Book picks similar to
The American Pearl by Peter Gilboy


military-wars
mystery-thriller
suspense
book-club

Murder on Music Row


Stuart Dill - 2011
    Meanwhile, Ripley’s label, Galaxy Records, is preparing a secret merger agreement that would create the largest record conglomerate in the world. Trouble arises when rumors spread that Ripley and Simon are withholding Ripley’s new album in hopes of renegotiating his contract.When Simon and Judd are shot on the famed Grand Ole Opry stage during the filming of Ripley’s new music video, no one is more upset than Ripley—especially as everyone assumes the shots were meant for him. While Simon’s life hangs in the balance, Judd seeks help from Megan Olsen, Simon’s right hand and Ripley’s day-to-day manager. The two set off on a high-powered chase to disclose the real motive behind the shootings and spare Ripley from a second murder attempt.Not unlike John Grisham’s legal thrillers and Michael Crichton’s science-based thrillers, Stuart Dill’s “music industry thriller” can now be added to the literary lexicon. Murder on Music Row leads readers through a maze of twists and turns that connect Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and London in a behind-the-scenes look at an industry where there are no limits in the pursuit of money, power, and fame.

The Fall


Evie Hunter - 2021
    Now, with her life in tatters, she is determined to bring those who framed her to justice.Out for revenge…Journalist Nate Black is intrigued by Lauren’s story. Is she the innocent victim she claims to be or is there more to her past? Eager to learn more he offers to help Lauren clear her name and bring the real villains to justice.And running out of time.But with millions of pounds still missing, Lauren remains the prime suspect…and the main target in an increasingly deadly game. And as Lauren’s plan with Nate reaches its shocking climax, no one knows who will ultimately take the fall…A nail-biting revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Gemma Rogers, Heather Atkinson and Caro Savage.'A brilliant read that hooked me from the outset. The Fall is a tale of sweet revenge that I couldn’t tear myself away from!' Bestselling author Gemma Rogers.

High Water


Lynn Hightower - 2002
    A daughter's intuition. A father's terrifying secret. High WaterBeaufort, South Carolina: When the matriarch of the Smallwood family dies of mysterious causes, everybody in town has their eyes on the widower. An ex-marine involved in a local scandal years before, Fielding Smallwood is known as a fierce man with a powerful sense of discipline. He was neglectful of his wife and three children, including Georgie, the youngest, who is convinced her father is the killer...until another tragedy occurs and her sister Claire becomes a prime suspect. Now it's up to Georgie to find the evidence needed to clear her sister's name -- even if what she discovers threatens the survival of the only family she has left.Lynn Hightower entwines deadly deceptions and startling revelations in this rich, intricate work of suspense.

The Bend


Terri Tiffany - 2017
    Before it happens.Gift or curse? As the lone survivor of a school bombing, she's hid from the press for twenty years. Her new job as a photographer in the rural town of Bend, PA offers her another safe haven from bold reporters.Until women start disappearing.Each missing woman appears to have a connection to a mysterious local cult, and Seth, Bend's only reporter, sets out to investigate. His drastic plans to expose the members make Kate fear for his--and her own--safety, but can she trust him enough to reveal her secrets?The wrong answer could get one, or both of them killed.

Paper Bag


Brian W. Smith - 2020
    While at dinner, catching up on old times, Monty reminds Summer that the reason they broke up was because her mother forbade her from dating anyone whose skin color was darker than a brown paper bag. Much to Monty's chagrin, it's 15 years later and Summer admits that her mom still doesn't want her to date anyone who is darker than a brown paper bag.So, imagine how awkward things get when Summer's twin brother, Langston, is accused of murder and needs the best Defense Attorney in the city...Monty Okafor. Despite his dislike for Summer's "color-struck" family members, Monty agrees to represent Langston. He finds a hole in the DA's case, and is confident he can get Langston acquitted, but a disturbing secret about Summer's creole family comes to light and changes Monty's attitude.Will Monty honor his oath as an attorney, and do all he can to free Langston? Or, will he entertain thoughts of getting revenge on Summer's family by providing Langston with the WORST defense that money can buy?

Held Captive by a Criminal's Heart


B. Love - 2020
    Tender, intentional, and devoted... one look in her eyes and the world stops turning — until he’s hauled away in the middle of the night, arrested on murder charges. When those telling eyes begin to drip with doubt, love doesn’t look the same.Siara, a CPA, has her world rocked from the bottom when the love of her life is accused of murdering his ex-wife. Holding true to her vows, Siara stands by his side until the day he is released from prison, however, home doesn’t feel the same. Trust is no longer certain but becomes a lingering question.Did Silky kill his ex-wife? And if he did, is Siara in danger of meeting the same demise? Or will another truth arise and allow them to reclaim their love?

The Good Life Crisis


E.M. Smith - 2018
    Even the dead. A murder interrupts Special Agent Victor Loshak's vacation in Santa Fe -- a middle-aged man executed in his garage. The forensic details make it seem like a professional job, but the local police seem hell bent on pinning the killing on the dead man's wife anyway. The story doesn't quite add up. Loshak gets swept up in the hunt for the truth, even if he's still dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sandals. The agent digs through the seedy underworld of New Mexico, finds it populated with colorful characters who may or may not be playing it straight. The details of the case grow increasingly bizarre. Everyone seems to have a different description of the dead man in the garage -- his personality, his passions, his hopes and dreams all vary wildly depending on who is telling the story. If Loshak can find out who the victim really was, he can solve the case. If not... Grab this short sequel to Beyond Good & Evil! Praise for the Victor Loshak series: "Was hooked from the 1st page and stayed up all night to finish it. Jaw dropping edge of your seat action packed thriller." - Mary Palmer "There is a terrifying serial killer in this book. And the story is riveting...I really enjoyed getting to know Loshak better. I love the way he consciously reads people and uses his knowledge of human behavior to function in everyday life, not just as a detective. I love his self awareness. I love his measured, experienced approach to life and his job and I love his honesty with himself and other people." - Melanie "I felt that adrenaline rush tingling down my spine. You’ll be left wondering did I lock the back door?...I began reading this book, and didn’t stop until I was finished at 3:00am." - C. Awbrey "This was a wonderful, well written (with all their great details), sinister crime story." - C. Munger "Great read. Mystery, thrills, suspense and the grim horror of what true crime sounds, feels, looks, and smells like. A must read whether you have or haven’t indulged before in this series." - Indiquinn

Death's Witness


Paul Batista - 2006
    When Tom Perini, a legendary Heisman Trophy winner turned criminal lawyer, is found brutally murdered in Central Park, his widow Julie Perini suspects a wider conspiracy.  Not only was her husband part of the defense team for a Congressman on trial for bribery, her intuition also tells her that the FBI is not too eager to find the killer.Relying on her skills as a journalist, Julie begins her own investigation and soon discovers her late husband’s secret underworld associations; ties that now threaten her and her toddler’s lives.  Fighting grief and a sense of betrayal, Julie is pulled into an inescapable labyrinth of organized crime dealings, political corruption, brutal power grabs and murder. Desperate, Julie turns to Vincent Sorrentino, Tom’s defense partner, for help, and the two discover a shocking and terrifying truth that threatens to paralyze them.  But it may also hold the key—the only key—to saving the lives of Julie and her daughter.Renowned attorney Paul Batista seamlessly combines crack legal expertise with suspenseful storytelling to produce a pulse-pounding action story and a first rate courtroom procedural; a legal thriller so authentic, it reads like tomorrow’s headlines.

Daniel


Keith Yocum - 2009
    17, 1972, during some of the darkest days of the Vietnam War, an American soldier walked out of the jungle and onto an isolated US Army firebase in the Central Highlands. The stranger had no identification, was in good health and otherwise seemed normal. But there was a problem. While the stranger said his name was Daniel Carson, he could remember almost nothing else. Quiet and reserved, he could not explain where he came from or why he had mysteriously shown up on Firebase Martha. Attempts by the base commander to confirm Daniel’s identity turned up even more odd details. Battalion reported that a soldier named Daniel Carson and fitting the description provided by the commander had been Killed In Action the week before. Who was Daniel? Was he a deserter? A faker? A lunatic? Or was he something altogether different? Was he a lucky charm or a savior sent to rescue the unfortunate soldiers on Firebase Martha? The answers to these questions are not revealed until 1976 when three survivors from the firebase meet after the war in a bar in Washington, D.C. and agree spontaneously to visit Daniel’s parents in nearby suburban Virginia. What they find shakes them to the core.

Watermark


Michael Hewes - 2016
    But it’s not what the storm took away that gets Matt’s attention – it’s what it left behind. Deep in the debris under what remains of his house, something has washed up that makes Matt the central target in a deadly conspiracy involving some very high-profile players. Not knowing who to trust, Matt must turn to his eccentric neighbor, his high school buddy, and ultimately his estranged wife to try and help him stay one step ahead – and alive – long enough to bring some order back into his life.

Miscarriage of Justice


Kip Gayden - 2008
    When her every attempt to rekindle romance and affection with her husband--a prominent local doctor--fails, she finds herself turning to the friendship of Charlie Cobb, a new man in town. But as their relationship becomes more intimate, smalltown tongues start wagging, and their starcrossed affair leads to a shocking public murder.

Lowcountry Boil


Carl T. Smith - 2003
    Released under mysterious circumstances, Larkin moves to Covington, South Carolina, to begin a new, peaceful life. His newfound isolation is shattered when undercover federal agent Karen Chaney comes to town as part of a drug sting operation. Together they face an entrenched society willing to look the other way when crime pays and a group of high-profile conspirators ready to kill to make sure it does. But who is Judge Thornton Hunnycut from Louisiana, the man who circumvented the law to incarcerate Larkin years ago? And what now are his true goals, as he sets his sights on the ultimate political office? This special edition paperback contains the lead-off chapter from LOUISIANA BURN, the follow-up to

The Harry Palmer Quartet


Len Deighton - 2013
    When Len Deighton wrote THE IPCRESS FILE, HORSE UNDER WATER, FUNERAL IN BERLIN and BILLION-DOLLAR BRAIN he not only reinvented spy fiction, but he created a style icon and literary legend: ‘Harry Palmer’. The nameless, working-class spy of the books was given a face and identity when he was played by Michael Caine in three classic films. Since then both the books and the character have become international icons. Now it’s your chance to delve into the mysteries of the four ‘Secret Files’ as Harry Palmer investigates conspiracies, secret experiments and even a deadly virus, with all the cockiness and dry wit a reluctant spy can muster.

Status 2


Jordan Belcher - 2013
    But it's not enough. Because the people close to her aren't so reserved. And when a harmless threat turns harmful, and someone very close to her is murdered, Tyesha finds herself once again being haunted by yet another stalker.Be careful ... she's watching ...

The Life We Bury: by Allen Eskins | Chapter Compilation


John Lenen - 2016
    What was supposed to be a simple project became more than what it was supposed to be the moment Joe meets a peculiar dying elderly man named Carl Iverson who happened to be a convicted murderer and rapist. From just wanting to earn a passing grade, he ends up going out of his way to prove the innocence of the old man. Amidst his desire for justice, he is also faced with the reality of his troubled family life which involved his highly irresponsible mother and his autistic younger brother. The evidences Joe discovers along the way, unravels a darker horror of the past occurrences that led to the untimely death of an unfortunate fourteen year old girl.