Book picks similar to
Coil of Serpents by Anne Stevenson
gothic
suspense
mysteries
open-library
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt
Linda S. Prather - 2015
Her job isn’t easy, but it has always been black and white—criminals versus victims. Now she is the victim, and the very system she’s fought to uphold is suddenly corrupt, the lines between good and bad are blurred and her world has turned upside down. She’s always known that world existed—a world of power so immense that a single phone call can result in people disappearing or political offices being vacated, a world where doctors are available at a moment’s notice. She’s never been part of that world—never wanted to be. The body count is rising, and unless she finds proof beyond a reasonable doubt against a corrupt former federal judge, and a notorious criminal defense attorney, it will continue to rise.
Winter Black Series Box Set 3
Mary Stone - 2020
As Ryan takes the team into the deep, dark web of sinister secrets, Winter receives an even more disturbing message from her brother than the last. She can feel him out there...watching, waiting. Lucky for Winter, she isn’t afraid of spiders. She’s only afraid when the spider disappears.Winter’s Storm: The night FBI Special Agent Winter Black took down The Preacher—the man who killed her parents and took her little brother—there was a massacre at the Riverside Mall. Now, the survivors are being murdered one by one. The hit list is long, and when the killer ends up dead, the path to solving the case grows even more twisted. Who is this assassin? Do they intend to finish what The Preacher started as well? And where does Justin, Winter’s baby brother, fit in? Is he the storm, or is he simply caught up in its force?Winter’s End: Sometimes, the beginning is the end. For thirteen years, FBI Special Agent Winter Black has been haunted by a man who performed heinous acts. Murdering her parents. Abducting her baby brother. Leaving her in a coma that changed her life forever. For thirteen years, she’s suffered mentally and physically, often doubting her sanity and ability to achieve her goal of bringing that brutal man down. Thirteen years of regret. Of hope. Of fear. Of hate. But now, the boy she longs for has transformed into a man she fears. She has to face him. Catch him. Maybe even kill him. Even if it means the end of her.
Ford Security
Clara Kendrick - 2017
With over 250,000 words, the sexy and mysterious men of Ford Security are bound to keep you up well into the night… RANSOM Summer Smart’s on the verge of losing the only person she has left in her life, her older sister Taylor. After watching helplessly as strangers drag her sister away, she’s forced to entrust the help of Chase Carter and blindly follows him as he quickly takes charge of the situation. Chase is a seasoned pro who’s always made it his mission to make sure he avoids mixing business with pleasure but there’s something about the beautiful and vulnerable Summer that he can’t quite ignore. Summer has always been content to be on her own but when she finds herself needing Chase more than ever before, she quickly begins to learn that all is not fair in love and war. REUNION The last place Ella Gold wants to return to is high school, especially because she’s been receiving threatening letters in the mail recently and all signs point to the sender being someone from her past. As the letters become increasingly ominous, she enlists the help of Ford Security agent, Luke King. Luke King can be a bit of a jokester but when it comes to work, he’s all business. So, when he shows up to Ella’s house, he’s ready to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately for Luke, this case isn’t as clear-cut as he’s used to and the more he learns about Ella, the more he learns that somebody might be lying to him… TRAINING DAY Zane Richards has just returned from the Caribbean after a lengthy stay, where he and his brother had escaped after a case went wrong. Now he’s back and ready to get back into the swing of things but an ordinary day turns into anything but when he decides to let the Ford Security office assistant tag along with him for the day… Anna Lewis is mostly content with her job manning the front desk and briefing clients, but sometimes she finds herself yearning for a little bit of an adventure. When boredom gets the best of her, she talks Zane into allowing her to spend the day with him in the field. But this ordinary day quickly takes a dangerous turn and she finds herself on the run from some very dangerous people. SINS OF THE FATHER Lola Grimm is a dead women walking, or at least that’s what she wants the world to believe. Both her and her father, Seth Grimm are supposed to be dead, but they’ve been hiding out in the Hollywood Hills waiting for the perfect opportunity to emerge back into the world with the intention of reinstalling Seth to the throne of the underworld empire he built from the ground. OUT OF THE SHADOWS Dominic Ford thought he had lost everything in this world. For the past ten years, he’s been torn between an internal battle raging within his soul, pulling him between the axis of both good and evil, and it was all in an effort to save his sister who was taken away from him by the corrupt and powerful Seth Grimm. Katie Strong has more in common with Dominic than he could ever know. Eight years ago, her brother was taken away from her by the same man that took Dominic’s sister and when all hope seems to be lost, she discovers there’s one person in the world who might know the whereabouts of not only her brother but Dominic’s sister as well.
Tear Her Apart (Devil’s Hornets MC)
Paula Cox - 2019
She’s innocent. Delicate. And begging to get plucked – over and over again. Since joining the Devil’s Hornets MC, I’ve learned to take what I want. And I just decided that I want HER. Natalie doesn’t know it yet. She doesn’t realize what kind of man is coming for her. The kind of man who doesn’t play nice. Who doesn’t ask permission. Who won’t be around in the morning. She might not like it, but she won’t be able to resist. I’m six and a half feet of swagger, ink, and rock hard c*ck. There’s not a woman alive who would tell me no. The problem is, I’m not the only biker in the city with my sights set on the pretty girl in the florist’s shop. My club’s arch rivals, the Reapers MC, will do whatever it takes to make me suffer. Even if that means kidnapping Natalie and filming themselves setting their filthy paws on her flawless skin. I’ve never felt such rage before. And I’m prepared to lay waste to every single motherf**ker who dared to touch my woman. Because I’m the only one who will get to deflower the flower girl.
TEAR HER APART is a full-length, standalone, super steamy, bad boy motorcycle club romance novel from bestselling author PAULA COX. This suspenseful, action-packed MC romance is intended for mature audiences, due to violence, strong language, dark themes and elements, and explicit intimate scenes. The romance between the alpha male bad boy and the fiery woman he can't resist ends with a guaranteed happily ever after (HEA) ending, has absolutely NO CHEATING, and does NOT include a cliffhanger of any kind. This contains the following tropes: innocent/pure heroine, caught in the crossfire, and protective hero.
Isabella's Painting
Ellen Butler - 2018
Twenty-eight years later the art remains at large ... until now. Peeling back layers of lies could save a masterpiece or reveal a killer. After a long week lobbying on Capitol Hill, all Karina Cardinal wants to do is chill with Netflix and her boyfriend, Patrick Dunne. Instead, she’s slipping her aching feet into red stilettos for his parents’ annual holiday bash. When she accidentally interrupts Patrick’s father in his study, her embarrassment is tempered by suspicion that Martin Dunne and his dapper, secretive guest are hiding something. Maybe the painting she barely glimpses right before it disappears behind a secret panel. ˃˃˃ An internet search raises her curiosity to full-blown alarm. If she’s right, Martin is in possession of a stolen masterpiece. Infamous because everyone close to it has turned up dead. As in Mafia-style-execution dead. As she’s chewing over which instinct to follow; back off while she still can, or dig deeper for the truth; she crosses paths with FBI agent Mike Finnegan. An old friend and not-quite flame from her college days. When she looks into his warm, mocha eyes, she’s tempted to tell him everything. ˃˃˃ Trouble is, she’s already being watched. And the next move she makes could destroy innocent lives including her own. ˃˃˃
The Girl in the Photograph
Kate Riordan - 2015
Kate Riordan’s novel is a beautifully dark and beguiling tale which will sweep you away. It will appeal to fans of Kate Morton and Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca.In the summer of 1933, Alice Eveleigh has arrived at Fiercombe Manor in disgrace. The beautiful house becomes her sanctuary, a place to hide her shame from society in the care of the housekeeper, Mrs Jelphs. But the manor also becomes a place of suspicion, one of secrecy.Something isn't right.Someone is watching.There are secrets that the manor house seems determined to keep. Tragedy haunts the empty rooms and foreboding hangs heavy in the stifling heat. Traces of the previous occupant, Elizabeth Stanton, are everywhere and soon Alice discovers Elizabeth's life eerily mirrors the path she herself is on.(
Devil's Wind
Patricia Wentworth - 1912
When Helen’s father dies, she moves in with Adela and her husband, the dashing Captain Richard Morton. Adela’s flirtatious behavior and imperious attitude set tongues wagging in the expatriate community, but when the spirit of rebellion spreads like wildfire amongst the sepoys of the East India Company, the time for gossip is over. Fleeing the massacre at Cawnpore, Helen, Adela, and Captain Morton discover that the sins of yesterday are never forgotten, and that true love can blossom in even the most tragic of circumstances. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Stormcatcher
Colleen Coble - 2016
Yet when handsome family friend Simon Lassiter fell under suspicion in the death of his cousin and former fiancée, Wynne vowed to help him learn the truth, even though it meant risking everything in Superior's stormy waters. But a tempest of a different kind was about to fall on the Lassiter family, and Wynne found herself caught up in the maelstrom. Whom could she trust as the clouds of suspicion and danger rolled in over her head?
Eloisa's Adventure
Rebecca King - 2015
Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere instead. Help comes in the unlikely form of a huge gothic castle, and her rather reluctant host, Simeon Calversham, Lord Pendlebury. However, it quickly transpires that Mitchelham Castle is not the place of safety she had hoped it would be. Eloisa is quickly plunged into a desperate battle for survival in the long, draughty corridors, where more than the ghosts go bump in the night. Simeon finds himself feeling more for his guest than any respectable host should, but is determined to protect her, whatever the cost to his sanity. It quickly becomes impossible to ignore the raging desire that surges between them but, with the dangers looming ever closer, Simeon is faced with a desperate battle to keep them both alive while trying to unmask the cold-blooded killer who stalks the house. Will the castle’s sinister secrets prevent any chance of a happy ending? Or will he be forced to let her go just to keep her alive? If he does, could he ever hope to win her back again?
Vampire Kisses 1: The Beginning
Ellen Schreiber - 2011
Dangerous first love. This is where it all begins...The mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood empty for years. But one day it seems to be occupied, and its mysterious, handsome inhabitant Alexander Sterling becomes the source of much talk around town. Raven, a vampire-obsessed Goth-girl who has always considered herself an outsider in 'Dullsville', is determined to uncover the truth surrounding the secretive Alexander. As she gets to know him, and their spark intensifies, Raven finds herself in some unanticipated situations. Vampire Kisses: The Beginning captures the thrill of a most unusual romance.Also available by Ellen Schreiber:Vampire Kisses 2: Kissing CoffinsVampire Kisses 3: VampirevilleVampire Kisses 4: Dance with a VampireVampire Kisses 5: The Coffin ClubVampire Kisses 6: Royal BloodVampire Kisses 7: Love BitesOnce in a Full Moon
Unintended Detour (Unintended #3)
D.L. Wood - 2021
After Chloe's job loss, Jack's writer's block, and a disheartening personal disappointment, they could use a break. However, instead of hot chocolate and horseback rides through the snow, things are all wrong at the Stonehall Estate Resort. First, they learn of months of unexplained mishaps.Then there's a murder–and it's not the first at this historically tragic mansion.It soon becomes clear someone wants the resort to fail and will stop at nothing to make that happen. The question is…why?Eager to help the family business, Chloe picks up where the hotel’s last historical curator left off. But things quickly become dangerous when her research uncovers truths hidden for decades—clues related not only to mysteries sparked by a young girl’s death in 1931, but also those haunting the estate today. Before long Chloe finds herself in a deadly race to expose the mansion’s secrets before more innocents become victims of the malevolent force behind it all.Will Chloe bring the long-lost truth to light in time, or will she be the next to fall prey to the dark scheme that could claim everything, including her life?If you enjoy riveting intrigue, heart-warming romance and heroines and heroes you can't help but root for, you'll love USA TODAY bestselling author D.L. Wood's third installment in the award-winning Unintended Series of thrilling suspense novels laced with romance and faith.
The House by the Sea
Louise Douglas - 2020
Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So, when her will lures Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna’s games.Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try to reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets.Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on…
Bestselling author Louise Douglas returns with a captivating, chilling and unforgettable tale of betrayal, jealousy and the mysteries hidden in every family history.
Praise for Louise Douglas:‘Kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away.' C.L. Taylor, author of The Accident on Your Beautiful Lies‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings, author of Sworn Secret‘A clammy, atmospheric and suspenseful novel, it builds in tension all the way through to the startling final pages.’ Sunday Express, S Magazine
Goddess Getaway: A Black Diamond/Uncut Series Annex
D. Camille - 2016
A tropical getaway includes fun, family, sisterhood, love, and of course...SECRETS! The Goddess Getaway is the BRIDGE book between Her Shield and Her Guardian in the Uncut Series. **This is NOT Trent and Callie's story***
The Wedding Bargain
Agnes Sligh Turnbull - 1966
To Daniel Morgan, self-made millionaire and reluctant playboy, young Liza Hanford was that rarest of all creatures - an efficient, compassionate and discreet private secretary. So discreet in fact that he never knew that for eight heart-wringing years Liza had been in love with him.It was hardly the kind of proposal to set a girl cloud-walking, but to Liza it opened the door to a new life . . . and perhaps he just might learn to love her.To all appearances it was a true Cinderella story. But underneath the pleasant surface dark shadows of Daniel's past began to emerge. Suddenly this unspoken menace exploded and threatened not only Liza's marriage but her husband's life.
The Spirit of Grace
Terry Lynn Thomas - 2015
There was talk of foul play, dark whispers, and sidelong glances, all aimed at Sarah, prompting her family to send her to The Laurels, an exclusive asylum in San Francisco, under a cloud of suspicion. Now, on the one-year anniversary of her mother’s murder, Sarah has been summoned home. Convinced of her innocence, she returns to Bennett House, hoping to put the broken pieces of her life back together. But when another murder occurs shortly after her arrival, Sarah once again finds herself a suspect, as she is drawn into a web of suspicion and lies. In order to clear her name, Sarah must remember what happened the fateful night her mother died. But as she works to regain her memory, the real murderer watches, ready to kill again to protect a dark family secret.