Book picks similar to
Cocoon by Greg Egan


science-fiction
sf-all
short-story
t-novelette

The Core


Aaron Dembski-Bowden - 2011
    Harried by genestealers and Space Marines of the Salamanders Chapter, they must protect the traitor tech-priest Deltrian as he completes his mission. But something is hunting them through the shadows, a predator that is more than their match... A short story from the Fear the Alien anthology.

The Bear That Fell From The Stars


Keith C. Blackmore - 2011
    On the night he decides to strike, his life, and his world, are forever changed. Alien scientists from across the cosmos, abduct and place Kazaka in deep storage for centuries. When they revive him with the intent to subject him to extraterrestrial evisceration, the ninja escapes. The shadow warrior then begins to hunt his captors, one by one, leading up to a battle that will shake the galaxy.The Bear That Fell From the StarsA different kind of alien terror. NOTE: This is a Novella of approx. 20,000 words, or about 60 pages.Science Fiction Fantasy and not hard SciFi.Some scenes of graphic violence.

Don't Scream 2: 30 More Tales to Terrify


Blair Daniels - 2019
    A sequel to a #1 bestselling horror anthology Don't Scream, featuring hideous doppelgangers, terrifying apps, lurking monsters, and more. Read... if you dare.

20 Minutes To Go Viral


Daniel Hurst - 2020
    Something that threatens the whole of humanity. Something is going viral. 20 Minutes. 20 People. 20 stories that will make you want to stay inside and never greet another human being again. This is a short novella about a viral outbreak in a small town in the Lake District and shows how quickly disease can spread amongst the population. This isn't the Coronavirus. But it's just as scary. Humans. Viruses. Panic. Fear. There goes the countryside...

Twitch (The Braddock & Gray Case Files Book 7)


H.P. Bayne - 2021
    

A Hint of Death


Quintin Jardine - 2014
    With Chief Constable Bob Skinner's help, Haddock will soon discover that outward appearances are never as they seem, and that no crime can go unpunished... Also features an exclusive extract from Quintin Jardine's brand-new Bob Skinner mystery, HOUR OF DARKNESS.

Walking Wounded


William McIlvanney - 1989
    The walking wounded. These are the stories of ordinary people.

The Ice Twins, Extended Preview -Chapters 1-3


S.K. Tremayne - 2015
    But can she be sure which one? A year after one of their identical twin daughters, Lydia, dies in an accident, Angus and Sarah Moorcroft move to the tiny Scottish island Angus inherited from his grandmother, hoping to put together the pieces of their shattered lives. But when their surviving daughter, Kirstie, claims they have mistaken her identity--that she, in fact, is Lydia--their world comes crashing down once again.As winter encroaches, Angus is forced to travel away from the island for work, Sarah is feeling isolated, and Kirstie (or is it Lydia?) is growing more disturbed. When a violent storm leaves Sarah and her daughter stranded, they are forced to confront what really happened on that fateful day.

Life Warrior


Saxon Andrew - 2012
    This new series takes place in the Stars Realm’s Universe and has some of the species from the Annihilation Series. With new Characters and powerful enemies, the series will hook you from the start.The powerful advance of aggressive civilizations has taken a toll on thousands of peaceful civilizations and the Realm is losing ground. With the loss of psychic abilities, there is no one to fly the most powerful warships of the Realm and many of the enemies possess more advanced technologies. A psychic species that kills everything it touches has killed all life on thousands of planets and are expanding into the Realm. Three infants are the only ones to ever survive a Dremor attack and no one knows why they weren’t killed. These three brothers will play an important role in determining the possible survival of the Realm. The three know they share a common destiny but first they must don the armor of a Life Warrior.The action continues in Life Warrior as the Bristone Realm continues the struggle to survive a tsunami of enemy warships led by a species that has never tasted defeat.

Death Served Cold


Sourabh Mukherjee - 2021
    A teenager poisons her family for the love of her tutor. A woman driven by greed ruthlessly bludgeons eight members of her family.A beautician gangs up with her lover to rob a house, killing innocent women from three generations of a family. A practising lawyer strangles her lawyer husband with the cord of a mobile charger. A friendly and jovial teacher commits at least six murders over fourteen years in a sleepy town down south.DEATH SERVED COLD is a painstakingly researched collection of true, blood-curdling accounts of gruesome murders committed by India’s most dangerous women over the last three decades.These stories explore the dark recesses of the female psyche and challenge popular stereotypes by revealing shocking excesses of sadism and aggression rarely associated with women.

Blood Underground: A Blood Detective Short Story


Dan Waddell - 2017
     A body entombed in a London tube station. DCI Grant Foster is called in to investigate, but within days a second corpse is discovered in the bowels of a disused underground ‘ghost’ station. With the possibility of the murders being linked, Foster enlists the help of his friend, genealogist Nigel Barnes. Between them, they try to untangle the twisted secrets of the past, buried deep beneath London’s streets – where no one can hear you scream, and the murderer is closing in on his next victim . Includes an extract from The Blood Detective, the first book in the Blood Detective series.

The Amish Broken Quilter (Amish Romance)


Emma Maas - 2018
    But even worse, she doesn't care. She blames God for taking her husband and has since lost her way in both her faith, and her community. But life must go on, and to support herself she makes and mends quilts for the Amish and Englishers alike. Living alone in an apartment above her shop, she works only to live and seemingly not much else as she feels the need to almost punish herself, and God, at the same time. But all that changes when Levi, himself a widow, comes into her shop to mend an old quilt as a surprise for his daughter's first child. He's immediately taken with Hannah. And as his job is repair and fixing broken things in his workshop, his trained eye spots a few problems around her home that could use some neighborly help. But his heart spots some problems, too. Yet Hannah doesn't want the help, or the attention. She resists, but Levi won't take no for an answer. He repeatedly shows up to work on things, trying to slowly chip away at her gruff exterior and win a smile, if not a friend. But Hannah is comfortable in her pain. She certainly has no time for friendships, let alone love. Yet God, and Levi, just might have other plans. Can two people find what they need in the other, when they both need it the most? A desire to mend against a desire to harbor old pains. Will love win out, in this sweet Amish Romance? Read this new book by Emma Maas to find out today...

Trigger Happy


William H. Lovejoy - 2016
     Ex-Apache helicopter pilot Doug Reeves is happily living out his retirement on board a power yacht in the Monterey marina. When his neighbour’s boat suddenly explodes he begins asking questions. It soon becomes clear that what first seemed like an unfortunate accident was actually part of a much greater conspiracy. Unable to let things lie, Reeves calls in favours from his old friends in the military. But his investigation soon imperils both his life and his blossoming relationship with Donni Brakken. Will Reeves get to the bottom of this crime? Will his relationship with Donni be put at risk? Will he make it out alive? Praise for William H Lovejoy: “Tightly plotted,..well-written…engaging!”---Nelson DeMille, author of The Lion’s Game “Paperback vet Lovejoy makes his hardcover debut a memorable occasion with an ultracool, swiftly paced take of cyberspace chicanery...A grand user-friendly yarn that gives new meaning to the words computer error.” - Kirkus Review "Lovejoy tells another great story of fast-paced aerial action…Phantom Strike rings with authenticity and puts you in the middle of the action--makes you feel as if you should strap on your G-suit to go along on the mission." ---Jimmie H. Butler, Colonel, USAF, Retired, author of The Iskra Incident "Delta Green is an exciting aerial thriller. Buckle your seat belts!"---Joe Weber, author of Defcon One "Alpha Kat is an action-packed, rip-snorting adventure tale from William Lovejoy, this time with high-tech fighters and red-hot fighter pilots. Technothriller fans are going to enjoy this one." - Stephen Coonts, best-selling author William H Lovejoy has publications in English, Spanish, Hebrew and Japanese. He is the author of twenty-five thriller, suspense, and mystery novels, including Delta Blue, Delta Green, Alpha Kat, Phantom Strike and Ultra Deep. A Vietnam veteran, he resides in Colorado and is Vice Chancellor Emeritus from Mohave Community College.

A Scattering of Bones: A Mary O'Reilly World Paranormal Mystery


Ophelia Julien - 2018
    Feeling at a loss now that Mike has moved on, Mary nevertheless works diligently to uncover the story behind a ghost—or two— who are terrified to talk to the police, even an ex-cop like Mary. Luckily, Bradley is right beside her when the story she seeks somehow leads back to a scattering of bones.

No Peace (Steve Dancy Tales Book 7)


James D. Best - 2019
    He can hardly remember his days of wanderlust, and he’s grateful to have left behind the violence of a raw frontier. In a celebratory mood, Steve invites his mother to a meet her new grandchild in a chic resort in Monterey, California. With the delivery of a handwritten note, his world suddenly reverts to the savagery of his bygone days. There will be no peace.