Book picks similar to
The Spirit Keepers (Spirit #1) by J.K. Winn


mystery
romance
romantic-suspense
native-american

What We Found


Kris Bock - 2012
    She’ll have to stand up for herself in order to stand up for the murder victim. It’s a risk, and so is reaching out to the mysterious young man who works with deadly birds of prey. But with danger all around, some risks are worth taking.

Tainted Morals


Janene Hudson - 2011
    An anonymous existence and nearly absolute solitude has gone a long way toward healing the scars. But four years later, Laura has discovered she will never truly escape the madman that is after her. Even the FBI couldn’t help her before and now she finds herself trying to trust the small town sheriff with her life.Sheriff Trevor Holbrook has never given a second thought to the beautiful mysterious woman that lives in the woods outside of New Jackson. She made it clear to the entire town she wanted to be left alone. But when a horrifying turn of events drops a killer in the middle of the small town he is sworn to protect, he has no choice but to figure out the mystery that is Laura Broderick. Her dauntless courage awakens passionate feelings Trevor never could have anticipated. The deeper he delves into Laura’s past, the more terror seems to be unleashed on his town.Can one small town sheriff help her stop a psychopath the FBI hasn’t been able to touch?

Something Yellow


Laura Templeton - 2013
    Now another nine-year-old girl has disappeared. Holly is back, and so is Houston—never charged and still proclaiming his innocence.Can she trust him . . . should she trust him?

Night Stalker


Carol Davis Luce - 1990
    She had finally gotten her life back together again. She’d moved to a wonderful secluded house on a mountainside in Reno, her paintings were beginning to sell, and there was even a hint of romance on the horizon. Then things began to happen. Little things. Anonymous phone calls full of heavy breathing. A broken tree branch outside her bedroom window. Her cat, Winnie—gone without a trace. A moving shadow above the skylight. Surely it was all her imagination…Then one day she picked up the phone and there was somebody there—somebody who knew her childhood nickname. In the background she could hear a scratchy record—an old song that brought dark memories out of the shadows. That night something woke Alexandra out of a sound sleep. This time, the heavy breathing wasn’t coming from the telephone. Someone was in the house with her. And she was at his mercy. In this spine-tingling thriller, Alex and Justin 's steamy relationship adds spice to the electrifying plot.

Harbored Secrets


Marie F. Martin - 2013
    473 Five Star reviews on Amazon. Historical novel with a psychological mystery in the unearthing of family secrets. In May of 1935, Blinny Platt's homestead shack burns to the ground forever leaving her family asunder, scattering them like the embers flew on the Montana wind. She was only eight-years-old, sent away and in charge of her little sister. She could handle that because Platts take care of Platts.However, it is the hidden secrets of her parents smoldering beneath the charred remains that haunts Blinny until 1982. She once again leaves the home place to build a house for herself. As the foundation is poured and the walls go up, each of the hurtful memories are uncovered. Finally the mystery, left in the ashes of the burned home, is revealed. How could her mother do what she did?Recent Five-Star Reviews:By the end of the very first paragraph, I knew Marie F. Martin had written a book I would have a hard time putting down. In between high drama, there is a love letter to Montana, and she uses her love of the English language throughout. More "Oh wow" moments in this book than any other I have ever read in my more than half a century of life.  Yvonne Bechtold, Five-star reviewerThis is a tale so well told, you can smell the sage, feel the heat, and pain this family shares. I wish more authors crafted their characters so well.  Renita Hulsey Five-Star Reader Review.The author was a master at weaving the past with the present.  Quaintreader Five-Star Reader ReviewMartin knows family dynamics and human frailties.  From these she has crafted a heartbreaking story, of love, loss, and endurance.   Barb Ward Five-Star Reader Review

A Red, Red Rose


Susan Coryell - 2012
    Their lives, loves and secrets. Especially their secrets. 20-year-old Ashby Overton is invited by her aunt and uncle to spend the summer at historic Overhome Estate as a companion to her young cousin. Ashby has ulterior motives: She hopes to unearth her ancestral roots and the cause of a mysterious family rift surrounding the horseback riding death of her Grandmother Lenore many years ago. Situated high above Moore Mountain Lake, Virginia, the imposing mansion is an idyllic setting for Ashby, the aspiring romance writer. From the moment she enters her room in the oldest wing, Ashby feels an invisible, enfolding presence. This was Rosabelle's room, the housekeeper tells Ashby. But no one is willing to talk about Rosabelle. As summer unfolds, so does the shroud of silence surrounding Overhome. Ever present is a force Ashby never sees, only feels. Candles light themselves, notes from an old lullaby fall from the ceiling, the radio tunes itself each day. And roses, always meant for Ashby, appear in the unlikeliest places. Are the roses a symbol of love, or do they represent something dark, something deep and evil? Full of heartbreak and adventure, fear and passion, the summer leads Ashby on a suspenseful, sometimes terrifying journey as she navigates centuries of family strife alongside the puzzling parameters of the spirit world. Ultimately she discovers that some secrets, even the most fiercely guarded, are destined to be revealed.

Someone Else's Daughter


Linsey Lanier - 2011
    Independent. Skeptical.Thirteen years ago her abusive husband stole her baby and gave it up for adoption.She comes to Atlanta to find her daughter.THE PIWade Parker.Ace detective.Wealthy owner of the Parker Investigative Agency.The most eligible forty-four-year-old bachelor in Atlanta.Still mourning the death of his socialite wife, he must solve a disturbing murder case.Before the killer strikes again.THE MURDERERA serial killer strangling young girls in a bizarre ritual.Why?She doesn't need a man.He needs to find a killer.Together, can they save a thirteen year old girl?

Outback Fear


Suzanne Brandyn - 2013
    Savannah Harris is determined to raise her three-month-old daughter in the best possible environment, and flees home to Grace Creek, an inheritance from her recently deceased mother.But even this peaceful property cannot cocoon her from her abusive husband or a stranger who intends to rip her life apart.In an atmosphere thick with fear, Savannah realises she cannot keep running, she must fight back or risk losing not only her life, but the only family she has left, her precious daughter.

A Man Walks Into A Hardware Store


Bernie Van De Yacht - 2017
    Friendly, kind to strangers, a devoted husband and father. A gentle soul quietly moving through life. But still waters run deep, and Terry’s inner turmoil derives from a secret that he can’t share with anyone. As fate would have it, Terry’s guarded world is turned upside down the day he walks into a hardware store and meets Renee Patrick, a free-spirited beauty who is as tough as the nails she sells out of her family business. Unfiltered and unapologetic of her questionable lifestyle, Renee ignites a spark deep inside Terry. As these two lost souls embark on an unlikely relationship, they are both forced to face secrets they have long kept hidden in order to survive. Now, each of them must decide if they will risk completely destroying their fragile existence in a last attempt to find true happiness. "Van De Yacht’s talents as a storyteller are solid and impressive. Well-structured, the appealing book delivers polished writing and multidimensional characters." -- Kirkus Reviews "An unassuming yet potent novel about the power and possibilities of personal transformation after traumatic events." -- Kirkus Reviews

Swamp Ghosts


Marcia Meara - 2014
    Johns River of central Florida drew him like a magnet. EcoTour boat owner Maggie Devlin knew all the river's secrets, including the deadliest ones found in the swamps. But neither Maggie nor Gunn was prepared for the danger that would come after them on two legs. On a quest to make history photographing the rarest birds of them all, Gunnar hires the fiery, no-nonsense Maggie to canoe him into the most remote wetland areas in the state. He was unprepared for how much he would enjoy both the trips and Maggie’s company. He soon realizes he wants more than she’s prepared to give, but before he can win her over, they make a grisly discovery that changes everything, and turns the quiet little town of Riverbend upside down. A serial killer is on the prowl among them.

Submerged


Dani Pettrey - 2012
    Two dead deep-water divers. One single clue.Bailey Craig vowed never to set foot in Yancey, Alaska, again. She has a past, and a reputation--and Yancey's a town that doesn't forget. She's returned only to bury a loved one killed in the plane crash, but then dark evidence emerges and Bailey's own expertise becomes invaluable for the case.Cole McKenna can face dangerous rescue dives. He can face the fear a murderer may be threatening his town. But facing the reality of Bailey's reappearance is a tougher challenge. She broke his heart...but doesn't seem to be the same girl who left Yancey ten years ago. And he's not the same guy she left behind. Racing against the clock and a rising body count, Bailey and Cole must move beyond the hurts of their pasts to work together until the truth of what is hidden in the depths finally surfaces.

The Mystery of Jessica Benson


C.K. Laurence - 2012
    Her life and death intersects the drama of a professional football team and the detectives who are on the case. The story takes place in Miami Beach, Florida. The author, C. K. Laurence, has been a student of crime activity and weaves an exciting tale of mystery and intrigue, and creates an unexpected ending to a suspenseful adventure. Ms. Laurence is a long-time rowdy Miami Dolphins football fan and uses her knowledge of the sport to develop a side-story that rings true in football culture. The book moves quickly from hot Miami Beach parties to the football field to the murder scene. Look out! The ending is a shocker!

Playtime


Bart Hopkins Jr. - 2014
    It could be said that his eyes have been opened. It's summer in Galveston, and just like every other year, for thousands of people it's playtime. The beaches are packed, and the island is rocking. But for a few, the summer isn't about having fun. It's about surviving. And the way things are going for Blaine and his girlfriend Renee, a second chance might not be enough.

Seeking Vengeance


M.P. McDonald - 2014
    vengeance is Sam's only goal. Scarred and wary, Molly Flynn balks when her brother dumps an injured Sam Brennan on her doorstep. As a paramedic, she feels compelled to help the man, and after all, he saved her brother's life, but the second he's able to ride his motorcycle, she wants him gone. She knows from the past that bad boy bikers only bring pain and shame, and now she has her young daughter Kelsie to protect. But can she deny their sizzling chemistry? Sam is done playing by the rules imposed as a cop and goes rogue in his quest for blood. He's not looking for love, and he's certainly not looking for a new family, but he can't ignore the passion Molly stirs inside of him. When Molly's brother, Johnny, flees from the same biker gang Sam hunts, Sam is forced to put his own mission on hold as he takes Molly, Kelsie, and Johnny to the one place he feels they'll be safe in his cabin in the Northwoods.Molly discovers the cabin holds more than safety, it contains all of the memories Sam holds dear. Drawn to the glimpses of the man he was before revenge consumed him, she longs to heal his heart, but will there be time for their love to grow or will he destroy it when he seeks vengeance? Buy this emotional and gritty romantic thriller today.

Lamb to the Slaughter


Karen Ann Hopkins - 2014
    To solve the murder, she must investigate the nearby Amish community with the help of a man who was shunned years ago. Lamb to the Slaughter is a story about the intertwining lives of three unlikely people in an Indiana Amish Community and the devastating results when a rebellious teenage girl is found shot to death in a corn field during the harvest. Serenity Adams is the newly elected young sheriff in the country town of Blood Rock and besides dealing with the threatening behavior of her predecessor, she now has a dead Amish girl on her plate. At first glance, the case seems obvious. The poor girl was probably accidentally shot during hunting season, but when the elders of the Amish community and even the girl’s parents react with uncaring subdued behavior, Serenity becomes suspicious. As she delves deeper into the secretive community that she grew up beside, she discovers a gruesome crime from the past that may very well be related to the Amish girl’s shooting. Serenity enlists the help of the handsome bad-boy building contractor, Daniel Bachman, who left the Amish when he was nineteen and has his own dark reasons to help the spunky sheriff solve the crime that the family and friends who shunned him are trying desperately to cover up. Serenity’s persistence leads her to a stunning discovery that not only threatens to destroy her blossoming romance with Daniel, but may even take her life in the end.