Book picks similar to
The Bitter End by Ann Evans


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The Temp


Michelle Frances - 2018
    Must be bright, creative, with killer instincts.Emma would do anything to work for the woman who has the job she wants. Carrie is at the top of her game, with a dream career, a baby on the way, and a handsome screenwriter husband. For Emma, with parents who don't understand her ambition and a serious misstep behind her, this temp position might be her last chance.Carrie has given up more than anyone knows to get to the top of a ruthless business. She won't give up this baby too. But with Emma filling in for her at the office, her perfect life starts to unravel. Her bank account is inexplicably overdrawn, her husband seems strangely distant and colleagues are all too happy to take Emma's creative direction. Carrie finds herself dying to get back to work . . . until a letter left at her door changes everything.Trust and fear trade places in a love triangle that defies readers' expectations at every turn.

My Last Lie


Ella Drummond - 2019
    Old secrets. Theo and Pilar. The perfect couple. Successful, beautiful and very much in love. Until a year ago - and the tragedy that nearly tore them apart. When their baby died, a part of them died with him. Now they’re trying to rebuild themselves, moving to a stunning house in rural Cornwall. But someone knows all their secrets – and will stop at nothing to disturb their fragile peace. Theo and Pilar are about to learn that you can try to hide – but you can never outrun your past. A unputdownable, gripping psychological thriller that will hook you until the final shocking twist. Fans of The Girl on the Train, Behind Closed Doors and The Wife Between Us will be captivated.

Hungry Ghosts


Ron Ripley - 2017
    A cemetery full of secrets. And murderous ghosts on the loose. After more than a decade, Connor Mann is forced out of the psychiatric ward he once called home. He finds himself back in the town where he grew up, with a distant father, and a tragedy all too painful to bear. His attempt to resume a normal life soon comes under attack when he encounters restless spirits lurking in the basement. And someone - or something - terribly vicious awaits him with open arms in nearby Pine Grove Cemetery. Meanwhile, a series of unexplained murders begin to wreak havoc on the town, and a group of detectives work tirelessly on the puzzling case. Unbeknownst to them, an elderly Chinese man, Hu, is on the lookout for a nefarious priest, who might hold the key to unlocking the mystery. As a legion of deadly ghosts cast an ominous cloud over Pine Grove, Connor must confront his tragic past and gather all his strength to defeat them. The battle against unimaginable evil will change everything he knows about himself, and the world.

The Perfect Friend


Barbara Copperthwaite - 2018
    Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.

The Girl In His Eyes


Jennie Ensor - 2018
    For years she was too afraid to speak out. But now she suspects he’s found another victim… Laura, a young woman struggling to deal with what her father did to her a decade ago, is horrified to realise that the girl he takes swimming might be his next victim. Emma is twelve – the age Laura was when her father took away her innocence.Intimidated by her father’s rages, Laura has never told anyone the truth about her childhood. Now she must decide whether she has the courage to expose him and face the consequences. Can Laura overcome her fear and save Emma before the worst happens? What everyone is saying about The Girl In His Eyes "Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. This is a fantastic read."  Lee Husemann - Reviewer "LOVED this book!! I could not put it down from the first page to the last."  Tara Jill - Reviewer "I was hooked from the beginning" Laura Hundley - Reviewer  “an edgy, compulsive read with a disturbing sense of unease that doesn’t let up until the end.” – Linda Huber, best-selling author of Baby Dear "This book was a rollercoaster of emotions" Savanah Bourgeois - Reviewer “An addictive story that will grab your attention from the very beginning!” - J.A. Baker, best-selling author of The Other Mother “A brave and important book that unflinchingly tackles subject matter lesser authors struggle with. Ensor ensnares her readers in a cold, clammy grip of dread and helplessness. Simply riveting .” Kerensa Jennings, author of bestselling literary thriller Seas Of Snow The Girl In His Eyes is a dark and compulsive psychological thriller, which will appeal to fans of authors like Katerina Diamond, Dennis Lehane and B A Paris.

The Flood


Rachel Bennett - 2019
    She’s there to collect something she left in her childhood home, then she plans to leave. But upon entering the old house she discovers her younger sister’s body half-submerged in the water. As Daniela tries to work out what happened to Auryn, she uncovers dark secrets from her childhood as one of four sisters in the household, when the Cain’s and another local family begin to turn on each other with devastating results.

Who Did You Tell?


Lesley Kara - 2019
    "Instantly immersive, then intriguing, then insanely suspenseful, then . . . the truth. Believe me, Lesley Kara knows what she's doing."--Lee Child We said to keep it a secret, that no one needed to know. Astrid is newly sober and trying to turn her life around. Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and darkness of her previous life, she is focusing on her recovery. She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged. If she fills her days, maybe she can outrun the ghosts that haunt her. Maybe she can start anew. But someone is tormenting me now. Someone knows where I am and what I've done. Someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected. Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . . The question is: Who did you tell?

The Orphan Daughter


Sheila Riley - 2019
     Evie Kilgaren is a fighter. Abandoned by her mother and with her father long gone, she is left to raise her siblings in dockside Liverpool, as they battle against the coldest winter on record. But she is determined to make a life for herself and create a happy home for what's left of her family.Desperate for work, Evie takes a job at the Tram Tavern under the kindly watch of pub landlady, and pillar of the community, Connie Sharp. But Connie has problems of her own when her quiet life of spinsterhood is upturned with the arrival of a mysterious undercover detective from out of town. When melting ice reveals a body in the canal, things take a turn for the worst for the residents of Reckoner's Row. Who could be responsible for such a brutal attack? And can Evie keep her family safe before they strike again? A gritty, historical family drama full of laughter and tears from the author of Annie Groves' bestsellers including Child of the Mersey and Christmas on the Mersey. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews, Katie Flynn and Nadine Dorries.

Immortal: Curse of the Deathless


Derek Edgington - 2016
    Basically all he has going for him is an edgy sense of humor-- and, of course, that he can't die. As a small-time fixer, he's about to field a job request best left to the pros, because once he gets involved with witches and the supernatural, there's no turning back. While Asher becomes immersed in the secret world of the supernatural, he makes few allies and some very powerful enemies. At least traveling across space and time will bring him some unexpected romance, right? Immortal: Curse of the Deathless is a humorous, action-filled story with gritty, sometimes horror-inspiring elements. Over its three parts, the book spans multiple worlds: a modern, urban city of the 21st Century, as well as Tír na nÓg, a land that's home to the Fae (Sídthe) from classic Celtic Mythology.

Build Me Up Buttercup


Bella Osborne - 2018
    And when she receives an accidental text from a mystery man, could it be the new start she needs? Or someone she really shouldn't be falling for?Anna’s neighbour Sophie is a stressed-out mum-of-two with a third on the way. Her husband is a constant frustration, and their children are a regular source of newly-invented swear words and unidentifiable sticky surfaces.Luckily, Anna and Sophie have each other – and Wildflower Park proves to be a sanctuary as they map out a path to find the happiness they both deserve… Fantastically funny, this irresistibly heart-warming novel will charm fans of Milly Johnson and Jill Mansell.

Just My Luck


Adele Parks - 2020
    Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they’ve discussed the important stuff – the kids, marriages, jobs and houses – and they’ve laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner.But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There’s a rift in the group. Someone doesn’t tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it. Adele Parks returns with a riveting look at the dark side of wealth in this gripping take on friendship, money and betrayal, and good luck gone bad…

A Different Kind of Happy: A family in patchwork can be perfect


Rachaele Hambleton - 2021
    A partner she loves, five amazing kids and a house by the sea. But life is never simple and there is more than a little emotional baggage coming along for the ride.Starting with that tw*t of an ex-husband who doesn't pull his weight. Then there's the untrained puppy, the work/life balance, a custody battle for the children and all the everyday ups and downs and chaos of being a patchwork family.Surrounded by family dramas and mums who seem to have all their sh*t together, Jo must find a way to make friends and make it work in this new town.Barbecues on the beach and dog walks open up new conversations, but as Jo gets to know everyone better, the picture perfect families might be in need of more help than she first thought...When normal is not an option, surprises can lead to a different kind of happy family.

They Don't Know


Patricia Dixon - 2018
    But when tongues begin to wag and their relationship is questioned, for the first time in his life Adam shares his secret with Daisy. Daisy promises to stand by him and keep his secret. When their Grandmother dies, Adam’s older brother, Ryan, returns from abroad and Daisy quickly falls for him.After a troubled upbringing at the hands of a drunken mother and jailbird father, Adam and Ryan only have each other. In adulthood, their bond holds firm, glued together by Daisy with whom they are now both in love.Adam struggles with his secret and the fear of ever losing Daisy to another man. Is he besotted and quietly controlling and soon the past starts to influence his choices.Ryan is motivated, selfish and sees everything in black and white, living in a military world that shields him from the demons of his past, bringing order to his life.And in the middle is Daisy who loves both of them and makes a promise to each. One she sets free, the other she vows to protect and never abandon.  But when tragedy strikes can Daisy ever find happiness?

Inn at Raven's Crest


Salem Marlowe - 2017
    When the opportunity arises, the two jump at the chance to make this dream a reality. They find an old Victorian home that has been vacant for many years and believe this is their chance to fix up and open the Inn at Raven’s Crest. Maggie quickly learns of the ghosts still living in the house. She befriends them; talks to them; helps them find peace, and offers a way to get to the other side. As the first guests arrives, so does an awful storm which puts out the roads, the power and the internet, thus leaving all of the guests captive at the Inn. When one person is found murdered, and then another, everyone is frightened and not sure who to trust and who the murderer is. There are many signs that point to one and then another suspect before the final chapter is revealed. Inn at Raven’s Crest by Salem Marlowe has a plot we may have read before, but the characters and the events are brand new and kept me glued to my Kindle. Each time I thought I had solved the mystery, another twist changed my mind. I couldn’t help but root for Maggie and Lee and for the future success of the Inn. Each character was well portrayed and had all the human characteristics of good and evil in them. I would love to see what happens when the next set of guests arrive at the Inn. It would be an awesome TV series with new guests arriving weekly. I highly recommend reading Inn at Raven’s Crest; mystery fans will not be disappointed. Two friends buy an abandoned Victorian house and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Before renovations are completed they discover their home has come complete with ghosts, and an old, unsolved murder. Can they solve the mystery and get the ghosts to leave? Or will they get caught up in a new set of murders, ones that are decimating their guests?

The Haunting of Hardlocke House


Amy Cross - 2020