Book picks similar to
Pandora Driver: The Origin by John Picha
dieselpunk
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noir
pulp-noir
Not My Thing
James Hadley Chase - 1983
He has amassed millions and now wants someone to pass them on to, the next in the family line. But he has no heir as his wife has been unable to have children. Refusing to let this stand in his way, Jamison pleads for a divorce but his wife, a devout Catholic, refuses to give into his demands. If she will not agree, she will have to be removed. Jamison hires a professional killer to do the deed but this is only the beginning of a thrilling and electrifying story of revenge, betrayal and murder.
Kingdom of Heroes
Jay Phillips - 2013
Suddenly, there were people with super strength and speed, people who could read minds, people who could teleport themselves from place to place with but a single thought. Several of these people joined together to form The Seven, the most powerful group of supers the world had ever known. Led by the enigmatic Agent America, The Seven kept the country safe from threats both foreign and internal. That is until the United States government decided the threat of the supers outweighed any protection they could offer. After a war between the super powered and the normals (as non-powered humans are now referred), The Seven have placed themselves as the nation’s rulers, controlling the country through fear and intimidation. But now, someone or something is murdering The Seven one-by-one, single handedly attempting to make them pay for all of the sins they have committed. To stop a killer, The Seven turn to a man who hates them as much as anyone. An imprisoned man known only as The Detective finds himself in the unenviable position of helping the people he despises in exchange for his freedom.
The Squirrel that Dreamt of Madness
Craig Stone
Miserable at his day job, he decided to take a leap of faith. His path to success was all or nothing, victory or death.He quit his job and dropped out of the white-collar world with all its trappings and amenities. Unemployed, he had to give up his residence. With a sleeping bag and a sackful of clothes he headed to Northwest London's Gladstone Park, settling in among the homeless, transients, dog walkers and the occasional irritated park worker. His only solace, an A4 notepad and a pen.Like the author, the main character Colossus Sosloss also quits his job, becomes homeless and sleeps in the park. Colossus observes the other homeless who reside at the park. Many of them with treatable or controllable mental illness but, in the post-Margaret Thatcher England, such individuals are human refuse. Dumped into society to fend for themselves and spiral downward amongst the neatly-trimmed hedges and glistening, manicured lawn of the sprawling public space.The character's travails are reminiscent of a Lewis Carroll-type adventure with subtle Dickensian undertones. Which include a lost parrot and an unfortunate man named Squirrel. We follow Colossus on his journey to the edge of sanity, with humorous interjections and clever idioms. A hero's quest, that inevitably ends with subterfuge, realization and reflection.Today, no longer homeless, Craig Stone is probably one of the most promising young writers to grace the indie and self-publishing world. Though at 31, Stone is a surprisingly mature author who transcends the generations. His literary work is suitable for the very young and for those who have lived an interesting life.The Squirrel That Dreamt Of Madness is an imaginative tale that can only come from a brilliant, albeit delightfully demented, mind. Stone mixes humour with the cold, stark reality of life. Everything and everyone, is a metaphor for something either sinister or truthful. Gifted students may soon find this book on their required reading list for their advanced High School contemporary literature class.The author does not have a long laundry list of writers who inspired him, though he definitely channels some Steinbeckian qualities (the novel was written during the height of the Great Recession) and J.D. Salinger's, The Catcher in the Rye.Like Hemingway who retreated to the wild and lawless pre-Castro Cuba to pen his magnum opus The Old Man and the Sea, Stone chose to immerse himself in a colder and wetter climate to experience what his character had to endure. The old adage, you write what you know, still rings resonantly true. Stone certainly writes what he knows, and writes it exceptionally well." --http://enovelreviews.com/thesquirrelt...Interview with the BBC: http://bit.ly/BBCComedyCafeInformation on the Dundee Book Prize:http://www.dundeebookprize.com/http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/?p=51086You can find Craig Stone here:Twitter: https://twitter.com/robolollycopWebsite: www.thoughtscratchings.comA NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR...The simple truth is, I will get nowhere without your help. I need readers to read The Squirrel that Dreamt of Madness, so if you are looking for a book to read, or wanting to try a new author, please try me.It would mean the world if you did.Thank You.Craig.
Fake I.D. (Hard Case Crime #56)
Jason Starr - 2000
Published for the first time in the United States, this gritty novel tells the story of a bar bouncer who needs to pony up $10,000 to buy into a horse racing syndicate and will stop at nothing to get it--not robbery, not even murder.
The Hunter
Richard Stark - 1962
The thriller that introduces Parker. “A brilliant invention”. Played by Lee Marvin in the John Boorman movie. “The funnies call it the syndicate. The goons and hustlers call it the Outfit. You call it the Organization. But I don’t care if you call yourselves the Red Cross, you owe me forty-five thousand dollars and you’ll pay me back whether you like it or not.”This novel was originally titled The Hunter, later retitled Point Blank because of the movie, later retitled Payback because of the other movie.
Bonita
D.W. Ulsterman - 2014
politico Frank Bennington finds himself out of a job, recovering from a heart attack, and wondering what the hell he’s supposed to do next. Then a phone call from a long ago acquaintance gives Frank an opportunity to use his particular brand of talents and insights to reveal a cover-up with global implications. It is a scandal involving powerful and influential figures who wish for the truth to remain hidden, and the lie to continue to be perpetrated, for it is a lie worth TRILLIONS of dollars to those who control its message. In Frank Bennington’s new world of private investigations, dead men tell no truths, and that is exactly what his enemies hope to make of him. "Bennington P.I. “Bonita” is the much anticipated follow up to D.W. Ulsterman’s novel, "The Second Oldest Profession".
Hawkeye: Blindspot
Jim McCann - 2011
To move forward with his new life, he must first reexamine how it all began. An all-new era for the Avenging Archer begins here as writer Jim McCann (WIDOWMAKER, Return of the Dapper Men) brings you a Clint Barton you've never seen before! Plus: a classic tale of marksmanship as Hawkeye faces off against Batroc, Oddball and the Taskmaster! Collecting HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #1-4 and HAWKEYE: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST MARKSMAN.
Curse of the Phoenix (The Arcane Irregulars Book 1)
Dan Willis - 2021
When one of his officers calls him out to an unusual crime scene, Danny realizes that it’s terrifyingly similar to something the department thought was dead and buried. Now he has to find a madman before the story hits the papers and the city explodes into chaos.Across town, Agent William “Buddy” Redhorn of the FBI has two problems. He’s been assigned a potentially career-ending case with magical ties, and his sorceress boss is out of town. The case involves a stolen statue that belongs to the government of Brunei, but the more he chases the thieves, the more bodies begin to drop. Bodies affected by a strange, unknown magic.Resolving to work together, Danny and Redhorn have to catch a cold-blooded killer, recover a stolen artifact, all while keeping everything out of the press. If they don’t, it will be more than their careers that will die when the curse of the Jade Phoenix descends on New York. Important Note: Curse of the Phoenix takes place in the Arcane Casebook universe. If you haven't read any of those, you might want to start there.
Radium Halos: Part 1
W.J. May - 2014
Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, Zoe, a high school senior from Elliot Lake, and five of her friends take shelter in an abandoned uranium mine. Over the next few days, Zoe’s hearing sharpens drastically, beyond what any normal human being can detect. She tells her friends, only to learn that four others have an increased sense as well. Only Kieran, the new boy from Scotland, isn’t affected. Fashioning themselves into superheroes, the group tries to stop the strange occurrences happening in their little town. Muggings, break-ins, disappearances, and murder begin to hit too close to home. It leads the team to think someone knows about their secret – someone who wants them all dead. An incredulous group of heroes. A traitor in the midst. Some dreams are written in blood.
The Sandy Bay Cozy Mysteries 14 Book Box Set
Amber Crewes - 2019
Apple Pie and Trouble 2. Brownies and Dark Shadows 3. Cookies and Buried Secrets 4. Donuts and Disaster 5. Eclairs and Lethal Layers 6. Finger Foods and Missing Legs 7. Gingerbread and Scary Endings 8. Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies 9. Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures 10. Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells 11. King Cake and Grave Mistakes 12. Lemon Tarts and Fiery Darts 13. Muffins and Coffins 14. Nuts and a Choking Corpse
APPLE PIE AND TROUBLE
Meghan Truman always had a dream to become a Hollywood actress. Hollywood decided she wasn’t good enough. She left Hollywood broken but with a burning desire to start afresh in the Pacific Northwest, pursuing her second dream – opening a bakery. She never expected that the owner of a rival establishment would be found dead and all eyes would be focused on her as the prime suspect. As the new girl in town with a new bakery store, she’s determined to clear her name and find the murderer; otherwise she’ll have to leave Sandy Bay penniless and pitiful and possibly the murderer’s next victim. "I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Thanks for a great plot and interesting characters."
BROWNIES AND DARK SHADOWS
When Sandy Bay’s crème de la crème congregate to raise money for charity, Meghan Truman is proud to have her tasty desserts the talk of the party. She’s not so proud when the wealthiest couple in Sandy Bay are discovered dead and rumors circulate around town that her brownies are the cause of this tragedy. This murder case casts a dark shadow over Meghan’s budding romance with handsome Officer Irvin who’s disappointed that she’s once again at the center of another murder investigation. With everything to lose, Meghan must work hard to clear her name, restore broken relationships and solve this murder mystery before everything she’s worked so hard to build comes crumbling down. "I have so enjoyed this series! Book 2 was another short fun read. The ending was a complete surprise."
COOKIES AND BURIED SECRETS
When a beautiful stranger sashays into a birthday party, Meghan Truman, along with other guests, is surprised to discover her relationship to the birthday celebrant. This beautiful stranger attracts more shady characters to Sandy Bay. When one of these characters is found dead in an alley, the whole town is set on edge. Will Meghan’s attempt to link the owner of a golden antique gun to the murder prove helpful to handsome Officer Irvin’s investigation or will the discovery of a buried secret lead to more murders? "Another great book in this fun series. There was a twist really early on in the book that was definitely a surprise!"
DONUTS AND DISASTER
Meghan Truman’s relationship with her assistant is severely tested when she becomes prideful over a donut recipe she’s introduced to Truly Sweet’s menu. Matters are further worsened when a distant relative of this assistant, with selfish intentions and bad manners, is found dead in the town center.
The New Avengers, Volume 1: Breakout
Brian Michael Bendis - 2005
Who will take his hand and join the new Avengers? And will they be strong enough to fight the mysterious forces at play around them? Collecting: The New Avengers 1-6
The Past Never Ends
Jackson Burnett - 2012
Get a copy of a public record for a young man whose only friend has died in an unexplained accidental death. Except... The police file regarding the demise of sex worker Tanya Everly has been sealed by the order of the chief of police, and no one will talk. Warned to drop the matter, Attorney Morgan knows that if he doesn't speak for the dead young woman, no one will. Haunted by his discovery of the body of a prominent local oilman, Morgan pursues a quest for justice that puts his reputation, career, and life at risk. A journey that takes him into the dark shadows of the sex-for-sale business, into the marble courtrooms of Oklahoma, and into the aching loneliness of his own soul. Set in the American Southwest in the days before 9/11, The Past Never Ends is both a complex murder mystery and a meditation on the self-perpetuating nature of injustice and the ethereal nature of justice itself.
The Man of Bronze
Kenneth Robeson - 1933
Then, with his amazing crew, he journeys to the mysterious "lost valley" to search for a fabulous treasure and to destroy the mysterious Red Death.
Grifter's Game
Lawrence Block - 1961
The first novel published by Block under his own name is now available in this complete, unabridged edition.
Tumor
Joshua Hale Fialkov - 2009
He finally lands a big case, finding the missing daughter of a drug kingpin, just as he's taken by the symptoms of a late-stage brain tumor. Memories blend with reality, as the missing girl case starts to seep into the memory of his own missing wife from 20 years prior. Now, with days, maybe even hours, left to live, he must save this girl, while the one thing he's relied on all of his life fails him — his mind!