Book picks similar to
Circumvent by S.K. Derban


cozy-mystery
suspense
christian-fiction
france

Shattered Secrets


Karen Harper - 2014
    Abducted and held captive as a young girl, she is unable to remember anything about the crime that destroyed her childhood and tore her family apart. Now a grown woman with a bright future, she is certain she has put the past behind her. But when she inherits the family home, Tess must confront the demons that still haunt her and the town of Cold Creek. Gabe McCord has always blamed himself for what happened to Tess. He had been a teenager when she was snatched from the group of children he was responsible for watching. Now Gabe has taken on the role of sheriff and hopes to shed new light on the cold case, especially given his growing feelings for Tess. Tess isn't ready to recall what happened to her, and she has no intention of digging up any details that might remind her of the truth. But when another child in the town goes missing, she's certain it's related to her return to Cold Creek. Together,Tess and Gabe will have to work to unlock their painful memories in order to save another child and heal their damaged souls, for good…

Diamonds Or Donuts


Lucie Ulrich - 2015
    Though not happy with his decision, Sarah supports her fiancé, despite the fact she’s already given up her apartment and teaching position. When Sarah’s best friend, Pippa, suggests Sarah move to Sunset Cove, she figures a new town, new job, and new friends are just what she needs to help her through the separation. If she’d known one of those friends would turn out to be kind-hearted, good-looking, and well-built, Officer Kevin Jenkins, she might have figured a little harder. Though Sarah goes out of her way to keep her relationship with Kevin on a friends-only basis, it’s clear their feelings for one another are teetering toward something more. Now Sarah must make the most important decision of her life. Will she go for diamonds or donuts?

Hidden


Rebecca Zanetti - 2018
    That’s all Pippa can do to escape the terror chasing her. But now that she’s off the grid in a safe house, she finds plenty of interesting things to watch through the window. Like her new neighbor, with his startling green eyes, killer smile, and sexy bad-boy tattoo . . .Run. Malcolm West is fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover cop. A backwoods bungalow sounds like the perfect place to start over. Until he discovers he’s been set up . . . Fight. Someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to bring them together. No matter how much he resents that, and his own driving needs, Malcolm will have to dig deep and let loose the banished killer inside himself, or Pippa’s fears could come true faster than the flip of a bolt in a lock . . .

'Twas the Night Before Murder: Cozy Mystery (Country Cottage Mysteries Book 21)


Addison Moore - 2021
    

A Summer of Surprises: (Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 16)


Rosie Green - 2021
    Having been through a traumatic time, it’s a joy to be working for Ellie, and now all Ruby wants is to lead a quiet life and support her mum in getting the help she needs.But life, it seems, has other plans for Ruby.Working alongside the bafflingly rude Hudson Holmes would be bad enough – but then odd things start happening. It seems that someone is out to sabotage the café and bakery, and to her horror, Ruby finds the finger pointing at her.Desperate to prove her innocence, she teams up with the most unlikely person in order to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Tailing suspects and hiding in bushes isn’t something she ever imagined she’d be doing, although her partner in mystery-solving seems the perfect man for the job. Can they clear Ruby’s name by discovering the real culprit?With all the drama afoot, at least there’s no time for romance. Because that’s the very last thing on Ruby’s mind these days. Or is it…?

Hidden Danger (When Darkness Falls Book 3)


Barbara Warren - 2017
    On a dimly-lit park bench, Carley's friend fumbles in her handbag for her phone. She has a picture of a couple arguing, a picture of a woman who was later found dead in a ditch. Before Carley can examine the picture her friend took of the secretive encounter, a dark SUV stops near the bench. The window rolls down. A gunshot rips the silence. Carley's friend tumbles from the bench, dead. No need to wait for the second shot. Carley's on the run, now, with a target on her back. Wounded Army vet, Blake Richards, recuperates stateside while awaiting new orders. He doesn't want to jeopardize his recovery or risk further injury, but at the sound of gunshots, his training kicks in. Blake ducks behind a tree and drops to one knee, scanning the area around him. A shadowy figure darts down a path. A woman nervously looks back over her shoulder. Hunkered down, he waits until the last second and then grabs her by the waist. With his hand clasped over her mouth, he pulls her to safety. Blake doesn't need to get involved with any woman, particularly one as beautiful and intriguing as Carley Sutherland. But he may be Carley's only hope of staying alive. And she may his only hope of finding peace and healing amidst hidden dangers. Written for the General Market (G) (I): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations or strong language. May also contain content of an inspirational nature. Amazon customers who purchase the print version have the option to purchase the Kindle eBook at no charge.

Murder in the Family


Ramona Richards - 2019
    . . and all of its contents. Despite her suspicions that her aunt was murdered, Molly wants nothing more than to sell everything and get back to the life she loves. Especially once her homecoming reignites the decades-old family conflict that drove her away in the first place. But when Molly uncovers caches of cash, journals revealing secrets-and a body-amongst the stockpiles, she finds herself locked in a cat-and-mouse dance with a deadly endgame. Molly teams with local sheriff, Greg Olson, to find the truth. But will her determination and his skills be enough, or will the killer-or killers-put an end to their efforts once and for all?

The Book of Us


Andrea Michael - 2020
    There would be pain enough later.Cass and Loll used to be inseparable. They met at university and they made sense, like two halves of a whole. They had planned their lives around each other, writing down their dreams in The Big Book of Our Life – the things they wanted to achieve, the places they’d go after they finished university. But then one night changed everything.Seven years later, Loll receives a letter from her old friend. The coming year will be the year they both turn 30, but Loll might be making it to 30 alone. Cass has cancer. She wants to know if Loll still has The Big Book as her dying wish is to do everything they had planned. Little does Loll know that there is one big difference: Veronica, Cass’s six-year-old daughter, will be coming with them.Time is ticking for Cass, who is desperate to make lasting memories for her young daughter and ensure that she’s leaving her in good hands. But how do you say goodbye to those you love most in the world?An emotional and uplifting novel of friendship, love and the family you choose. Perfect for fans of Gill Childs, Amanda Prowse and Jojo Moyes.

Woman in Shadow


Carrie Stuart Parks - 2021
    But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery. A town on fire. More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby’s area of expertise . . . but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she’s trying to escape her life. A growing darkness. As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly.Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Billionaire Beach


Cami Checketts - 2018
    Caribbean Rescue: Zack Tyndale was destined to win gold in the 2012 Olympics, but he tripped and shattered his own dreams. Running from his controlling father and the sympathy in everyone’s eyes, he buys an island in the Caribbean where he can live blissfully alone. Madeline Panetto’s graduation present is a trip sailing around the Caribbean on her father’s yacht. Unfortunately, her father is a pirate, and when there is an uprising on his ship, she escapes and crash-lands on Zack’s island. Cozumel Escape: Brooks Hoffman, billionaire, loves women, expensive toys and fighting—in that order. A week romancing a beautiful woman on his private island near Cozumel is a great way to pass the time. When Sydnee Lee Swenson isn’t impressed with his money, or charmed by his…well, charm, Brooks takes it as a personal challenge to change her mind. Cancun Getaway: Moriah Jackson arrives in Cancun expecting a relaxed beach vacation with her son. She doesn't plan on meeting a charming, blond Adonis who’s intent on sweeping her off her feet. And she certainly doesn’t expect to be targeted by human traffickers. Fighting the urge to be drawn in by Jace's kindness, Moriah must let go of her past or she'll jeopardize more than just her own future. Trusting the Billionaire: Athena sets out to teach Nixon about the city and its history while ignoring his inherent kindness, sharp intellect, and the warmth that spreads through her body when he touches her. Nixon is determined to help her mom battle MS no matter what Athena thinks of his vitamins. How to Kiss a Billionaire: Sassy meets swoon-worthy in this fast-paced contemporary romance. Miriam Salisbury escapes to Oregon to avoid a boyfriend who won’t take no for an answer, killing her beloved cat to prove it. When her father sends Clay Browning to protect her, she’s certain he’s lost his mind. As far as she’s concerned Clay’s experience is limited to posing for the camera, charming women, and making fun of her. He’s been teasing her since they were children and she’s never gotten over the way he threw crawdads at her at church picnics. Onboard for Love: Alicia Noir's ex-husband, Trav, has always valued his race car more than his family, just like her dad who died in his race car. When their eight-year old son pulls them into the cruise vacation of a lifetime, she has to find a way to resist Trav's charm, his well-formed chest, and especially his unending kindness. Will vacation reignite their love or is their romance destined to crash and burn for the final time? Shadows in the Curtain: Emmy has the perfect life— a house on the beach, a successful career headlining the local theater, and love. But when a brutal murder brings unimaginable grief, Emmy’s world comes crashing down. As she tries to pick up the pieces, she can’t seem to avoid Josh, the new fireman in town. Emmy does her best to fight the sizzle in her chest when Josh is near. But with the stalker still out there, terrorizing her and those she cares about, she can’t fall for anyone—especially Josh, a suspect in the murder investigation. If Emmy allows a man to get close, it’s not just her heart she puts at risk, it’s her life. Don't miss Cami's latest clean romance series: Quinn Family Romance 1. The Devoted Groom: Texas Titans Romance 2. The Conflicted Warrior: Sutton's Security Romance 3. The Gentle Patriot: Georgia Patriots Romance 4. The Tough Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance 5. Her Too-Perfect Boss 6. Her Forbidden Bodyguard

Rhapsody in Red


Donn E. Taylor - 2008
     Preston Barclay is a self-made recluse (and he likes it that way). Teaching college history allows him time to grieve the loss of his pianist wife and find relief from the musical hallucinations that have been playing in his head since her death. But when he and a headstrong colleague, Mara Thorn, discover the body of another instructor on campus, Press's monotonous solitude is shaken up. The preliminary evidence points to Press and Mara. Now they must take some chances, including trusting each other (and bending the rules) to build their own defense. With their unlikely alliance, they must stay ahead of the police, the college's incompetent administration, and whoever is trying to get away with murder. If not, they might end up unemployed, behind bars, or worse . . .

Aftermath


Terri Blackstock - 2021
    Only one makes it out alive.A trunk full of evidence.When police stop Dustin Webb with a warrant to search his trunk, he knows there’s been a mistake. He’s former military and owns a security firm. But he’s horrified when the officers find explosives, and he can’t fathom how they got there.An attorney who will risk it all for an old friend.Criminal attorney Jamie Powell was Dustin’s best friend growing up. They haven’t spoken since he left for basic training, but she’s the first person he thinks of when he’s arrested. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence . . . but why?

The Failsafe Query


Michael Jenkins - 2018
     Sean Richardson, a disgraced former intelligence agent, is tasked to lead a team to search for Alfie Chapman, an Intelligence officer on the cusp of exposing thousands of secrets to the media. This includes a long lost list of Russian moles embedded since the Cold War, one of whom remains a public favourite in the British parliamentary system. The action moves with absorbing pace and intrigue across Central Asia and Europe as the puzzle begins to unfold through a deep hidden legacy. Tense, fast paced, and insightful, The Failsafe Query twists and turns to a satisfyingly dramatic finale.

Suspicion on Sugar Creek


Susannah B. Lewis - 2016
    She hoped to work on her novel, play Rook with the old lady next door and spend some lazy time with her husband and daughters. But when a new neighbor winds up dead, Tessa and her Rook partner find themselves jumping to suspicious conclusions. Add a young hippie named Rusty to the mix, and these three seem like an unlikely trio to solve an alleged crime. When you’re not laughing at the humorous rhetoric in Suspicion on Sugar Creek, you’ll be on the edge of your seat wondering how it will all play out.

Darkwater Secrets


Robin Caroll - 2018
    Bourbon Street is bustling, and general manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. But she is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide's childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim's past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend--the woman he's quietly loved for years--kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri. But Beau can't press Adelaide too hard . . . because he's keeping secrets of his own.Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide from the truth with a killer on the loose?