Book picks similar to
The Abducted Omnibus by Roger Hayden


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Ransom X


I.B. Holder - 2009
    His study of the human mind was carried out in make-shift tents on the edge of the battlefield; he didn’t write or read the book on how to break a prisoner, he simply followed his instincts, dissecting human behavior in a way that verges on autism. He had a reputation for getting anything out of anyone – “had” being the operative word. Five years ago, a random crime shattered Legace’s world. Withdrawing inside himself, he built his life around the only family he had left, his teenage daughter. He withdrew from operations, and took the most isolated post he could, in the basement of the Alexandria FBI, working the archives. Legace brought consequence to the job. His tactics of getting inside the minds of criminals led to a controversial new form of investigation that came to be known as– shadow projection. It was a term coined by his insufferable regional director, Bailey, and Legace couldn’t begin to count the ways he hated the simplification of his process. Legace threw the deductive model out the window. He didn’t follow the trail of the criminal; he took on criminals who were smart enough to leave no trail. They were fixed objects like sundials casting a unique shadow for every incremental step in their journey. His methods involved knowing the inner workings of the criminal, and projecting forward to the next activity that such a person would engage in. His life was verging on stable when a young female agent from Washington walked into his office with an opportunity, an obligation and a threat. Now, normally Legace would have ignored all three, but there was something about the case and the victim that struck a very personal chord in him. All of his powers were going to be needed for a case that landed on his desk along the agent who now called herself his new partner. There was an abduction ring that was preying upon young women of marginal fame, using them in adult films and ransoming them for the price of pornography. The profit engine became a fad among perverts (the largest single unified economic bloc) and the income was staggering. This great influx of capital precipitated a bold move by the abductors. Their newest acquisition was the daughter of an old friend, the Director of the FBI. All hell was breaking loose over the Web and the world, and with a two-week window to find his quarry, Legace knew that his performance on this case would either cement his reputation as borderline charlatan with blood on his hands, or announce his reinstatement as borderline hero with all of the official responsibilities that entails, and he couldn’t actually say which outcome he feared more.

Murder Rites: A Johnny Sundance Mystery


Ronald J. Yarosh - 2016
    He is stabbed twenty-seven times. The killer is still on the loose. The police have exhausted all leads. Johnny takes the case and immediately runs into problems. His star witness is dead. The best suspect turns out to be innocent. Time is running out. Will Johnny solve the case before his client meets his own death? Will the assassin strike again? Murder Rites is the first book in The Johnny Sundance Mystery Series.

The Malvern Mystery


Helen Susan Swift - 2017
    After Lorna Buchanan returns from her trip to India, she looks forward to a quiet life as a teacher in St. Ann's College. Instead, she gets tangled in a mystery involving murder and ancient, druidic practices. After Lorna is sacked by the tyrannical head teacher, she is recruited to solve the murder of Mr. Findhorn, a railway conductor. Liaising with Police Sergeant Caswell, their search for the murderer takes them deep into the world of deception, greed and age-old rituals. But is there something supernatural behind the crimes, or are they driven by a completely different motive? Praise for THE MALVERN MYSTERY: "I truly appreciated the author's historical details... An interesting and entertaining novel." - Amazon customer "I sincerely hope that this could be the start of a series." - Amazon customer

Hunted


Alison Golden - 2015
    Lydia is a loving mother and wife, who wants nothing more than the best for her family. John is her husband. He is an over-protective homicide detective who loves his wife and teenage daughter with everything he has. Their daughter, Diana, is a genius, with an IQ level far higher than most. This is a family that adores one another. A family, however, that is torn apart by tragedy. When Lydia is found dead at her workplace, John loses the love of his life. His heart breaks for himself and his little girl as Diana spirals out of control. The authorities rule the death a suicide, but when events don’t start to add up, the family that is left behind begins to suspect something isn’t right. Interview with the Author of the Series Q - So, what makes the Diana Hunter series special? A - When I set out to write these books, I wanted to create something that mirrored exactly the kind of books I like to read. My top picks are always mystery novels, especially featuring female protagonists with attitude. Diana is badass and I can’t tell you how many readers tell me she reminds them of themselves. She makes you feel you can do anything! The Diana Hunter books are a great mix of genres. There is nothing graphic or gratuitous in these books. Your Aunt Martha could definitely read them. But they are not “roses around the cottage door” –type mysteries. They are more hard-boiled with some romantic tension, suspense and thriller action to keep things interesting! Overall, the Diana Hunter series is designed to keep you turning the pages - and I've made sure there's never a dull moment. Q - In what order should I read the books? A - The Diana Hunter mysteries can be read and enjoyed in any order, however, Hunted is a prequel to the other books in the series. Unlike the other books, it is not a complete mystery. It relates the events that create the backdrop to the series and fills in some of Diana’s personality and motivations. You don’t have to have read the prequel to make sense of the later books but it helps. I’ve made sure not to include any spoilers for those who are new to the characters and any existing fans of Diana’s adventures will still find plenty of fresh action and mystery as well as perhaps a few answers. All in all, there is something for everyone. The events in this prequel take place a few years before Snatched, the first book in the Diana Hunter series of mysteries. If you do want to read them in order, I'd suggest the following sequence: - Hunted (prequel) - Snatched - Stolen - Chopped Q - So, why should readers give these books a try? A - Because the Diana Hunter series is a fast, fun, thrill-ride that takes no prisoners! Our heroine is kicks butt but has a soft center. We want her to win out even when she’s making poor decisions and alienating those who can, and want, to help her. I think most women will see a little, or a lot, of themselves in Diana Hunter. Ultimately, readers who enjoy lightning-fast pacing with a plot that twists and turns all the way to the end will get a kick out of this series. Thanks for reading! Diana Hunter Book Categories: - Mystery Series - Crime Thrillers - Cozy Mysteries - Women Sleuths - Hard-Boiled Mysteries

Under Construction


Summer Ellis - 2011
    Now she'll just have to stay alive long enough to choose between one really bad good guy and one really good bad guy… * Contains Adult Content

Aim True, My Brothers


William F. Brown - 2013
    Most of the hundreds of thousands of people who pass through Dulles Airport in DC are tourists, government officials, or harried businessmen. Ibrahim Al-Bari is none of those. He is a killer on a blood hunt, and his target is nothing less than the President of the United States and the core of the US government in this political assassination novel. As a highly skilled Hamas terrorist with years of combat experience in the rocky deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan, he has become a legend in Islamist circles. Smart, skilled with many weapons, and determined, it will take a massive security effort to stop him. Can Eddie Rankin, a maverick FBI agent, stop Ibrahim Al-Bari, a skilled Hamas commander who has battled Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. After losing two of his own brothers in a bloody attack on a civilian bus in Israel, Al-Bari takes his private war to the heart of America itself. Nothing as simple as a sniper in a book depository window; in this FBI assassination thriller, when Al-Bari strikes, he will unleash a firestorm that will take out the President, other international leaders, and half the US government, national television. Rankin has never met a rule he couldn’t break, but this time his only help comes from Moustapha Khalidi, Chief of Security at the Egyptian Embassy, and Rachel Ullman, a hard-edged, Israeli Mossad agent. From the White House to Brooklyn, Beirut, Tel-Aviv, and the grassy fields of an old Colonial Battlefield in Virginia, the question in this FBI terrorist thriller is whether this dysfunctional international counter terror alliance hold together long enough to catch Al-Bari before they kill each other — and the clock is ticking. When Al-Bari strikes, it will be with a diabolical new weapon on national television as his targets go up in flames.

My Nazi Nemesis


Rich DiSilvio - 2016
    Haunted by a dark past for fifteen years, Jack finally tells all to his daughter Eleanor. As an OSS agent during the war, Jack’s traumatic past involved a series of near-death experiences, from failed sorties and secret missions, to a horrifying run-in with Auschwitz, to having met and married Eleanor's mother, Veronika. But the flames of passion had died when a prying Waffen SS officer, Alois Richter, entered the fray. With an amorous eye for the bride and a suspicious plea to join the OSS, Alois had sent Jack’s world into a dark tailspin with catastrophic results. Fueled with revenge, father and daughter join forces to hunt down his long-time nemesis. But when disturbing evidence arises, Eleanor is forced to reevaluate the mission, as intrigue, murder, and suspense abound, leading to a climatic face-off that reaches terrifying and unexpected heights.

Calculated Extortion


K.T. Lee - 2017
    When a high-profile charity is targeted by a cybercriminal, Scarlett is charged with leading a team of special agents to find the individual hiding behind the malicious code. Mike Moretti is a FBI special agent accustomed to difficult cases. However, to find out who is bleeding the charity of funds, he’ll need to team up with the new profiler... even after he mistakes her for the office intern. As the cyberattacks become increasingly personal, Scarlett and her team must find the criminal hiding where the FBI least expects them. Calculated Extortion is a Calculated Series prequel novella, which takes place before Calculated Deception.

Sudden Death


Michael Balkind - 2007
    Reid receives a death threat right before teeing off on the final day of the Master's Tournament, and hires a P.I. to track down the perpetrator. Suspense builds throughout as Reid tries to compete in one of golf s most prestigious contests...and woo the woman he loves...while dodging death at every turn. Sudden Death will score big for all mystery lovers."You like golf, you like murder mysteries - - then Sudden Death is your book!" James Patterson "Pure fun, pure intrigue. The action never stops till a fascinating climax." Clive Cussler Be sure to read Dead Ball, the highly endorsed sequel to Sudden Death.

Don't Call Me Baby


Betty Byers - 2013
    Life had to get better surely? When Derek Lewis, rich Australian playboy, is found dead after falling from the roof of his office in salacious circumstances, Lola's opportunity to flex her investigative muscles had begun. But it wasn't only Lola's professional career that was about to take off. Little did she know it, her love life was too. Between her new boss, Julian, who was an uptight Adonis, and Joe the office Romeo, Lola was having a hard time to keep her professional integrity intact and her sassy comments to herself. Still, a job was a job, and if it involved working with two handsome men then who else would be up for the challenge?

101 People to Kill Before I Die


Anthony O'Connor - 2017
    With a few comical moments and an array of colorful characters all as determined as they are deadly.Brian Samuals is a former soldier, a former police officer and an ex-convict, recently bankrupt, divorced and now diagnosed with terminal cancer. He has an epiphany. He has nothing to lose and a lot of people have offended against him. Therefore, before he goes they go. All of them. As he embarks on his killing spree he hooks up with a beautiful stripper, Natasha Brown, but is unsure how that's going to work.Be careful who you kill. Before long he has the Russian Mob, a Chinese Triad, the CIA, Interpol, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian SAS anti-terrorist squads and every cop in the state of Victoria hunting him down, screaming for his head. Things aren’t looking good for Brian and Natasha.

Nearly Departed


Max Patrick Schlienger - 2012
    His scheme of masquerading as a paranormal investigator seems foolproof, until he encounters an actual ghost haunting an antique armchair.Now, having unwittingly become a witness to a decades-old murder, Dennis finds himself stumbling headfirst into bizarre and often hilarious situations as he tries to solve a legitimate paranormal mystery.Pursued by an overzealous private detective and driven to befriend a cast of memorable characters - from a perpetually-smoking matron to a charismatic charlatan who masquerades as an African shaman - Dennis works to exorcise the haunted furniture and return his life to a state of moderate normality.Easier said than done.

Mystery Box Set - (Davenport Mysteries - Loose Ends, Perfect Crime and Wrong one)


V.S. Vashist - 2016
    But, a serial killer is back in town, and Jake has to follow his trail. The only clue left behind is the dying words of the three victims. And, before he could have asked Kiara's help, she is sucked into a high political game that is spread across continents. Will they be able to solve the cases without each other's help and that too using their new, inexperienced partners? Book 2 - Perfect Crime The daughter of one of the most influential man in New York falls for a struggling investment banker. After a torrid affair, they finally get married. Everything seems to head towards a life of joy when the wife vanishes into thin air and the husband becomes the prime suspect. As Agent Kiara Davenport is about to get hold of him, a ransom call is made from overseas. And, as she is about to catch the caller, someone else confesses to the crime. She knows something is amiss and as she is about to get to the bottom of it, all the suspects start getting killed one by one. Everyone is a suspect and each suspect is more influential than the other. Will Kiara find the real culprit or become a pawn in the cat and mouse game? Book 3 - Wrong One When Kiara invited Jake to a family wedding, he had not thought that it will be different from any other wedding. However, he started sensing something wrong with everyone in the wedding party. Is Jake going to find out anything or is it a mere hunch? Or Kiara's fear of Jake creating a trouble in the marriage will come true?

Project Daedalus


Thomas Hoover - 1991
    While their problems seem at first glance to be different, Vance soon learns he’s got a potentially lethal tiger by the tail -– a Japanese tiger. A secret agreement between a breakaway wing of the Russian military and the Yakuza, the Japanese crime lords, bears the potential to shift the balance or world power. The catalyst is a superplane that skims the edge of space –- the ultimate in death-dealing potential. In a desperate union with an international force of intelligence mavericks, with megabillions and global supremacy at stake, Vance has only a few days to bring down a conspiracy that threatens to ignite nuclear Armageddon.Publisher’s Weekly declared:“Hoover’s adept handling of convincing detail enhances this entertaining thriller as his characters deal and double-deal their way through settings ranging from the Acropolis to the inside of a spacecraft. Michael Vance, formerly of the CIA, is on his way to an archeological dig when some old friends show up. First comes KGB agent Alex Novosty, caught laundering money that the KGB claims was embezzled – and he wants Michael to take charge of the hot funds. Then National Security Agency cryptographer Eva Borodin (who is Michael’s ex-lover) appears with an undecipherable but dangerous computer file: the co-worker who gave her the file has since vanished. Heavies from a Japanese crime syndicate attack Michael and Eva, who are rescued by Alex, but it looks like Alex and the syndicate aren’t complete strangers. Moreover, the mysterious Daedalus Corporation seems to be a link between Alex’s money and Eva’s file. As Michael is drawn into this deadly web, he realizes there is a secret agreement between the Russians and the Japanese – and it has nothing to do with tea-brewing customs. A secret agreement between the Russian military and the Yakuza, Japanese crime lords, threatens to shift the balance of world power.”Tags: Hypersonic, Superplane, Edge of Space, thermonuclear warhead, Supersonic, Space Plane, Crete, Minos, Palace of Minos, Greece, Greek Islands

Death Notes: The Beginning- Book 0


James Hunt - 2016
    And she won’t stop until the scales of justice are balanced. No matter how hard she tries, Homicide Detective Adila Cooper can’t outrun her past. Buried in her work, she soon finds herself pulled into a killer’s world that she’s never experienced before. With opposition from both sides of the law it’ll take everything she can to end these seemingly senseless murders.