Book picks similar to
The Diaries by Chuck Driskell


thriller
ebook
historical-fiction
mystery

With Wanton Disregard


Gwen Banta - 2018
     Tim is at a crossroads in his life when he meets Lauren: the beautiful wife of a prominent Long Beach physician who has been brutally murdered. In spite of the mounting evidence against Lauren, Tim fights to prove that she is not involved. But when Lauren suddenly goes into hiding, more savage murders occur in the exclusive Long Beach enclave of Belmont Shore. As Mulrooney pieces together the evidence proving that the murders are connected to the Connolly case, he makes a startling discovery about the next intended victim, and must risk his reputation, his shield, and his life to solve the case - and stay alive.

Beginnings


Greyson Bryan - 2016
     Duncan Luke is no stranger to impossible situations. A high-priced lawyer and expert in business intelligence, he knows how to extricate his clients from sticky situations while saving--or making--them millions. To be the best, he's sacrificed everything, including his family, but now he wants out. He's quitting his lucrative practice for academia and time with his autistic son, Sam. But his wife isn't on board and files for divorce, forcing him to fight for custody. With mounting legal bills, the only way to keep his son is to take on one last client. He plans to do the job, get out and get home to Sam, but his client, Ghislaine Bingham, has other ideas. Ghislaine has a crisis of her own. Her cheating husband died and left her in a turf war with her stepson over the family business, Bingham Investment Group. She stands to lose more than money. Her reputation and life's work are tied up in the company. Her self-worth is on the line and only Duncan has the expertise to see her to victory. When Duncan and Ghislaine meet, sparks fly, but neither can walk away. Ghislaine sends Duncan to Tokyo to convince his old friend, Taro Takayama, that Ghislaine is the best person to run Bingham. But Taka first needs Duncan to fix his Panama problems. Duncan races to Panama where he is kidnapped and beaten, stumbles into a sex-trafficking ring and rescues a beautiful woman. Unaware of the danger in Panama City and frustrated by Duncan's unorthodox ideas, Ghislaine threatens to pull him off the job. From L.A.'s towering palms and Tokyo's steamy noodle bars to London high-finance and Panamanian corruption, BIG:BEGINNINGS is a thrilling, non-stop ride around the globe. As Duncan flies across time zones doing battle for Ghislaine, risking his life and reputation, Sam slips further away. Duncan must finish the job to get Sam back, but time is running out.

Dr. Vigilante (Dr. Vigilante, #1)


Alberto Hazan - 2013
    He spends his days treating patients at the St. Jude’s Hospital ER and his nights going after the psychopaths who wrong them: the child molesters, wife beaters, and rapists. But when the fiery, beautiful new social worker discovers his secret identity and their love affair takes off, Robert is forced to face some hard questions:Do the ends justify the means?After years of hunting down psychopaths, is Robert turning into one himself?An action thriller with strong, distinct characters, filled with suspense and surprise, Dr. Vigilante is also a love story unfolding amid the turmoil and drama of a busy ER.

The Subway


Dustin Stevens - 2017
    Placed there by the Witness Protection Program, he has assimilated into the existence set up for him, trying to gain some level of enjoyment from the life he never asked for and even less wanted. An existence that is completely destroyed by a single phone call, nothing more than a message telling him that his last remaining tether to his old life has been severed in a most tragic and unexpected way. Having no choice but to abandon his adopted life and return to his roots, Scarberry finds himself dropped into a situation far more harrowing than he ever could have imagined. Allied with a single sheriff’s deputy – a young woman he knew only briefly in his youth that is fighting battles of her own – the two face a network of illegal gun runners, apathetic bureaucracy, and federal agency, ultimately squaring off with the very thing Scarberry’s been trying to avoid for so long…

The Emerald Scepter


Paul Kemprecos - 2013
    James Rollins and Clive Cussler have nothing on Paul Kemprecos who has been and continues to be a master of the form and then some. This is everything a great read should be, a riveting, tried-and true tale of quests and daring-do, of great heroes and equally contemptuous villains. There’s a reason why Kemprecos is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and it’s all on display here.” —Jon Land, bestselling author of ”Pandora’s Temple” “A brilliant mystery that combines suspense with exciting adventure. Intriguing plot twists from beginning to end shrouded under genuine history.” —Clive Cussler, New York Times bestselling author of “Zero Hour” Something bad happened to Matinicus "Matt" Hawkins in Afghanistan. The ex-SEAL was grievously wounded in an ambush that killed men under his command and almost ended his life. When he pushed for an investigation, he was kicked out of the Navy with a psychiatric discharge. The doctors put his shattered leg back together, but the bitterness destroyed his marriage. Five years later, Hawkins is jerked out of his tranquil life as a designer of undersea robots. A super-secret government group wants him to go back to Afghanistan on a strange and dangerous mission. A Georgetown University historian has unearthed evidence that could lead to the fabulous treasure of Prester John, a legendary Christian ruler of an eastern empire. The historian has disappeared, and the government wants Hawkins to track down the treasure as a matter of national security. The centerpiece of the trove, an emerald-encrusted gold scepter, is the linchpin in the Prophet's Necklace, code-name for a plot that is intended to kill more people than the attack on the Twin Towers and rally others to the terrorist cause. Hawkins sees his mission to foil the plot as an opportunity to search for answers. He pulls together an eclectic team that includes his ex-wife, a former comrade-in-arms and a mentally unstable computer whiz. Backed by his unlikely team, Hawkins will travel thousands of miles and hundreds of years on an amazing time-space odyssey. He'll face off against a cold-blooded killer. Probe the underwater secrets of an ancient tomb. Navigate the treacherous stands of an unimaginable conspiracy. And in the process, will discover that there are treasures even more valuable than gold.

The Blackwell Files: Volumes I, II, & III


Steven F. Freeman - 2015
     NEFARIOUS: a fast-paced foray charting the investigation of an ex-Army captain and an intelligent, beautiful FBI agent into a covert, sinister project. "A heady thriller that gathers force with the understated menace of a tidal wave, then smashes home...Readers will be absorbed by Freeman's never-flashy expertise...Superb touches of eeriness creep in." Kirkus Indie Reviews RUTHLESS: Alton and Mallory strive to identify the culprit behind a series of perplexing homicides, racing to unravel the mystery in time to avoid becoming the killer’s next victims. But will their growing relationship survive the presence of the beautiful Chelsea Mancini, who seems to lie in the center of the chaos? T WAVE: FBI agent Mallory Wilson begins investigating the potential theft of narcotics at a local hospice, but the case quickly escalates as she and boyfriend Alton Blackwell uncover a series of questionable patient deaths. Can they unravel the mystery in time to stop a potential killer?

Skin in the Game


D.P. Lyle - 2019
    Of a sort. Employing the skills learned from the “family” and their training, they now fix the unfixable. Case in point: Retired General William Kessler hires the duo to track down his missing granddaughter, a Vanderbilt University co-ed. Their search leads them to a small, bucolic, lake-side town in central Tennessee and into a world of prostitution, human trafficking, and serial murder. The question then becomes: Will their considerable skills be enough for Cain and Harper to save the young woman, and themselves, from a sociopath with “home field” advantage, a hunter’s skills, and his own deeply disturbing agenda?

Force of Justice


J.J. Miller - 2018
    Despite Strickland claiming he has no criminal connections, there are clear signs his involvement in organized crime runs deep.When the case receives national attention, the underbelly of power in LA is thrown into the limelight. Madison fights desperately to find the one piece of evidence that will prove his client’s innocence.But where’s there’s power, there’s danger. The further Madison digs for the truth, the more he puts his life at risk.In a case full of twists and turns, Madison confronts one of the most difficult challenges of his career.Will justice triumph?Or will the power of LA’s dark forces send Madison to an early grave?

The 10th Cycle


J.C. Ryan - 2014
    For decades scholars have been saying that the truth about human history will be found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, but up till now no one has ever been able to find it. Those who tried have been ridiculed and persecuted. Will Daniel Rossler and Dr. Sarah Clarke be allowed to uncover the real and true message? As they come closer to the truth, skepticism out of the academic community is replaced by evil and malicious adversaries, dumping them into a very hostile world where violence, deceit and duplicity become their daily companions. The mysterious Orion Society with its deranged and psychopathic members, the CIA, the Marines, the Mossad and even the President of the United States become involved. Not all of them have good intentions. THE TENTH CYCLE is a full-length novel, a provocative techno thriller about human history, conspiracies and an ancient society with power and money that will stop at nothing to reach their sinister goals. This fast-paced thriller adventure is the first book in J C Ryan’s Rossler Foundation Mystery Series.

The Wrong Abraham (Boston Law #3)


David S. Brody - 2006
    Then she receives a baffling letter from her rich Uncle Abraham, a Holocaust survivor: Only she, he mysteriously proclaims, can prevent a major terrorist attack on Boston. Working with Homeland Security, Shelby and her fiancé, Bruce Arrujo, race through the streets of Boston, first attempting to stop a Hiroshima-sized Liquified Natural Gas tanker explosion in Boston Harbor, then fighting to prevent a deadly release of anthrax powder at Fenway Park. Yet the terrorists always seem to be one step ahead of them. Through it all, a question haunts Shelby: Why does Uncle Abraham always seem to be one step ahead of the terrorists?

Before the Killing


Marjory Kaptanoglu - 2021
    The next day, her boyfriend, Julian, is implicated in a brutal killing.Seven years later, a freak occurrence gives Cassie the ability to travel through time without altering it. Revisiting Julian in the past has her falling in love all over again. Convinced of his innocence, she goes back to witness the murder and the events leading up to it. Afterward, she struggles to find a way to prove what really happened, while the killer stalks her past and present lives, determined to silence her.

NEST: Retribution: An Alivia Morgan Story


David J. Antocci - 2017
    Instead, that crisp October morning turned into the bloodiest terror attack to strike the city of Boston in more than a decade. In the wake of the attack, the New England Special Terrorist Division—NEST—turned to their most senior and capable agent, Alivia Morgan. She was unwillingly ripped from her home and family, but didn’t have a choice. Though she had no idea just how deeply personal the fight would become. Now, it was up to her to find the extremists and stop another catastrophic blow that would drive the death toll higher. She was captured, alone, and armed only with her years of training and experience in Special Ops and the elite Army Rangers. Alivia quickly realized she was in a race against time as she struggled to escape with her life and stop the impending attacks. Could she do both?

Paparazzi (Becky White Thriller #2)


Jo Fenton - 2021
    A popstar’s family murdered. A terrified photographer.It’s thirty years since Becky White joined the police. Now, six months after leaving the force, she is suffering from PTSD, when an old friend turns up with a tempting offer. Following the creation of The White Knight Detective Agency, their first client is a press photographer – a member of the Paparazzi – a young woman with a mysterious and troublesome stalker.But as the case develops, Becky and Joanna find themselves embroiled in murder. When they are unable to prevent further deaths, their investigation takes them down an unexpected path.But can they trust their instinct? And will they identify the killer in time to save a child’s life?Paparazzi, the second instalment in the bestselling Becky White Thriller series. takes you on a journey into the deceptive world of superstars – and those who follow them!

Leine Basso Crime Thrillers Boxset, #1-3


D.V. Berkom - 2015
     Serial Date: When a former assassin's daughter is abducted, she's drawn into the twisted game of a serial killer who may be a grisly remnant from her past. What happens when a reality show turns deadly? Determined to leave her old life behind, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a job working security at one of television's most popular reality shows, Serial Date. When a contestant is found dead in the prop closet, it appears the killer is one of the 'bachelors' on the show- an ex-con billed as a serial killer- but the detective in charge of the case isn't so sure. When Leine's estranged daughter is abducted by a man claiming to be the real killer, she's forced to rely on old skills to find her, and must come to terms with who she really is. She soon realizes the murderer may be a grisly remnant from her past and she'll need to use all of her cunning to stop him... ...and rescue her daughter. Bad Traffick: Dangerous obsessions take center stage when a former assassin and a homicide detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she's sold to the highest bidder. Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders she didn't commit, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a temporary position as a security specialist for A-list actor Miles Fournier. Soon, a woman contacts Miles, claiming to be his long-lost sister. But, there's a problem: her twelve-year-old daughter, Mara, has been abducted and she's desperate to get her back. Leine learns from a contact that Mara escaped, but the traffickers are determined to track her down and deliver her to their powerful client. Running out of time, Leine must find Mara before they do, or she will be lost forever. The Body Market: A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare. Everything's for sale... Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with a mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse. In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse. As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.

Code Name Camelot


David Archer - 2018
    With the help of childhood friends, he learns to watch others around him and mimic their behaviors, in order to conceal the fact that his mind operates more like a computer that he has spent years programming. That program is what allows Noah to pass himself off as normal, by establishing parameters of right and wrong that are completely inviolable to him.As a young adult, Noah finds structure in the U.S. Army, and becomes an excellent and exemplary soldier, but when his self-imposed programming is put to the test by the murderous acts of the superior officer, Noah finds himself quickly made expendable, charged with crimes he did not commit and facing the possibility of execution. Without any reasonable hope for a reprieve, Noah's logic-based mind accepts his fate.Sometimes, though, things are not all as they seem to be, and Noah is offered one chance to save himself. It was his disability, his lack of emotion, that made him the soldier he had become. Now, an ultrasecret organization known as E & E wants Noah's talents, offering him a chance to survive…As the most deadly assassin the world has ever known.