Book picks similar to
The Orphans by J.S. Donovan


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j-s-donovan
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Dragon Badge


Scott Moon - 2012
    Who could have predicted what a person would do to possess another soul? Michael Prim is a cop’s cop, taking down drug dealers, killers, and all kinds of predators, until he realizes a sorcerer has a vendetta against him and is using hellhounds, demons, and soul slaves to exact revenge. MICHAEL PRIM Michael Prim is a hard charging beat cop soon to be thrust into a world of dark magic. He has always been a bit of a freak: different, strange, and always needing to prove himself. His last memories of his father were of bedtime stories—the mercenary war, dragon slaying, and demon fighting variety. He knows how to come down hard on wife beaters, pedophiles, and cop killing drug lords, but nothing has prepared him for the sorcerer who is coming for his soul. KEITH MARIN Keith Marin takes a new prostitute under his wing and tries to protect her, because she continually winds up in the gutter raped, tortured, and clutching a strange jar with a preternatural magnetism. He begins a dangerous dance with the sorcerer who has found his way to Blue Point, and discovers people from all walks of life who are slaves to the soul jars and little more than zombies. When two homeless layabouts who frequent his beat turn up driving a BMW, wearing tailored silk suits, and carrying serious firepower, Marin takes his investigation to the next level.NICOLE SIMMONS Nicole Simmons has come out of hiding and reinvented herself—as a rookie cop. She begins to doubt her choice as soon as she is assigned to a training officer who is the archenemy of her kind. She should kill him and disappear again, but she had hoped this time would be different. DRAGON BADGE Michael Prim does what any good cop would do after discovering a soul reaving sorcerer is hunting on his beat, he goes to war, even as hellhounds and Rashfellen warriors come after him. He gets a little help from his friends—a tough as nails veteran and a zombie like prostitute who holds a soul trapped in a magical jar—but when the apocalypse comes, there is only his most hated enemy, the gang member who murdered his partner, to stand against Travass Isegurad and his demons.

They Came with the Snow


Christopher Coleman - 2017
    When a mysterious blast goes off in a small college town, triggering a blizzard, the few survivors must decide whether to stay or leave and face the monsters who came with the snow.

The Alex Troutt Thriller Series: Books 1-3


John W. Mefford - 2016
     AT Bay (Book 1) Alexandra Giordano never knew she had it so good. Until it was all gone in an instant. As she begins her daunting quest to uncover the black spots on her memory, what she finds isn’t sweet or charming or even pleasant. And that’s when she begins to question everything, including herself. Her work as a Special Agent for the FBI is only a distraction, serving as a mental metronome…anything to crank the gears of her feeble mind. And then it happens—a bizarre, ritualistic murder. She loses herself in her work, fully immersed in the investigation. Unable to recall even her own kids, she’s somehow able to formulate coherent theories on what type of person could pull off such a sickening act. As her mind slowly plugs a few memory gaps, her emotions are scrambled by the reality of her worlds colliding. And the resulting explosion tears her in two. Can she pick up all the incendiary fragments to solve the twisted crime while she clings to some semblance of sanity? One woman can only keep so much…AT Bay. AT Large (Book 2) The pursuit of the truth. The hunt for a life. For the first time in months, FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt feels almost normal, hanging out at a local bar with friends after work. Not long into the evening she stumbles over one of the most disturbing images she has ever seen. And that’s only the beginning. A body is found in Lowell, the human damage, once again, inconceivable. Hours later, another strike. Pushing heartache aside, Alex immerses herself in the investigation. But with every new clue comes a new twist. With the killing spree drawing the attention of every intelligence and law enforcement agency in a five-state radius, Alex is forced to partner with an egomaniac from the CIA. Yet, even with limitless resources, every step forward proves to be a step too late, the kill list seemingly endless. Once the killer makes it personal, Alex is left with no other option—she must confront the person who destroyed her life to try to cease the vicious murders. And when she finally learns the killer’s end game, every second counts if she has any hope of stopping the brutal killings. The hunt will end. Will Alex? AT Once (Book 3) “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” FBI Agent Alex Troutt has no intentions of falling for anything. Apparently, neither do the bad guys, as the Boston area is once again targeted by extremists. Boston Strong of just a few years ago is now Boston on Edge. And this time, the targets are men of the cloth—priests. At least that’s how it looks at first. As investigators struggle to make sense of the bombings, Alex is thrown for a loop when the FBI assistant director asks her to investigate one of their own—a colleague and friend who is suspected of having ties to a known terrorist. Torn between her values of friendship and the oath she gave when she accepted her FBI credentials, Alex must now lead two investigations simultaneously.

Rising Tide: Dark Innocence


Claudette Melanson - 2014
    She seems to drive her classmates away—except for the odd times they pay enough attention to torture her—but she doesn’t understand why. Maura considers herself to be a freak of nature, with her unusually pale skin and an aversion to the sun that renders her violently nauseous. Her belief is only worsened by the fact that almost everyone around her keeps their distance.Even her own father deserted her before she was born, leaving Maura alone with her emotionally distant mother, Caelyn. Even though Maura is desperate for answers about her unknown parent, Caelyn remains heartbroken and her daughter can’t bring herself to reopen her mother’s wounds. Or is there a more sinister reason Caelyn refuses to utter a word about her long-lost love?When a cruel prank nearly claims Maura’s life, one of her classmates, Ron, rushes to her rescue. Darkly handsome & mysteriously accepting, Ron doesn’t seem to want to stay away, but Maura is reluctant to get too close, since her mother has announced she’s moving the two of them to Vancouver…nearly 3,000 miles away from their hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania.If life wasn’t already challenging enough, Maura begins to experience bizarre, physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring, compelling Maura to fear for her own life. Vicious nightmares, blood cravings, failing health and the heart-shattering loss of Ron—as well as the discovery of a tangled web of her own mother's lies—become obstacles in Maura's desperate quest for the unfathomable truth she was never prepared to uncover.

Louisiana Blood (A Chandler Travis and Duke Lanoix Mystery Thriller)


Mike Donald - 2019
    When the remains of Jack the Ripper’s first five victims are discovered in present day Louisiana, an English detective and a local sheriff form an unlikely alliance to unravel the mystery…and find themselves caught up in a modern-day conspiracy.

Shadow Detective #1-3


William Massa - 2018
     Orphaned by demons at the age of ten, I have dedicated my life to keeping the world safe from nightmares. Trained by one of the greatest monster hunters who ever lived, and armed with an arsenal of mystical weapons, I battle forces beyond human understanding. Trust me, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds. The Shadow Detective Boxed Set collects the first three supernatural action chillers of the bestselling urban fantasy horror series in one place for one great price. You get: Cursed City, Soul Catcher and Blood Rain. CURSED CITY My name is Mike Raven. I hunt nightmares. Demons murdered my parents when I was eight. Turns out my folks were paranormal investigators and Hell always settles its scores. Naturally I decided to join the family business. For two decades I've studied the occult and traveled the world fighting monsters. Vampires. Shifters. Demons. Ghosts. I've faced them all. But my biggest challenge lay ahead... From the moment Celeste stepped into my office, I knew she was in trouble. Black magic trouble. Her father had promised her soul to a powerful demon on the day she was born. Now, twenty-one years later, the forces of darkness were gathering to collect their long-awaited prize. Guess who's about to pick a fight with the Devil himself... SOUL CATCHER My name is Mike Raven. I hunt monsters. But today the monsters are hunting me. There are two worlds. The world of the living--and the world of the dead. Sometimes they overlap. And sometimes they collide. The spirit of a diabolical killer has returned from the grave to stalk the woman I love. Guess who's going to pick a fight with a dead murderer and his legion of the damned? BLOOD RAIN My name is Mike Raven. I've always hunted monsters. But now one of them is the woman I love. I tried to save Detective Jane Archer's life. Instead I turned her into a creature of the night. I know she's out there. Hunting. Killing. It's only a matter of time before our paths cross. Before I must make a terrible decision: Do I put her down or let my city drown in a rain of blood?

From Away


Phoef Sutton - 2018
    When they visit their beloved old family home on remote Fox Island, Maine, Sammy and Charlotte each have relationship sparks with island locals. But the budding idyll is shattered when Sammy and Maggie’s unexplained abilities to “see things” are put to the test when dangerous ghosts from the past resurface. At first, this novel about an unusual and loving family draws readers in with warmth and intrigue—and then it builds with suspense that makes it impossible to put down.Phoef Sutton is a New York Times bestselling novelist, television writer, and playwright whose work has won two Emmys, a Peabody, a Writers Guild Award, a GLAAD Award, and a Television Academy Honors Award. Sutton has been an executive producer of Cheers, a writer/producer for Boston Legal and NewsRadio, and the creator of several TV shows, including the cult hit Thanks. He is the author of the Crush mystery series and the co-author (with Janet Evanovich) of two New York Times bestsellers, Curious Minds and Wicked Charms. He lives in South Pasadena, California.

Dracones Awakening


Sheri-Lynn Marean - 2016
    For a thousand years the Ilyium druids have hunted the Dracones without mercy. At seven, in a terrifying moment, Tierney lost her world and fled to Earth, keeping her true nature secret from humans. But a nightmarish past is not easy to escape. Now, years later, that truth is abundantly clear every time she looks into the eyes of the man she secretly loves, and sees a torment that draws her to him even as he pushes her away. Jax battles his desires for Tierney alongside his inner demons, ashamed to speak of a past he cannot forget. Frustrated by her efforts to connect to Jax, Tierney is unprepared when the Ilyium resurface. Ancient instincts triggered, she and Jax are tested in ways they never imagined. Will Tierney and Jax overcome the legacy of their past, or will they be destroyed?

Horrors Next Door: Short Scary Stories to play with your mind


Tom Coleman - 2019
    Some of the stories are inspired by true events. Find out which ones inside this scary collection. “Night Visitors” Once or twice a year, dark creatures show up at the foot of Annie`s bed and take her with them and conduct grisly experiments on her. This is happening for years now. She doesn’t understand who they are and why they do this. But this, last time, it's different. This time she gets the answers, and nothing on Earth will be the same afterward. “Agatha” A man falls in love with a mysterious timid red-haired girl. As he begins to know more about her, he finds out that her secrets are more complicated than he fathoms. A series of abnormal accidents begin to happen in her presence. Who is she and why does she have these paranormal powers? "Grandpa Jesse" Three months have passed since the death of their grandfather, and sisters Jen and Kim are struggling to cope with the loss. As Jen and Kim spend more time at their grandmother’s house, they slowly begin to realize some specter is visiting her on a daily basis and he means no good.

The Presence: A Riveting Haunted House Mystery (Sinister Spirits #1)


Kirk Kilgrave - 2018
    But with a horrible credit score, a mountain of school debt, and less than three figures in her bank account, Rosalind takes the job and hides out there at night until she can find an affordable apartment.When cold spots precede unsettling, seemingly impossible events, Rosalind begins to wonder if the stories are true. These strange occurrences soon take on a more sinister edge, but circumstances outside her control force her to stay in the one place she'd like to escape at all costs.As she discovers clues about what might be lurking inside the library, Rosalind realizes that those who work in the library...may be just as evil as what lives inside it.Please note: This is not a typical "haunted house" story. It's a supernatural thriller with elements of mystery, romance, and suspense.

Lost Girls


Celina Grace - 2012
    She was never seen again.In the present day, Maudie is struggling to come to terms with the death of her wealthy father, her increasingly fragile mental health and a marriage that’s under strain. Slowly, she becomes aware that there is someone following her: a blonde woman in a long black coat with an intense gaze. As the woman begins to infiltrate her life, Maudie realises no one else appears to be able to see her. Is Maudie losing her mind? Is the woman a figment of her imagination or does she actually exist? Have the sins of the past caught up with Maudie’s present... or is there something even more sinister going on?Lost Girls is the new novel from the author of The House on Fever Street: a dark and convoluted tale which proves that nothing can be taken for granted and no-one is as they seem

Driving in the Dark


Jack Harding - 2021
    There’s something in his bag. Something silver and glistening, sparkling with hopes and dreams of a bright and beautiful future. The only thing standing between him and his soon to be fiancée Emma is his arduous, mind-numbing drive home. But something isn’t right. His phone, his hearing, the music, the traffic; everything just seems off and out of sync, and Riley can’t quite put his finger on it.All he has to do is keep his eyes on the road…All he has to do is take it slow…In this brooding and deeply moving short story by Jack Harding, buckle up and settle down for a journey that will stir your senses and pull on your heart strings, keeping you guessing right until the end of the road.

The Eclective: The Haunted Collection


Alan NayesR.G. Porter - 2012
    Edward McNally: Captain Wil has command of his own ship, the respect of his crew, and his wife is expecting their first child. But at sea, the winds always become calm just before the storm breaks.The Smell of Death by Tara West: Maggie's unusual powers bring new threats to her already troubled childhood.Safe by Emma Jameson: In Victorian London, a grave robber makes a nice living off the dead, until he opens the wrong crypt.Soulfully Sweet by Shéa MacLeod: As if helping the living isn’t enough of a pain in her divine hindquarters, Branwen (former goddess of love and beauty) is stuck helping the dead on All Hallow’s Eve.May I Go Play? by Heather Marie Adkins: Micah inherits a southern mansion where ancestors long dead relive their violent deaths. And now, they want company...Blehdward, the Vampire who Couldn't Sparkle by Pj Jones: Blehdward desperately wants to fit in with the cool vamps. If only he could learn how to sparkle.Franscesca by Alan Nayes: Break a promise to a feiticeira and you will live to regret it.Soul Eaters by R.G. Porter: Kaitlyn never believed in the existence of other worlds. Now she's in the middle of one where humans aren't the hunters but the hunted.The Eclective is a group of authors dedicated to the premise that The Story is The Thing, and classifications of genre are mostly a matter for bookshelves. While the following stories share a "Haunting" theme, they might variously be filed as Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, YA, etc., or anything else. Our idea is that the story itself is more important than whatever label somebody feels like giving it, and by bringing our work together in collections like this one, we hope readers may find a story they might like. Even if it is not in "their" genre.

In the Dark


Chris Patchell - 2015
    Brooke has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn’t seen her since that night in the bar. And if Marissa has Brooke’s insulin, it means that Brooke does not.But Marissa isn’t alone in her terror. A phantom from her past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive…In the dark."An edge-of-your-seat suspense novel. It scared the hell out of me. Read it with the lights on!"~Robert Dugoni - Amazon #1 and New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Grave

Haunted: Houses: A Collection of 11 Ghost Stories


Rebecca Peter Patrick-HowardPaul Summerhayes - 2016
    Thompson: The Curse of Everson House Kolin Gates: 8250 Woodcrest Lane A.P. Killian: Through the Doorway Terrie McClay: Evergreen: The Awakening Peter Howard: The Play House L. Sydney Fisher: The Haunted Prophecy of Natalie Bradford Paul Summerhayes: The Shadow Over Number 9 Debra Barton: The Haunting of Morton House Rebecca J Powell:The Ghosts of Past Are Present