Book picks similar to
The Naked Dame by Jason Bovberg
crime-noir
fiction
mob
mystery-crime
Rake
Scott Phillips - 2013
Into this cushy world bursts “Dr. Crandall Taylor” —or rather the actor who plays him — the star of a dated American soap opera that is now one of the hottest primetime shows in France. And this newfound fame, as enriching as it is unexpected, is not wasted on Crandall, eager to put his dark and often violent American past behind him and enjoy all the fruits —and the women —that Paris and fame have to offer him.But TV fame isn’t enough. Randall wants a feature film. Every actor wants a feature film, and so Crandall uses his charm and intellect to draw into his narcissistic web four different women: an executive at the network that runs his show; an American porn star reaching new heights on the internet; a bookish university student with a slightly nasty bent; and the beautiful would-be actress wife of an arms dealer. Against his better judgment, Crandall accepts both the arms dealer’s cash and his beautiful wife’s advances. Soon, Crandall is on the run through the alleys and streets of Paris, trying not only to fund a film but simply to stay alive. But this is no ordinary chase —and Crandall is no ordinary mouse — and soon his penchant for violence, sex, and megalomania erupts into full blown war.Rake is the latest noir classic from the author of The Ice Harvest. It features a charming, despicable anti-hero and a funny, satiric take on modern entertainment culture. Phillips turns his gimlet eye on the lush life of an actor who, on his destructive tour through Paris, crosses the line from garden variety narcissism into full-fledged psycopathy.
The Trial
Larry D. Thompson - 2010
She had volunteered for a clinical trial of a drug that both the company and the FDA knew was dangerous. When his daughter's liver starts to fail, and he realizes a liver transplant is out of the question, he decides to fight the drug company on the playing field he knows best...the courtroom. Discovering what was hidden from the public, he finds himself faced with a ruthless adversary willing to commit bribery, kidnapping and murder to keep the drug on the market.
Worst Case (Charley Gallagher Mystery)
Jack Parker - 2014
So he is completely unprepared for when he is assigned the case of a murdered high school gym teacher who was found beaten to death and wrapped up in a volleyball net. Encountering the likes of a compulsive overeater, a female gym teacher with an attitude, and an advice-giving dog, Charley's life gets a little crazy.
Deep Blood
Phillip Thompson - 2013
He doesn't care for the mundane parts of his job, he drinks too much, is separated from his wife, and has a former stripper girlfriend who regularly violates the drug laws of the county. Even when the son of a close friend is murdered, he has a hard time concentrating. But when his incorrigible father is arrested again for DUI, he learns of a secret of his father's past that threatens his own future and must confront it in a Southern tale of justice, redemption and family secrets.
Craft Circle Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6
Stacey Alabaster - 2017
George is the owner of a craft store in Pottsville. From her first days in town, she has found herself in the middle of trouble. And now that she has expanded her horizons into volunteering at the animal shelter, wedding planning, and blogging, she is faced with even more intrigue. She will have to be at her mystery-solving best if she’s gonna keep six killers from getting away? This collection of cozy mysteries includes books one through six in the Craft Circle Cozy Mystery series. If you like cozy mysteries with interesting characters, the Craft Circle Cozy Mystery series is for you. Buy the Craft Circle Cozy Mystery Boxed Set and start solving your next mystery (or six) today! Steps from Death - When you’re the new girl in a small town, you have to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. But sometimes that can leave you only Steps from Death. Arts, Crafts and Murder – Crafts are big deal in Pottsville. But is it big enough to murder for? A Finely Crafted Murder – When someone is murdered in a rival craft store, her suspicions intensify. Was her ex-husband capable of murder? Crafts, Cat Burglars, and Murder - Georgina starts volunteering at the local animal shelter in an effort to find balance in her life. When cats start disappearing, she takes it upon herself to find out what’s going on. When she tracks down the cat burglar, events take a deadly turn. Can Georgina find the killer before he lands on his feet and gets away? Weddings, Receptions, and Murders – Life is getting crazy for craft store owner turned super sleuth, Georgina Holt. When she signs on to help with a DIY wedding, things take a deadly turn. Can Georgina solve the murder and save the wedding? Beaches, Blogging, and Bodies – Georgina’s craft store has become established and a mainstay in the Pottsville community. When she decides to expand into the online blogosphere, things start to get weird. After a new online friend seems to disappear, Georgina sets out to find her missing friend. Her search leads her to a beach home…and a murder mystery? Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Heartbreaker
Robert Ferrigno - 1999
Meanwhile, an L.A. playboy beds a gorgeous redhead and wakes up with a psychopath trying to kill him. Neither Val nor Kilo know it yet, but they are on a collision course with a sexy marine biologist and one lethally dysfunctional family in this "dark, comic tour de force" (James Ellroy).
The Last Lesson
Jon Athan - 2019
A gang-infested school. A vengeful teacher. After his star pupil, Rina Ogawa, is sexually assaulted in a school restroom, Edward Clifford sets out on a journey to find the truth and bring her attackers to justice. He finds himself delving head-first into the lives of his other students—lives filled with crime, violence, and hatred. What starts as a desperate attempt to achieve justice quickly sends Edward down the path of vengeance... Who attacked Rina Ogawa? Can Edward bring her attackers to justice? Or will he take matters into his own hands? From the provocative author of The Law of Retaliation and Grandfather’s House, Jon Athan brings you a shocking thriller packed with mystery, suspense, and extreme violence. This is a story of human horror. WARNING: This novel contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
Lore and Order
Steve K. Peacock - 2014
The fire brigade have been doing their best, as have the other emergency services, but whoever is behind the fires has been systematically running them ragged. Whitehall is worried. Something doesn’t add up, so they’ve dispatched a warlock – a former illegal mage, pressed into service of the government to deal with matters of the arcane – to look things over. Jameson Parker is that warlock, and he’s pretty okay with that. His freedoms might be heavily restricted, and any unauthorised use of magic means he’ll be struck down dead instantly, but it could be worse. He gets more or less free rein to swan around Humberside like the big I am, and it gives him a way to atone for his less than stellar past. He’s better off without magic, and he knows it. But is magic better off without him? The warlocks of Humberside don’t seem to think so, and there are rumblings that, as well as the fires, something big is about to go down. Jameson is not best pleased.
Bad Intent Volume 1
Michael Tabman - 2011
A New York City Detective. Cocaine flooding the streets. Colombian Cartels in control. The Mob has been cut out. Someone must be killed. Everybody has a motive. Nobody can be trusted.Born and raised in New York City, Michael served as a police officer with the Fairfax County VA police department on patrol, in plain clothes and as hostage negotiator on the SWAT Team, before joining the FBI. Michael, a 24 year FBI veteran, investigated crimes ranging from white collar to bank robberies, organized crime, drug trafficking and money laundering. He rose through the ranks reaching the level of Special Agent in Charge. His professional travels took him to Israel, Russia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. He has been interviewed and quoted on national and local media on matters ranging from workplace violence to fraud and street crimes. Michael is the author of two books, Walking the Corporate Beat: Police School for Business People and crime novel, Midnight Sin. He has a Crime and Security Blog and can be followed on Twitter.
He Made Me (a Booker & Cash Story Book 2)
Oliver Tidy - 2017
Someone is demanding a lot of money from her husband and she wants to know why.What do the dying words of one man - he made me - actually mean?As the mystery unfolds people will come undone and reputations will be ruined before the answer becomes clear.At the end of the day Mrs Swaine might end up wishing she’d let sleeping dogs lie…
Also available in the Booker & Cash series:
Bad Sons
Daisy Dalrymple Omnibus
Carola Dunn - 2012
But her interview gives way to interrogation when suave Lord Stephen Astwick meets a chilly end on the tranquil skating pond. With evidence that his death was anything but accidental, Daisy joins forces with Scotland Yard so the culprit can't slip through their fingers like the unfortunate Astwick slipped through the ice...THE WINTER GARDEN MYSTERY: So who put the body in with the spring bulbs?The merest hint of spring has arrived in Cheshire, and so has young reporter Daisy Dalrymple. The feisty flapper's visit is a breath of fresh air for gloomy Occles Hall. But while photographing the rather barren grounds, Daisy spots that someone's been digging among the first green shoots - and much to her horror unearths the corpse of missing parlour maid Grace Moss.So begins an extraordinary adventure, as first the dead woman's shocking secret is revealed and then Daisy swiftly realizes she needs to catch the killer before she herself is left pushing up the daisies...REQUIEM FOR A MEZZO: With dashing Scotland Yard detective Alec Fletcher at her side, Daisy Dalrymple is enjoying a splendid performance of Verdi's Requiem featuring her neighbour Muriel Westlea's celebrated sister, Bettina. But the show comes to an abrupt end when what emerges from the star's gifted vocal chords is literally a dying gasp. Daisy soon learns that the doomed diva was notoriously difficult and had more than her share of enemies. There's a philandering tenor, a burly Russian bass and even her own vocal coach husband, with whom she had a turbulent relationship.Did one of them poison the singer? Or was it someone determined to see that Daisy's investigation ends on as bitter a note as Bettina's last performance...MURDER ON THE FLYING SCOTSMAN: Daisy's in danger of heading off the rails!Daisy's embarking on a journey to Edinburgh and her biggest worry is that she has forgotten her book, so how will she pass the time? Her concern proves to be pointless, however, as once the journey begins Daisy finds a pint-sized stowaway on board - Belinda, the daughter of dreamy Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher, Daisy's beau.No sooner has this problem revealed itself than Daisy and Belinda run into a bickering Scottish clan en route to the deathbed of the head of the family. But before the express reaches its first stop, one of the greedy McGowans has turned up dead. Is it murder? Daisy's willing to bet her first-class ticket it is - after all, the victim was the heir-in-waiting and she's sharing the carriage with an entire family of suspects who have everything to gain by his death...
The Yukon Grieves for No One
Lynn Berk - 2012
A skiff is rammed by a large power boat and an old, Inuit seal hunter sinks into the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. Four hundred miles away Frank Johnson, a Yukon Territory homesteader, is killed and buried in his own trash pile. When American Lydia Falkner returns to her Yukon River cabin, she is unemployed, broke, and grieving for her father. She is seeking the peace and solitude that only her special sanctuary can offer. But her friend Frank’s death and the frustrating riddles he leaves behind make her a witness to an ever-widening conspiracy born of greed, deceit, and betrayal. Lydia’s search for answers carries her many miles through the magnificent landscapes of the Canadian north. She and her battered skiff ride the waves and riffles of the Yukon River. A remote gravel road carries her into the high Arctic of the Northwest Territories and into the orbit of an unscrupulous and dangerous business man. Each of Lydia’s journeys yields new revelations and each revelation puts her in greater danger. When she finally uncovers the piece of evidence that ties everything together, she is forced to run for her life.The Yukon Grieves for No One invites the reader to revisit the land of Jack London. There are Mounties and mountain men, grizzlies and wolves, Inuit and people of the First Nations, impostors and predatory entrepreneurs. But this is a thoroughly modern story with a little sex, lots of humor, a sidekick with a Brooklyn accent, and a plot that twists, turns, and deepens much like the mighty Yukon River.
Run, Run, Run
Mark Capell - 2011
But even that can't protect him and his wife, Sally. Somebody knows their new identity - somebody who shouldn't.Frank Tong is an artist who finds inspiration for his paintings from the violence of his criminal life. When his brother is put away for murder he wants revenge. And Frank has a mole in the Witness Protection Scheme.Dan and the pregnant Sally have no choice. They have to flee. They go on the run from both sides of the law.They must learn to lie, steal, shoot and fight to survive. They can't use their credit cards, cash machines, mobile phones - anything that will give away their location. They must constantly look over their shoulder. It's living life like a criminal - a difficult task for two law abiding people.What will it take to return to a normal life? How far are they prepared to go? What will they sacrifice for their freedom?'Run, Run, Run' is a crime thriller that will have your heart racing and your mind buzzing....Sometimes the best way to get justice is to run away from it...(2014 REVISED EDITION)
The Sleeping Witness
Fiorella De Maria - 2017
A foreign artist and war hero seeking refuge from the world has been murdered. Marie Paige, the frail, sickly wife of the village doctor, lies beside him beaten into a coma.The police arrest Marie's husband, convinced that they are looking at a crime of passion. But Dr. Paige finds himself with an unlikely champion: Fr. Gabriel, a blundering but brilliant Benedictine priest who believes in his innocence and feels compelled to search for the truth.In a country struggling to come to terms with the devastation of the Second World War, even a secluded English village has its share of secrets and broken lives. It is not long before Fr. Gabriel and his companions find themselves embarking on a dangerous journey into the victims' troubled war histories and a chapter of Europe's bloodiest conflict that is almost too terrible to be acknowledged.