random acts of vandalism, then small pets begin to disappear, and then men go into the woods and don’t come back. When Christy’s nightmares begin to suggest that she can actually communicate with the creatures who are wreaking such havoc on their small and vulnerable community, Laura is terrified. Because Christy’s dreams tell her that the monsters are coming for her next.And she is right.Sanctuary is a suspense-filled tale of love, courage and redemption that will take you in its grip from the first page and leave you breathless by the last. Because sometimes the real monsters are the ones you can’t escape, no matter how far you run.

I am a home to butterflies


J. Alchem - 2018
    It will then be about them only. It will be all about the one they loved like thunder, about the one they struggled hard to keep, about the one who had left them in the middle of their 'forever', about their world shattering into pieces, about them gluing together every piece, and about them falling in love one more time.And if you still think it is about you and me, you haven't loved someone like thunder, yet.

5ive Speed


Charley Warady - 2011
    Time to move up.When Donald was a kid in the late 60's on the South Side of Chicago, he had a Schwinn Sting Ray bike. Everyone did. But everyone else had a five-speed. Donald's was a three-speed. It was good enough, as was explained by his parents, just as their Ford Maverick wasn't the neighbor's Le Mans, but it was good enough. And that's the way Donald was taught to live his life. It was a three-speed life. It was good enough. He marries Emily because she's good enough. Emily marries Donald because that's what she had planned, and she is not going to experience divorce as did her parents. Donald opens a law practice with his two best friends and roommates from college because it's good enough.Then the Roths meet their son's future in-laws and everything changes. Donald wonders if, in fact, he could get that five-speed.In this hilarious and thought-provoking novel, the whole concept of morals and convention is turned inside out. Everything is perception. If you like Richard Russo, Tom Perotta, and Jonathan Franzen, you're going to love this book.

Face Of Our Father


G. Egore Pitir - 2014
    After winning the 2015 Best Indie Book Award for Action/Adventure and receiving the B.R.A.G. Medallion, FACE OF OUR FATHER was just awarded the Bronze Medal for Popular Fiction by the 2016 eLit Awards. This novel has it all. One part "The Bourne Identity," one part "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," and one part "The Notebook," this poignant tale leaves the reader haunted by its characters long after the novel's final page has turned. Stuart and Angela Pierce, like many disillusioned careerists, are busy reinventing their lives. Stu reduces his airline flying schedule to train for triathlons, while Angie escapes the daily horrors of a prosecutor’s job to pursue pro bono work. But death threats soon prove that the only thing Angie escaped was the protective arm of the District Attorney’s office. With a graphic photo of a ritual stoning Stu’s only tangible clue, he sets out to protect a wife who refuses to protect herself. Obsessed with catching a murdering rapist, Angie plunges them both into a web of global intrigue. But who, indeed what, is the real enemy? Honor. Love. Life. All are at stake as the Pierces struggle to uncover the truth, both the enemy’s, and their own. Sometimes the biggest enemy can be the one right next to you… FACE OF OUR FATHER is too literary to be a thriller, yet too thrilling to put down—a unique blend of action and intimacy—a thriller with a soul. How often does fiction change how we define integrity, prejudice, and evil? To get at all that, a novel needs a rollercoaster of a plot coupled with an acute understanding of identity, love, and where these intersect. Test your beliefs. Read it.

Cheese Tarts & Fluffy Socks


Nikki Ashton - 2016
    A hotel badly in need of investment, a young entrepreneur has been sent in to decide if it’s a good investment, but the daughter of the owner is…well…you get the picture. Darrington Hall hotel is barely keeping afloat, and it's up to Holly Jenkins to save it. Jumping from one crisis to another, dealing with an errant father, irate guests and enduring some highly charged professional differences with the man that Holly can't get out of her head, and it looks certain that she will fail. Against the backdrop of a crumbling hotel, Cheese Tarts and Fluffy socks is a great read with funny and witty dialogue. Interspersed with some dramatic moments is a complex, fun and sexy love story that will make you smile and give you a warm glow. PLEASE NOTE: This book contains some mild sex scenes and moderately bad language.

Chaos In The Blink Of An Eye: Part Six: The Sealing


Patrick Higgins - 2019
     In retaliation for their actions, Salvador Romanero orderedthree Muslims killed for every life they took, and a thousand Muslims for everypregnant woman killed. Islamic mosques, universities, and religious trainingcenters were set ablaze by fire. Anyone found inside those buildings wereordered outside then killed by firing squad. This was only the beginning... Soon after the attack, Air Force One was blown out of the sky,as part of a coordinated attempt to strip President Jefferson Danforth of hispower. Only the President wasn't on board the plane with the First Lady, whenan on board explosion brought the aircraft down in a field somewhere inKansas--it was one of the President's body doubles. Now living in hiding, as Vice President Everett Ashford wasabout to be sworn in as the next Commander-in-Chief, Jefferson Danforth wasdoing all he could to fulfill the promise he made to supply the End TimesSalvation Movement with all the resources they would need. Without them, survival would be impossible... But before Ashford could even take the oath to become America'snext President, a new wave of chaos rocked the nation, plunging much of thecountry into darkness. Soon after that, the situation took another tragic turnfor the worse, leaving the new President immobilized, and rendering the UnitedStates, and Jefferson Danforth, completely powerless. With America now ripe for the taking, Salvador Romanero's goalof achieving a one world economical and religious system was one huge stepcloser to being realized. But for his ultimate goal to come to fruition, whichwas nothing short of global worship, those who would never submit to him neededto be wiped off the face of the earth. With nearly a billion Muslims gone, it was time for Romanero toshift his focus onto born-again Christians. After them, the Jews would end upin his cross hairs... But knowing the Most High God would soon place His seal on theforeheads of His 144,000 chosen servants, and send them out to evangelize theworld for the One they were forbidden, as practicing Jews, from reading aboutall their lives--Yeshua HaMashiach--meant Romanero's desire for globaladoration would not come easy...  WARNING: Please be advised that this installment is quitegraphic at times, due to the fact that Christians are being imprisoned andtortured. But this should come as no surprise to all who profess faith inChrist Jesus. The persecuted Church has faced similar types of torture (andeven worse) from the days of Jesus until this present age, and will onlycontinue until Christ returns for His people...

A Brave Day for Harold Brown


Mishana Khot
    Brown wants is a nice cup of tea and a peaceful evening with his cat on his knee. He’s too old for love and adventure. Or so he thinks. This morning when Harold Brown woke up, it seemed like a normal day. Why would a 50-year old man feel anything about a circus coming to the quiet town of Limberlost? But BonBon Circus has brought a Bengal tiger, and Harold’s never seen a tiger before. When he decides to disrupt his routine to visit the circus, it sets in motion a few other changes, all leading up to one thrilling day. Will Mr. Brown’s life ever be the same again?

What Happened to Rachel? (The Anglesey Murders Book 6)


Conrad Jones - 2020
    

The Glassblower's Apprentice


Peter Pezzelli - 2013
    Fabio Terranova is a brilliant dancer. Young, handsome, and enormously talented he is desperate to leave his little hometown in the mountains of central Italy. With dreams of one day making his mark on Broadway and Hollywood, he has made plans to travel to Milan to enter a dance competition he hopes will be his springboard to fame and fortune in America. All is set until the eve of his departure when a night of wild celebration with his friends ends in tragedy. Left broken in body and spirit, his dreams of dancing shattered by the events of that night, Fabio descends into bitter darkness. Fearing for her son, his mother, Liliana, makes a fateful decision. She sends Fabio across the ocean to live with her uncle, Rick Vitale, who runs a small glassmaking operation in a quaint New England village. Rick lives in solitude, his own reasons for abandoning Italy years earlier long shrouded in mystery. He takes Fabio in and sets about teaching him the art of glassblowing. Relentlessly driven, ever laboring by the searing heat of the furnace, Fabio learns to create dazzling works of glass. The endless hours of toil, however, provide him no solace and he remains tormented by the past, a past he can't bear to face. Now, with the days growing short and the darkness of winter closing in, it is up to Rick to show his nephew the way back to the light. But it is a long journey through the deepest chambers of the heart, one that Fabio must ultimately make on his own if he is to learn that the best days of his life may yet lie ahead...

The Big Book of Dumb White Husband


Benjamin Wallace - 2012
    He's confronted the HOA. He's even taken on Santa himself. He doesn't usually win. These are the tales of the Dumb White Husband and they are all available here in this collected edition.This handsome volume includes:Dumb White Husband vs. the Grocery Store - John would rather sit and watch the game, but his wife needs some things at the store. Can he complete the list and get back in time to see the end of the game?Dumb White Husband vs. Halloween - Every Halloween, Chris has the scariest house on the block and gives out the best candy. But, this year, someone is showing him up and he'll stop at nothing to find out who.Dumb White Husband vs. Santa - Erik has planned the perfect Christmas for his family. The plan is foolproof, bulletproof and flame retardant. Nothing can undo the hours of planning and preparation. Nothing except maybe odd-shaped packages, ill-timed fruitcakes or an errant neighborhood Santa Claus.Dumb White Husband vs. the Tooth Fairy - Erik always has a plan and he's sure he would have figured out the whole Tooth Fairy thing eventually. But, when his three-year-old son takes a frisbee to the mouth, he's forced to speed things up. Between neighborhood kids with big mouths and unhelpful dentists he's going to need to improvise. Will he bend to the pressure of inflation? Will he get caught in the act? And, what do you do with those teeth anyway?Dumb White Husband for President (A novella) - There comes a time in every man's life when he must stand for the things he believes in. John doesn't believe in bagging his grass. So, when a new allergy-prone neighbor gets the HOA to require it, there's only one thing he can do - run for President of The Creeks of Sage Valley Phase II.John, Chris and Erik put aside most of their differences to run a campaign that they hope will see John elected as President and end the meddling of the rule-loving new kid on the block. Will they succeed? It's doubtful.

Buyout


Ray Green - 2013
    But it quickly becomes clear that nothing is as easy as it seems. The bid is quickly undercut as twisted corporate politics and personal vendettas take over. When the buyout becomes all or nothing for the management buyout team, it all spins out of control: marriages fall apart, dark secrets are discovered, life savings are spent on the stock market, illegal insider dealing becomes a matter of fact and blackmail, theft, betrayal and manipulation are the new rules of the game. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity turns into a lurid nightmare. Buyout is a gripping and compulsive page-turner about the power of money to unveil the deepest in human nature. It's also a story about chasing one extraordinary dream. At an extraordinary price. financial thrillers series, legal thrillers best sellers, blackmailed, corruption series, business thriller, financial thrillers, legal thrillers series

A Pair of Second Chances (Ben Jensen Series)


Brian Gore - 2011
    He is increasingly adrift in a modern world into which, more and more, he doesn't seem to fit. The sorrows and losses that have scarred his life and crushed his soul are close to taking what's left of the ranch and home his Grandfathers built. His self respect and his life are circling the drain when fate drops him into the path of Amanda Blake, a desperate young woman, and her son. The girl is struggling to escape a life of brutal slavery and give her son the chance at a decent life. Acting out of the habits of a long and un-gentle life, Ben finds he is unable to walk away from that life and death struggle of a helpless woman and her son. For him, there are no options. The Honor and Values of his ancestors, and everything he is demand, he must help. Along the way he discovers that there is indeed life and Love left in his heart, and a reason for fresh hope. As they struggle to survive, the idea begins to form that though they might be an unlikely pair; his need for her is as great as her need for him. Together, they find the courage to create for each other, A Pair of Second Chances.

The Real Hoodwives of Detroit


India - 2012
    Sometimes referred to as the Murder Capital for the huge murder rate that never ceases to surprise us, The Murder Mitten, or The Dirty Glove for the state’s shape on the U.S. map. Detroit is home to many; scholars, rappers, athletes, parents, and concerned citizens, but the streets belong to those in the underworld; addicts, dealers, and the women who help run the show from behind the scenes…The Real Hoodwives of Detroit! No! You won’t see these ladies on any television show, but you will see them make appearances in court for their mans’ hearing, or at the county jail on visiting day. You might even catch them riding shotgun, with a nine tucked in their Fendi bag…waiting to pop off and protect their men at any cost. And of course, they make appearances in the hood, twenty-four seven…three hundred and sixty-five days of the year! Follow Nikki, Tonya, Chloe, Mina, and Gucci as they ride you through Detroit, one city-block at a time. Watch as the tales of the black and dangerous unfold right before your eyes. In Detroit, only the raw and real survive - living to see another day. These streets are known for breaking the weak and leaving them helpless, they aren’t made for everybody! Scared? You should be….WELCOME TO DETROIT!