Book picks similar to
Dead Money by Rodney Hobson


ebook
mystery
mystery-detective-contemporary
continuing-series

Dangerous Habits


Susan Hunter - 2014
    When she links the two deaths to a shocking scandal, the story she uncovers could be her last byline. Dangerous Habits is the first standalone book in the Leah Nash series of complex, fast-paced murder mysteries featuring quick-witted dialogue, daring female characters, and plots with lots of twists and turns. ___________________________ What readers are saying about Susan Hunter and DANGEROUS HABITS: ★★★★★ "Highly recommended! I can't wait for the next Leah Nash novel!”★★★★★ “This was a great read! The intricate plot is woven together with intrigue, well-crafted settings and complex characters, all of which draw the reader into the story and keep one engaged until the very end. I look forward to the next Leah Nash mystery thriller.”★★★★★ “I started to read this to help me go to sleep, but the sun just came up. I couldn’t put it down even for a short break. Surprise after surprise. I guarantee you will not see the end coming. Enjoy!”★★★★★ “Ms. Hunter’s whole Leah Nash series is as good as, maybe better than, most of the bestselling books I’ve read. Do you ever find a book that’s so good you just have to have all the books by that author? This is it .... Get these books, you’ll love them.”

Murder Upstream: A Detective Mystery


Mark Hazard - 2016
     Detective Kyle Villante gets his first call after coming off a two-year undercover stint that ended in a bloodbath and marred his reputation with the brass. But he doesn’t get to work the case alone. Detective Solomon Aduwo of the State Police has arrived in Harding to assist with the investigation. Villante bristles at the perceived leash around his neck, but he and Aduwo set out to work the case, all while Villante struggles to keep secrets and ghosts of the past from coming back to haunt him. Meanwhile, Aduwo has come to Harding with secrets of his own and an agenda that could doom Villante’s future. Murder Upstream is a thrilling mystery, full of vivid characters, puzzling questions, action and suspense.

What Have You Done


Matthew Farrell - 2018
    Instead, the victim turns out to be a woman he'd had an affair with before breaking it off to save his marriage. But there's a bigger problem: Liam has no memory of where he was or what he did on the night of the murder.Panicked, Liam turns to his brother, Sean, a homicide detective. Sean has his back, but incriminating evidence keeps piling up. From fingerprints to DNA, everything points to Liam, who must race against time and his department to uncover the truth - even if that truth is his own guilt. Yet as he digs deeper, dark secrets come to light, and Liam begins to suspect the killer might actually be Sean ...When the smoke clears in this harrowing family drama, who will be left standing?

Chasing Fireflies


Paul Seiple - 2014
    Send them home before God cleanses the world. Homicide cop, Michael Callahan sees death everywhere. During the day, he protects the city from evil. At night — he is the evil. He hears the hopeless pleas, feels the last breath of the victims. He sees life fade away through the eyes of the killer. In his dreams, Michael is the killer. But it's just dreams. Right? The internal struggle of protector versus killer refuses to stay hidden when the dreams become reality. A serial killer, who calls himself Murmur, stalks the streets of North Carolina, searching for the "fireflies." Michael knows the victims all too well — he's killed them in his dreams. Riddled with doubt and growing suspicions from his partner, Bill, Michael is determined to put an end to the terror — even if it means an end to himself. Chasing Fireflies is the first book in the James Beamer/Michael Callahan Morning Star trilogy.

Another One


Tony Faggioli - 2017
    After two tours in the Afghanistan War, he thought the horrors that he witnessed there were behind him. But the death of his partner has now opened a dark hole of memories that are threatening to swallow Parker alive. Desperate to maintain his grip, he focuses on the last unsolved case his partner left behind: the brutal murder of Hymie Villarosa.  Father Bernardino Soltera is being destroyed by the present. After ministering to the gang ridden streets of East L.A. for over twenty years, he's unable to see past the pain and suffering that drugs and violence have wreaked on his neighborhood; he’s ready to give up. But when a young girl confesses that she's pregnant and her boyfriend will hurt her if she doesn't get an abortion? Father Soltera decides to make one more stand. Hector Villarosa is being mocked by the future. After being released from jail he discovers the love of his life is with another man. As the leader of his gang, losing face could mean losing his life, and the fact that detectives are now asking questions about the death of Hector's cousin, Hymie, isn't helping. But Hector's bigger problem is the demon that has followed him out of jail and on to the mean streets of East L.A. Three men, one neighborhood. All about to discover that the veil between this world and the next is razor thin. “Faggioli does an astonishing job bringing both criminals and cops to life as three-dimensional, sympathetic characters.” – Amazon 5 Star Review “This is a book that so profoundly illustrates the never ending battle of good and evil, I'm almost without the words to explain it.” – Amazon 5 Star Review

At First Light


Barbara Nickless - 2021
    Archaic clues. A visionary killer. In this heart-stopping novel by the Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Sydney Rose Parnell series, words can kill.On the muddy banks of the Calumet River, a body has been found posed next to a series of mysterious glyphs and bearing wounds from a ritualistic slaying. Chicago detective Addie Bisset knows only one man who can decipher the message left by the killer: her friend Dr. Evan Wilding. A brilliant forensic semiotician, Evan decodes the etchings as Viking Age runes. They suggest either human sacrifice or righteous punishment. But to what god? And for what sins?Only one thing is clear from the disturbing runic riddles: there are more victims to come.As Evan races to determine the identity of the Viking Poet, he and Addie uncover the killer’s most terrifying secret yet: the motive. This startling discovery puts Evan’s life in mortal danger, and verse by ancient verse, time is running out.

Justice for All (A Holt Foundation Story Book 1)


Chris Patchell - 2019
    But all that changes when, after a romantic birthday with her fiancée, Elizabeth returns home, unaware a secret watcher has unimaginably horrible plans for her. Left for dead . . . Days after the attack, Elizabeth emerges from a coma, but she is irrevocably changed. Compelled to find her attacker and find justice, she travels down a dark path that forces her to choose between love and her obsession--not just for herself, but other survivors. Justice or vengeance... Forced to choose between obsession and love, Elizabeth doggedly pursues justice for the victims of other crimes, while her attacker remains at large. Until finally she gets a call with the news she’s been waiting twelve years for. But what Elizabeth learns could tear her life apart...

Murder in Hampstead: a classic whodunnit in a contemporary setting


Sabina Manea - 2021
    

The Christmas Elf


Carolyn Ridder Aspenson - 2016
    In The Christmas Elf, An Angela Panther Mystery Holiday Short, psychic medium Angela Panther, her sidekick and best friend Mel, and celestial super sleuth Fran join forces to help a lost elf find its way back home. Celebrate the holiday season with this quirky holiday women's sleuth mystery short story featuring Angela, Mel and the celestial super sleuth, Fran!

Shattered


Donna Ball - 1997
    a desperate mother... a frantic call in the night... is this a cruel hoax, or the work of a maniacal serial killer? The peaceful resort town of St. Teresa-by-the-Sea on Florida's Forgotten Coast is known for its low crime rate, pristine beaches, and great fishing. But tragedy can come even to Paradise, as Carol Dennison found out two and a half years ago when her fourteen-year-old daughter, Kelly, disappeared on her way to a Tallahassee concert. Now, just as Carol as beginning to rebuild the pieces of her shattered life, she receives a midnight call from someone who calls her "mama" and begs for help. Is this a cruel prank designed to terrorize and punish Kelly's father for the role he played in bringing a recently paroled criminal to justice? Or is it possible that Kelly is still alive?A grim investigation uncovers a connection between Kelly and other girls who have gone missing along the Gulf Coast in the past few years. When the body of one of those missing girls washes up on the shores of St. Teresa-by-the-Sea, the police are forced to admit they may have a serial killer in their midst. And with over three thousand college students poised to descend on the tiny community for spring break, their only hope for stopping him before he strikes again is the frightened voice of a teenage girl on the telephone... and the desperate determination of the parents who love her.Shattered is Donna Ball at her best: spine-tingling terror, chilling realism and unforgettable characters. No parent will ever watch her child leave the house in the same way again.Praise for the work of Donna Ball:"A maelstrom of suspense… gripping, intense”--Rendezvous“[Ball] knows how to keep a story moving”--Kirkus Reviews“A major talent of the genre”--Publisher’s Weekly“A must read”--Examiner.com

An Indecent Death


David Anderson - 2011
    The plot is compelling, the characters are finely-drawn with charming quirks and the sense of place is familiar enough to make the story as unsettling as it is enjoyable to read." ~ Morley from Nova Scotia"I really enjoyed this mystery. It kept me guessing all through the read. Trust me - I usually figure out the mystery before I finish the book. I hope to read more from this author." - Review from Smashwords"This is a riveting murder mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end! It's skillfully written, with such plausible characters that you feel these people could be real. The plot is logically developed to a climax that you won't see coming! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Det. Sgt. Drumm's first case, and look forward to many more." ~ Diane from Ontario"This is an entertaining mystery that kept me guessing. I thought I had the murderer figured out and the detective sergeant didn't know what he was doing. I was wrong." ~ Ginney from Oregon"This book is well written and very entertaining. Drumm is a great character, well developed, as are the others. Lots of possible suspects for the murder and the answer is revealed in a suspenseful way. I always enjoy the sub plots of the lives of the detectives and these are well done." ~ Pat from Ontario"I enjoyed this book immensely. The story was compelling, and Anderson did an excellent job of tying up myriad loose ends into a neat package." ~ Jim from FloridaWhen sexy, seventh grade teacher Paula Noonan is found murdered in a nearby park, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Drumm of the York Police Services is called in.Drumm's previous experience as an elementary teacher comes in handy when the investigation leads him to Paula's school, and a host of suspects, including the school's creepy janitor, an abusive spouse, the principal, a moody and leering fifth grade teacher and the angry and aggressive father of one of her students.If you are a fan of Louise Penny or Peter Robinson, you will love the twists and turns of An Indecent Death.

A Single Deadly Truth


John Urban - 2010
    (And that doesn't even count the shark.)" Author Frank Cook.Urban sets the story on the waters of Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay and gives the reader a rewarding blend of adventure, seaside escapism, and maritime history. Fans of Clive Cussler, Peter Benchley, and Randy Wayne White will find a new hero in Steve Decatur.

Bleeders


Anthony Bruno - 2014
    At the same time serial killer Gene Lassiter has been on an obsessive twenty-year search for the daughter of his first kill. If she finds him, justice can at last be served. If he finds her, one man’s reign of terror can continue unabated.  In a stunning life-or-death final act, the hunter and the hunted go head-to-head, with a shocking ending that bleeds justice dry.

Mrs. Thistlethwaite and the Magpie: A Tillamook Tillie Mystery


J.B. Hawker - 2017
    Thistlethwaite and the Magpie: "Super early review on Mrs. Thistlethwaite book from beta reader, Lisa Hudson: AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT!! I've been a fan of J.B. Hawker's fantastic writing for sometime. This book is outstanding!! Her ability to use elderly characters - Matilda Thistlewaite and Slim Bottoms - is brilliant!! These characters (as well as all the other characters) are painted so vividly that you feel as though you would recognize them if you met them in your local church, grocery store, or neighborhood. The story is set in a small town and reflects the devastation and fear brought by the disappearance of a young teenaged girl and the evidence of the return of a serial killer. The author seamlessly weaves the story and has you wanting to read the entire book in one sitting. It's about friendships, families, First Responders, and the criminal element. There are a myriad of surprises scattered all throughout this book. Read it. You'll be so glad you did!! " Fans of Miss Seeton and Mrs. Pollifax will welcome the indomitable Mrs. Thistlethwaite. Like these beloved, mature characters, at the ripe old age of eighty-five Mrs. T. is ready for whatever comes her way. When a beautiful and talented teenage ballet student disappears, rumors fly in the charming village of Tillamook, Oregon. Did she run away to the big city, or is she the latest victim of the notorious serial killer preying upon lonely young women along the coastal highways? Beguiling octogenarian, retired school teacher, Tillie Thistlethwaite, applies her exceptionally sharp mental skills and no-nonsense practicality to the mystery. Petite Mrs. T. and her tall gentleman friend, Slim, reject both theories and launch their own investigation. Will the amateur sleuthing of this unlikely and adorable pair succeed where the police fail, or will they fall victim to foul play?

The World of Adam Dunne


Tobor Eichmann - 2016
    He has a secret locked inside of him and only he holds the key. Horrifying visions haunt him day and night. As Adam unravels the mystery surrounding his past, he discovers that the world around him isn't what it seems.