Book picks similar to
Mastermind by Helen Goltz


thriller
fiction
aussie-author
mystery

Unforeseen


Nick Pirog - 2008
    After all, it was his case, and he doesn t need to be reminded of the gruesome details. The book dubbed the serial killer, Tristen Grayer, The MAINEiac. Grayer is allegedly dead, but only Prescott knows the truth, Grayer is alive and lurking in the shadows. On October 1st, the anniversary of the first murder, Tristen resurfaces, killing someone special from Prescott's past. Suddenly, it s deja vu for Prescott except this time the women closest to him begin to fall victim at the hands of Grayer. With the help of former flame, medical examiner Dr. Caitlin Dodds, and Eight in October author, Alex Tooms, Prescott must race against the clock to stop Tristen from completing his encore.

The Private Face of Murder


John Bonett - 1966
    In the Spanish town of Caltrava, a group of ex-pats have created their own close-knit community. In moving to a hotter country, the Brits are hoping to find a more relaxing way of living. But then – disaster strikes when the beautiful Linda Huntingdon is killed in a fatal car crash. Nothing appears too suspicious until retired actor Aubrey de Lamplugh meets the same fate, being crushed by a falling cliff. Two complete accidents, or a double homicide? That’s what Inspector Borges intends to discover. At first, the two appear unrelated – how is the death of a young, bored housewife connected with that of an alcoholic egotist?Slowly, a picture starts to unfurl before the Inspector’s eyes...The Private Face of Murder is an intriguing murder mystery that will keep you gripped until the very end.

In Sheep's Clothing


L.D. Beyer - 2015
    One man vows to protect him. One man vows to destroy him. Caught in a game of chess he didn’t know he was playing until it was too late, the President makes the only move he can, plunging Washington and the nation into chaos. Stunned and reeling, Vice President David Kendall takes the oath of office and tries to heal a nation in mourning. But what the new president doesn’t realize is that things in the White House aren’t always what they appear to be, and sometimes what looks like the best option may turn out to be the worst. When one fatal decision triggers consequences he never envisioned, President Kendall finds himself caught up in the same game that cost his predecessor his life. Although there was nothing he could have done, Secret Service Agent Matthew Richter is haunted by the death of the man he had vowed to protect. When his girlfriend dumps him and his boss tells him that his job is on the line, he thinks his life cannot get any worse. He soon realizes how wrong he is when he finds himself fighting to save another president from the deadly forces that he has unwittingly unleashed. This new release by L.D. Beyer is a fast-paced, action-packed political thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

She's Not There


Marla Madison - 2011
    . . Is the rising number of abused women who've gone missing a statistical anomaly? Or is a serial killer targeting this vulnerable group of women? When the Milwaukee Police Department refuses to investigate because no bodies have been discovered, Lisa Rayburn, the clinical psychologist who discovers the anomaly, is drawn into an investigation to discover the cause after one of her own clients goes missing. She finds herself forming an unlikely alliance with a former policewoman turned security consultant, TJ Peacock, and the husbands of two of the missing women who may themselves be murderers. When TJ is attacked, and a woman looking remarkably like Lisa is found murdered, they know . . . someone is willing to kill to protect his secret. Can they reveal the killer before he gets to them?

Dangerous Stakes


G.K. Parks - 2019
    Her target, Axel Kincaid, is smart and ruthless. His forte - stealing cars. His temperament- violent. And his legitimate business keeps half the judges and city officials entertained, so collecting enough evidence to put him behind bars is nearly impossible. But when a parking attendant is murdered and two exotic sports cars are stolen, all bets are off. There's just one problem. Axel claims to have an airtight alibi, but there are more than a few holes in his story. The only thing Liv knows for sure is someone is determined to get away with murder, and now the killer has set his sights on her. Will she stop the murderous thief before he strikes again? Or will she become his next victim?

Suspect


Michael Robotham - 2004
    But Joe's snug, happy world is crumbling. Recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he's dreading the inevitable and all too palpable deterioration of his body and mind. Then, when the police ask for his help in solving the brutal murder of a woman they assume is a prostitute, he's horrified to recognize the victim as a nurse he once worked with, and with whom he had a bit of a past. As Joe begins to suspect that one of his patients may be responsible, the police zero in on him.Michael Robotham possesses the rare ability to create fully believable characters, fashion terrific dialogue, and generate nonstop suspense. Suspect is a powerhouse first novel, intricately crafted and chillingly authentic.

Next to Disappear


Malcolm Richards - 2015
    Until disgraced ex-teacher Emily Swanson moves into the couple’s former home.Emily’s life is in ruins and she’s meant to be making a fresh start. But when she learns about the missing nurse, she sees a chance for redemption. Because finding Alina could help right the wrongs of Emily’s past. It could even mark the start of a new career in private investigation.But what Emily doesn’t know is that Alina had a horrifying secret. One about the care foundation where she worked. And the closer Emily gets to uncovering the truth, the closer she gets to terrible danger.Inspired by a shocking true crime, Next To Disappear introduces a thrilling, twist-filled series and a refreshingly different take on the private investigator genre.Revised edition: Previously published as Lost Lives.

A Wicked Mercy (Harriet Quinn Crime Thriller, #1)


Bilinda P. Sheehan - 2019
    Although the police are convinced that these are open and shut cases, Forensic psychologist Harriet Quinn is certain the deaths are due to foul play. Her suspicions deepen when her own friend becomes one of the victims.Fighting the police’s indifference, she sets out to prove that a murderer stalks the village. A murderer that her training tells her might be hiding in plain sight.  Book One of the Harriet Quinn series is an explosive crime fiction series debut where murder and mystery take centre stage in this dark thriller. For fans of LJ Ross, Val McDermid, JD Kirk, Chris Carter, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, and Sally Rigby

The Watcher


Jo Robertson - 2011
    Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival in his county knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill the "purple-eyed girl again."

Blatant Lies


Paul Knox - 2020
    You know what they say about being careful what you wish for.Suddenly, the rookie is forced to save a woman from her fiancé.Reece races to find the truth and bring the liars to justice. Caught in a web of deceit, she has to stay one step ahead of the double agents, the abductors, and the man who will stop at nothing to shut her down.There’s every reason to fail.Ill-equipped and unprepared, will Reece stay alive long enough to solve this twisted investigation and find a killer? Can she sort the unbelievable truth from...blatant lies?

London Large: Blood on the Streets


Roy Robson - 2015
    The killer is gunned down by the police. No one on planet earth can identify the killer; nor understand why the sisters were murdered. A gang warAs gang war erupts on the streets of London Detective Inspector Harry ‘H’ Hawkins is sent to investigate. He links the warring factions to a high level establishment conspiracy; and the conspiracy to the murder. And then his partner is kidnapped. A race against timeH is a hardened copper, but uncovers truths that chill even him to the bone. If he is to save his partner and avenge his best friend he knows that every second counts…..

Perfect Remains


Helen Sarah Fields - 2017
    All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.

Dark Illusion


Dana V. Moison - 2019
    Sharon's pursuit of the elusive killer leads her to the glamorous fashion world and threatens to unveil the dark secret of an influential socialite in New York’s elite. The more she investigates, mind-taunting discoveries begin to scratch the surface. Now there is another beauty gravely unaware of the great danger lurking. Will Sharon put together all the pieces of this deceptive puzzle in time to save the next victim? You think you have all the answers, but you won’t be able to see it coming . . . Revenge, love, and passion swirl together in this cleverly crafted crime thriller. This page-turner will keep you on your toes until the very end, unable to guess how this unpredictable mystery will be solved. Dana V. Moison is a young author, and Dark Illusion is her first thriller novel. It reached #1 best seller in Travel Adventure and multiple Mystery, Thriller & Suspense categories worldwide. Dark Illusion centers on desire, vengeance, strong, confident, often fearless women, and the deception that is beauty. If you like psychological thrillers with lots of suspense and a strong female sleuth as the protagonist - you won't be able to stop reading Detective Davis's adventures! Scroll up now to get your copy of Dark Illusion!

Canaryville


Charlie Newton - 2021
    Canaryville will be the flashpoint—violent, insular, bare-knuckle Irish, and fiercely defensive of what little neighborhood it has left.As the Southside musters for its massive Irish-only but now-banned St. Patrick’s Day parade, extremist groups descend from all sides. A grisly double-homicide occurs at Canaryville’s eastern border. Within hours, a pub bomb explodes at the western border. Amid the rage and carnage, a third targeted homicide rocks the neighborhood.Embattled homicide lieutenant Denny Banahan races to prove the killings are a purge within the Irish mob, not the graffiti-implied threats of another “Red Summer”—Chicago’s horrifying rampage of racial murder and arson in 1919. But the shocking secrets that Denny’s detectives begin to exhume may say otherwise.Buried in those secrets are Denny’s deep and tragic childhood roots in Canaryville, and his major sins in the violent Black neighborhoods that surround it. The explosive combination will make Denny the one cop who might stop Chicago’s long-predicted descent into Red Summer, or the one who will finally ignite it.

Dangerous Behavior


Walter Marks - 2002
    And it is up to Dr. David Rothberg, the new prison psychiatrist, to determine whether Janko should be released. As David finds himself drawn into the psychological quicksand of a disturbed inmate, his manipulative girlfriend, and a brutal guard, David needs to confront his own demons as he decides if Janko deserves a second chance. This high-voltage thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat and guessing until the very last page.