Book picks similar to
Favored to Win by Maryann Myers


mystery
a1-read-thirdly
horse-books
england

Borrowed Horses


Sian Griffiths - 2013
    She has given up everything (career, romance) to pursue her goal of riding for the US Equestrian Team, but now, with no horse to ride and no money to buy or support a young prospect, she finds herself faced with a choice: should she take a chance on a relationship with the attractive stranger pursuing her, or invest her time in training her coach's abused and violent mare? As she explores each option, Joannie finds that a fully lived life is much like the jumping courses she's always ridden, every path bearing obstacles that she will have to clear to find her way forward.

The Laura Cardinal Novels


J. Carson Black - 2011
    Carson Black's remarkable Arizona DPS investigator, Laura Cardinal, a New York Times and USA Today best seller. Laura Cardinal: Packs a SIG Sauer P226 9mm. Investigates homicides in small towns that have limited resources. Brings justice to murder victims--and to their killers. Laura’s job description: Criminal Investigator with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. But maybe it should just say “Troubleshooter.” DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, Book 1“A superb debut…Welcome to a strong new voice in American Crime Fiction”—T. Jefferson Parker, author of THE BORDER LORDSUsed to be kids played outdoors until time for dinner, now social media’s the new game in town. These days, they play on their smartphones. But with more freedom comes greater danger. Mobile devices and computers are a conduit into a child’s life, not just for friends but for those who intend harm. This is the message of J. Carson Black’s Daphne du Maurier Award-nominated thriller, DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN.When Laura investigates the murder of a fourteen-year-old girl left in a town’s park band shell, she knows immediately what she’s up against: a cunning sexual predator. But why is she plagued by the abduction of a schoolmate eighteen years earlier?In a runaway case that propels Laura from a lavish Tucson estate to the secretive heart of a north Florida town, she must confront the ghosts of her own past. Then another child goes missing—and Laura must race the clock to find her.“A dark, brilliantly-plotted police procedural.”—Midwest Book ReviewDARK SIDE OF THE MOON, Book 2When a young couple on their honeymoon is found shot to death in a campground in Williams, Arizona, the consequences go far beyond a simple murder investigation. As the investigation unfolds, Laura uncovers a chilling portrait of the dark side of love. And when she learns of one victim’s ties to an underground organization called the Earth Warriors, she is plunged into a high-stakes conspiracy played out against the unforgiving backdrop of the Mojave Desert—where there are no second chances."Dark Side of the Moon takes you on a perilous descent into a shadowy underworld where light cannot reach, trust can be fatal, and the deepest truth is only another lie. Once again J. Carson Black delivers a harrowing nonstop thrill ride that will eclipse every other suspense novel you read this year!”—New York Times bestselling author Michael Prescott“Black never lets up the pace for an instant.”—SF SiteTHE DEVIL’S HOUR, Book 3“J. Carson Black's THE DEVIL'S HOUR is a superior mystery novel in all respects. Fine prose, terrific suspense, believable characters, and one of the most unexpected and satisfying conclusions I've read in a long time. Highly recommended."—John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of DAMAGEIn 1997, the disappearance of three young girls rocked the city of Tucson, Arizona. Eleven years later, one of those girls—Micaela Brashear—comes home, alive.Detective Laura Cardinal worked homicide for Arizona DPS, but now she's been moved to the Open-Unsolved Unit. With a new job and a new partner who questions her every move, Laura pieces together Micaela's fragmented memories in the hope she will learn the whereabouts of the other two children.When a man walking his dog finds the bones of a child in a shallow grave on the mountain above town, it becomes clear to Laura that Micaela was the lucky one.

Baby, I'll Find You


Jennifer Skully - 2011
    But she believes in fate and destiny, and after finding Colton Amory’s CD in a thrift store grab bag, Jami knows it’s serendipity that she’s heard his song now. “Baby I’ll Find You” speaks to her heart, right when she needs it most. So, off she goes to the wilds of Yosemite to discover why Colton Amory hasn’t written another song in seven years.The only problem? The man who wrote such beautiful music turns out to be a self-pitying jerk. Or so it seems, until Jami digs deeper.Seven years ago, Cole Amory had a flourishing musical career and a little girl who was his pride and joy. In one split second, he lost it all. He hasn’t written a lyric or played a note since. Buried in a small Yosemite town, he’s now a fry cook at a fast-food joint. And he doesn’t need a woman with stars in her eyes opening all his old wounds and guilt.Can two people with nothing left to lose find it all?BABY, I’LL FIND YOU is a contemporary romance of approximately 98,000 words / 385 pages. The book contains the following bonus material: excerpts from DEAD TO THE MAX and REVENGE SEX by Jasmine Haynes and SHE'S GOTTA BE MINE, Cottonmouth Book 1, by Jennifer SkullyAUTHOR BIOGRAPHYJennifer Skully is the award-winning author of SEX AND THE SERIAL KILLER, FOOL’S GOLD, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, SHEER DYNAMITE, and IT MUST BE MAGIC. Her sexy contemporary romances will make you laugh out loud. Erotic romance writer Jasmine Haynes is Jennifer Skully’s alternate pseudonym, for those of you looking for the really steamy stuff.

At Risk


Kit Ehrman - 2002
    So does pride.... Stephen Cline will pay heavily for both when he drops out of college against his father's wishes and lands a job as barn manager at Foxdale Farm, one of Maryland's premiere equestrian facilities. An obnoxious trainer and difficult, demanding boarders are all part of the job, but Steve will need every bit of his smarts when he interrupts a bunch of thieves very early one morning and is hijacked along with the horses. In making his escape, he unwittingly jeopardizes a lucrative scam and challenges a sadistic killer. When the police investigation stalls, Steve uses his connections in the horse industry and launches his own fact-finding campaign. As he moves closer to uncovering the rustlers' ring, he learns that nearly everyone else around him also runs risks.... Praise for At Risk "Both horse lovers and crime fans who've never stepped into a stirrup will relish Ehrman's riveting debut, set on a Maryland horse farm....With his youthful zeal and perseverance, Steve Cline makes a captivating hero and sleuth, one readers will be eager to see again." -Publishers Weekly "As a former groom, vet and barn manager, Ehrman knows her way around horses and show barns...." -Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review Kit Ehrman currently lives and writes on a horse farm near Columbus, Indiana. The sequels to this first Steve Cline mystery are Dead Man's Touch, Cold Burn, and Triple Cross. www.kitehrman.com

Grabbing Mane


Natalie Keller Reinert - 2020
    It will be fun, they said."Casey Halbach's life was perfectly adequate. Good friends, loving boyfriend, decent job: she had it all. So why did she feel like she was missing something? And was that something actually a part of her life she'd already given up?When Casey finds herself back at the stable where she learned to ride as a child, she impulsively decides a fresh riding lesson is exactly what she needs to liven up her life. She never could have expected just how lively her life was about to become.For anyone who has ever loved a horse, dreamed about their very own pony, or simply clock-watched their way through another boring day at the office, Grabbing Mane is our story. Testing the boundaries of who we think we are, adjusting to strange new realities, and (hopefully) bringing our partners along for the ride.

An Invitation To Murder


Norman Russell - 2021
    Even if that means marrying his daughter off to a rich American.Unfortunately for him, she is already in love with a penniless nobody named Alan Lavender — to the glee of Alan’s greedy uncle Guy.He’s been nosing into the Renfields’ murky past, and he says he’s uncovered a secret. Something so shocking it casts a shadow over Frank’s entire legacy.Tensions run high at the hall, until Guy Lavender turns up dead.A convenient coincidence for Frank?Detectives French and Edwards are on the case. But in a town full of secrets, the truth can be hard to find.And Guy’s won’t be the only body to fall before their work is done . . .Who will be next to die under the Renfields’ roof?

The Complete Inspector Crow Mystery #1-8


Roy Lewis - 2020
    She’d only just returned from an unexplained absence of months. Peter had already taken a new lover, but there’s no real proof he killed his wife. Can Inspector John Crow solve the case before anyone else dies?BOOK 2: ERROR OF JUDGMENTA young woman is found dead in college amid a student protest. It turns out she was the principal’s secretary and there was more to her than meets the eye. Who wanted her dead and why? And what does it have to do with the student revolt led by a charismatic firebrand from Iraq?BOOK 3: THE WOODS MURDERSchoolgirl Jenny Carson is brutally murdered in Kenton Wood. Then Charles Lendon is found skewered through the heart. He was a ruthless lawyer and a shameless womaniser. Jenny’s father blames him for her murder.BOOK 4: MURDER FOR MONEYGossip-mongering journalist Charlie Rutland is found brutally slain. In his line of work, he wasn’t short of enemies. DI Crow must interrogate a long list of suspects, from a homeless Yorkshireman to an ex-Gestapo officer. Then British spy services get involved. Can Crow crack the case before it’s taken out of his hands?BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE MINEA hunt for a missing dog leads to a gruesome discovery down a Welsh mineshaft. Not just the injured dog, but a valuable piece of jewellery and the decaying corpse of a woman. A surprising confession follows. But Inspector Crow is not convinced he has his man. Can he uncover the true killer, despite the many perplexing questions surrounding the case?BOOK 6: A COTSWOLDS MURDERCaravan park manager Chuck Lindop is found with his head caved in. The locals insist he was a lovable rogue. So who wanted him dead and why? As the investigation wears on, Inspector Crow uncovers shady dealings at the caravan park. Could Chuck himself have been involved?BOOK 7: A FOX HUNTING MURDEROne crisp autumn morning, the hunt is in full swing. But instead of a fox, they find their notorious opponent: dead in a bush. Inspector Crow uncovers a side to the victim that no one has seen before. But can he trust his instincts in a case where nothing is what it seems?BOOK 8: A DARTMOOR MURDERFred Norman is found dead in a pond near the mine where he worked. DI Crow is called in to investigate and finds a community divided. Many local activists oppose the mine. Suspicion soon falls on their womanizing leader, but Crow is aware that are many false trails and too many lies. Then he learns a secret about the victim that changes everything.

Chez Stinky


Susan C. Daffron - 2013
    She hasn't laid eyes on her great aunt Abigail since she was eight, so she’s stumped when she inherits Abgail's house in the small hamlet of Alpine Grove.Kat's uncomplicated life gets decidedly less so when she discovers the inheritance comes with some hairy conditions: four dogs and five cats that her aunt wanted her to love as her own. Of course, the house smells like a barn--with a touch of antique skunk--and, naturally, has serious roof issues. And that's before the three-legged cat gets stuck in the wall and the shower goes kablooey.When Kat meets Joel, an unemployed techie type with no love lost for his sister, Kat looks past his obvious flaws, given his timely and desirable skill set: a talent for fixing things (and his own tools).Despite out-of-control dogs, cat fights, dust dinosaurs, massive spiders and an old grizzled hippie passed out in the yard, Kat discovers the tranquility of the forests of Alpine Grove starting to seep into her soul.And why she can't she stop thinking about Joel?

Small Town Saboteurs


Hope Callaghan - 2021
    “If you like clean mysteries that keep you guessing until the end, you’ll love the Garden Girls!”Garden Girls - The Golden Years is the brand new spin-off series of the Garden Girls Mystery series.You’ll enjoy the same fun-loving characters as they solve mysteries in the cozy town of Belhaven. Each book will focus on one of the Garden Girls as they enter their “golden years.”Small Town Saboteurs -Book 4 is Dot’s story.

Dead Man's Trench


Keith Finney - 2020
    DISCOVER THIS SIZZLING SERIES OF COZY MYSTERIES SET IN THE SWEEPING LANDSCAPE OF NORFOLK.  A man lies dead, deep in an excavation trench, an angry villager's signature on a damming piece of evidence, and a race against time to discover the truth. When the corpse of a hated local man is discovered, smelling of whiskey and with his head split open, the police conclude its suicide.Ant and Lyn aren't convinced, and as they uncover disturbing clues that point to murder, the amateur sleuths have only days to prove their theory before DI Riley closes the case - and leave a killer on the loose. Set in the evocative landscape of Norfolk, this baffling cozy murder mystery with its thread of humour and hint of romance between our two lead characters, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Dead Man's Trench is the first book in the Norfolk Cozy Mystery series that features fast-paced action, surprising plot twists and compelling characters.If you like the Faith Martin, Joy Ellis or Betty Rowland's Mysteries, then you'll love Keith Finney's Norfolk Cozy Mystery thrillers. Pick up Dead Man's Trench to discover this exciting series today! This book was published initially under the pen name, Nigel Lockwood.

Sin


J.M. LeDuc - 2004
    The bureau’s only chance is a rogue agent who flies by her own wings and will stop at nothing to make sure justice is achieved.It is said, “Fight fire with fire.” The bureau knows, “Fight sin with SIN.”Her name says it all: Tempting―Dangerous―Deadly.

The Taste of Fear


Jeremy Bates - 2012
    When robbed of their money and passports, they seek help from the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam on the very day Al Qaeda chooses to bomb it. In an eyeblink they are taken hostage and whisked across the border deep into the Congo, one of the last truly wild places left on earth.Battling terrorists, deadly wildlife, and cannibalistic rebels, Scarlett and Sal must find a way to survive in a violent, primeval world. And the only person who may be able to save them is the assassin sent to kill them.

In the Dismal Swamp


Patrick Balester - 2008
    He is quickly disappointed when a dead body turns up floating in the Great Dismal Swamp. And this is not just any dead body. Ashley Myrtle was the wife of a prominent local politician. Greg soon discovers that Ashley, an apparent drowning victim, may have been murdered. Unfortunately, no one wants to believe him. The mayor, the woman's husband, an old boyfriend and even her coworkers seem eager to rule her death an accidental drowning. With help from a reluctant FBI agent, Greg follows a trail of small town secrets and lies to discover what really happened on that cold spring day. Refusing to give up, he discovers a vital clue deep in the swamp that leads to the killer. But justice won't be served until he can prove it was a case of murder.

Summer of Fear - a murder-mystery thriller


Chris McGarry - 2014
    Over his 20 - year career, Antonio Guardini has investigated some very disturbing, grisly crimes. But the latest string of murders that have New Yorkers in a paralyzing state of fear have struck a personal chord within Antonio. A devout Catholic and prolife activist, the hardened cop is tasked with tracking down the wily serial killer who is stalking and butchering the city's abortion physicians. As his personal beliefs begin conflict with his job, a struggle ensues as Antonio delves deeper the twisted myriad of clues left by the murderer and his victims. Will Antonio identify and apprehend the 'Abortion Avenger' before he kills again?

As Long As There Is Chocolate


Tana Lovett - 2018
     Sick of heartbreak, Kate decides to devote her life to making fine chocolates and forget about relationships altogether. But when she opens a gourmet chocolate shop across the street from a deli—run by a handsome Italian she dubs 'Fabio the Sandwich Boy'—she discovers she's not the only one dishing out temptation. Gio wants to help Kate overcome her fears about love, but his big, boisterous Italian family gets in the way. Even long dead relatives get in on the act—leading them on a treasure-seeking adventure. Can Gio convince Kate to take a chance on him? Or will his family's secrets get in their way?