Book picks similar to
The Desert Waits by J. Carson Black


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His First His Second


A.D. Davies - 2014
    She’s nice. Too nice to be a police officer, if she’s honest.She is also one of the most respected criminal analysts in the country, and finds herself in a cold northern town assigned to Donald Murphy’s team, investigating the kidnap-murders of two young women—both strikingly similar in appearance. Now a third has been taken, and they have less than a week to chip away the secrets of a high-society family, and uncover the killer’s objective.But Richard—the father of the latest victim—believes the police are not moving quickly enough, so launches a parallel investigation, utilising skills honed in a dark past that is about to catch up with him. As Richard’s secret actions hinder the police, Alicia remains in contact with him, and even starts to fall for his charms, forcing her into choices that will impact the rest of her life.

Sin and Sacrifice


Danielle Bourdon - 2011
    A secret the Knights Templar want for themselves. It all went back to the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge and Life. The Knights will do anything to exploit the girls and their access to that sacred place, but one man, government agent Rhett Nichols, is set to the task of saving the women from torture and even death.He succeeds—and he fails.After centuries of being hunted, would Evelyn ever be able to trust the one person who might be able to help her? On the run, Evelyn and Rhett face off against their adversary and she's left with no choice but to put her life in his hands.

Perfect Evil


E.C. Sheedy - 2003
    For five years, Hannah Stuart has taken refuge from the horrors of her past inside Kenninghall, the hundred-year-old Washington estate of her dear friend, Milo Biehle. But now, Milo has died, and in his will he has left the reclusive beauty everything, including possession of three mysterious letters that he warns her will change everything...NO PLACE IS SAFEFor the letters are more than an inheritance; they are evidence of dark crimes--a tangled web of secrets and lies that the powerful would kill to protect. As Milo's long-lost relatives and business partners arrive at Kenninghall, Hannah can't be sure who can be trusted and who can't--especially when it comes to the rugged, intense Yates Lang, a man who seems to be hiding his own dark secrets. Now, with danger closing in, Hannah confronts the letters' shocking revelations of murder, sin, and depravity, each word a chilling proof that those we love best are sometimes far from innocent--they can be perfect evil...

Mad Money


Linda L. Richards - 2004
    But life has a way of interrupting the best laid plans and it isn’t long before Madeline’s quiet new life of day trading in the Malibu hills is interrupted by kidnapping, murder and a run-in with a corporate psychopath.“Mad Money does what many have tried and few have managed — to turn stock swindles and corporate crime into a fun, roller-coaster read. The key is Richards’ strong, witty, and likable heroine, recovering stock broker Madeline Carter.” — bestselling author Alafair Burke“… filled with enough corruption to keep the reader turning pages. Anyone who dabbles in the stock market will be enthralled with the development of this plot, as well as frightened. Interesting and smart, and easily worth the price of admission, this is a recommended read.” — Donna Padilla, New Mystery Reader“A likable heroine, a strong supporting cast, knowledgeable insight into the world of stocks without going overboard, and murder and mayhem in LA add up to a hugely enjoyable read.” — Sarah Weinman, mystery critic“...Mad Money is no lightweight airplane read; instead, we have the fiendishly complex tale of corporate swindles, surreal glimpses into the world of the stock-trader .... For a debut novel — bravo! If you need a fast-paced and fun read Mad Money is for you as it is a light in the noir and far, far from light-weight.” — Ali Karim, Crime Spree Magazine

The Lake


AnnaLisa Grant - 2013
    Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt.The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less-than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity. Now she must learn how to allow herself to be the one cared for and loved.Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love.When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.

Escape Out of Darkness


Anne Stuart - 1986
    She thought she was ready for anything until she was assigned to protect ex-rock star Mack Pulaski. But he aimed his sensual appeal with deadly accuracy—right into Maggie’s heart. Love is full of traps, but it could be a fatal distraction on the sizzling journey that sweeps them from Central America to Zurich, where multimillion-dollar drug deals provide the kind of stakes men kill for…where what they’ve seen and what they know make Maggie and Mack prime targets…where the heat is on—in danger and desire.

Bound to Love


Sally Clements - 2011
    Tempest finds stubborn Jake attractive, compelling and infuriating, his logic the complete antithesis of her reliance on her instincts. And Jake is fascinated and attracted to the feisty redhead.As they spend time together trying to thwart a heist at the British Museum, the attraction between them flares out of control. The thief has a grudge against Jake, and danger stalks their every move. Will Jake learn to trust Tempest’s intuition, before it’s too late?

Play Dead


Anne Frasier - 2004
    She's been haunted for years by her own mysterious past: she was abandoned as a baby in one of the city's ancient cemeteries, and it's rumored that she is the illegitimate daughter of an infamous Savannah root doctor. The local Gullah culture of voodoo and magic is one that few outsiders can understand, least of all Elise's new partner. Now someone is terrorizing the city, creating real-life zombies by poisoning victims into a conscious paralysis that mimics death. As the chilling case unfolds, Elise is drawn back into the haunted past she's tried so hard to leave behind.

A View to Die For


Richard Houston - 2012
    The sleuth is not a detective, private eye, or lawyer. He's an ordinary guy with an extraordinary dog.Jacob Martin is trying to make the best of a divorce and mid-life crisis when he gets a call at two o’clock Sunday morning from his mother. His sister has been arrested for the murder of her fourth husband, and his father is near death. Thus begins an adventure that takes Jake and his golden retriever from their Colorado retreat to a backwater town in the Missouri Ozarks where they search for cold-blooded killers, a cache of gold coins buried by Jesse James, and the love of a beautiful nurse.

Spying in High Heels


Gemma Halliday - 2006
    shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder. And things only get worse when her boyfriend disappears - along with $20 million in embezzled funds - and her every move is suddenly under scrutiny by the LAPD's sexiest cop. With the help of her post-menopausal bridezilla of a mother, a 300 pound psychic and one seriously oversexed best friend, Maddie finds herself stepping out of her stilettos and onto the trail of a murderer. But can she catch a killer before the killer catches up to her...

Melt


Shane M. Brown - 2013
    A schoolboy. A CEO. A UPS delivery driver. A retired schoolteacher. A computer gamer. A hunter. They are just everyday people with nothing in common.No ransom is demanded. No one knows why they are taken. And no one could possibly imagine the horrors they've been chosen to face. Given no instructions, totally isolated from the outside world, all they find is ice.From the moment they awaken, the ice begins to melt and their terrifying struggle for survival begins. The ice will push them beyond their limits of endurance. It will reveal their personal secrets. It will torture them in ways they hadn't imagined possible, but it is also their only hope of escape.As cryptic patterns emerge, the ice reveals its rules. Rules they must obey or die. Thrust into the most horrifying ordeal of their lives, seven strangers must band together to survive. But as the ice melts, what they find inside begins to tear their group apart.They will learn terrible things about each other. They will learn their own personal limits. Scariest of all, they will learn what humans are capable of when pushed to the edge of sanity.

Hadley & Grace


Suzanne Redfearn - 2021
    A woman who can’t even kill a spider, Hadley soon finds herself pushed to the limits as she fights to protect her family.Grace, new mother of baby Miles, desperately wants to put her rough past behind her for good, but she finds it impossible when her path crosses with Hadley’s, and her quest for a new start quickly spirals out of control and turns into a terrifying flight for survival.Stronger together than apart, the two find their fates inextricably entwined, and as the danger closes in, each must decide how much she is willing to risk for the other.A powerful story of self-discovery, Hadley and Grace is the heart-racing tale of two women facing insurmountable odds, racing to stay one step ahead of the trouble that is chasing them, and discovering new kinds of love and family along the way.

Pretty Witches All in a Row


Lisa Olsen - 2011
    Can Sgt. Nick Gibson and his team of detectives catch the killer before he loses the pretty witch who's got him under her spell?Nick must cast aside his disbelief and delve into the world of the supernatural to solve the case. On hand to help is Annaliese, a member of the coven who claims to have had a prophetic dream at the exact time of each victim's death, offering clues to the identity of the killer. Can he accept the 'proof' offered by unconventional means or is she deliberately leading him astray to hide her own secrets? To cloud the issue, a local evangelist is telling anyone who asks that the victims had it coming. Is religious mania the motive for murder, or is it something more personal?

The Sculptor


Gregory Funaro - 2009
    In death, they are perfect works of art--killed, preserved, and carefully molded into replicas of Michelangelo's most celebrated creations. Only The Sculptor can bring forth their true beauty and teach the world to appreciate his gift.He Is The MasterFBI Special Agent Sam Markham has a reputation for tracking serial killers, but this artful adversary is meticulous, disciplined, and more ruthless than any he's encountered. The only clue is a note dedicating the latest "statue" to Cathy Hildebrant, an art historian who shares Sam's fear that the killing has just begun.And She Is The Perfect SubjectIn a quiet Rhode Island town, The Sculptor shapes his latest macabre creation, waiting for Cathy to draw nearer so that his message can be understood at last. And the only way to save her is for Sam to unlock a psychopath's twisted mind before his final, terrifying masterpiece is revealed. . ."Funaro provides clever plotting and plenty of suspense." --John Lutz, New York Times bestselling author "Fast-paced, exciting. . .Funaro delivers gasp-out-loud terror and relentless suspense. A genuine page-turner!" --Kevin O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author"It reminded me of why I loved Silence of the Lambs so much." --Gregg Olsen "A stone cold thrill ride! Unique and unexpected twists make this one a keeper!" –Lisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author

'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy


Leslie Langtry - 2007
    And those knitting needles aren't just for craft projects. To most people, Gin Bombay is an ordinary single mom. Then again, they don't know she's from a family of top secret assassins. Somewhere between leading a Girl Scout troop for her kindergartner--would nooses count for a knot badge?--and keeping their puppy from destroying the furniture, Gin now has to take out a new target. BUT YOU CAN PICK THEM OFFExcept this target has an incredibly hot Australian bodyguard who knows just how to make her weak in the knees. But with a mole threatening to expose everything, Gin doesn't have much time to let her hormones do the happy dance. She's got to find the leak and clear her assignment...or she'll end up next on the Bombay family hit list.