Book picks similar to
The Operative by Willard Boyd Gardner


suspense
lds-fiction
lds
realistic-fiction

The Survivors


Gregg Luke - 2006
    A plane crash causes two unlikely survivors to depend on each other to get out of the jungle alive and find their families.

Digging Up the Past


Kerry Blair - 2003
    Now their reunion is taking place in a small Arizona jailhouse where the archeologist stands accused of murder. While Meredith can’t believe Jayce killed an undercover agent, her list of suspects is as short as the time Jayce may have to live. Hidden beneath the red clay desert in the ancient, mystical land of the Hopis is a ceremonial kiva—and the answers to the investigation. As Meredith and Jayce dig for clues and edge closer to unearthing the truth, someone is preparing to sacrifice Jayce—quite literally—to protect a profitable scheme. Can Meredith learn the truth in time to save the man she loves?

Justifiable Means


Shannon Guymon - 2003
    She has a happy disposition and an incredible determination to make her and her brother's lives as normal as she possibly can. Hired on as Rory McNiel's housekeeper and cook, she's well on her way to making that happen. Changing Rory's "couch potato" ways and his unhealthy eating habits are a snap compared to over-hauling his damaged self-esteem. However, when Rory's mother sees Nikki cooking her way into her son's heart, battle lines are drawn. Nikki knows a dark secret stands in the way of her bright future and her growing love for Rory. That secret doesn't want to be kept in the closet—in fact, it's practically on her doorstep. It won't rest until it has claimed her brother, but Nikki will do anything to protect Casey. Anything by justifiable means.

Chaos


Jeff Downs - 2007
    Drug paraphernalia litters his bedroom. Then the phone rings. What he hears chills him to the core, and sends him into hiding with little more than fear and a 72-hour kit.Framed for unspeakable crimes, Jason turns to the only person who may be able to help -- and ex-girlfriend he has not seen in years. As the police net around the city tightens, and a foreign assassin draws closer, Jason realizes that the only way he can clear his name and survive is to hunt the hunter.

Another Chance


Candie Checketts - 2003
    A love story that's celebration of the gift of free agency

Perfect Shot


Sonia O'Brien - 2006
    But now she has proof that her mother has been hiding the truth about her father, Jonathan-a man Reegan thought was long dead.In a dangerous turn of events, Reegan soon learns far more truth than she is ready for, and now she may be forced to pay the consequences for what an innocent eyewitness saw more than fourteen fateful years ago.

Cold Justice


Kathi Oram Peterson - 2012
    On the eve of their wedding, however, Samuel disappears, and Regi wonders if once again he has run away from both a life with her and a membership in the Church. Quite the opposite; Samuel has been kidnapped by the Raven Clan, a powerful Alaskan tribe, and is en route to stand trial in front of their justice council for a puzzling crime that happened years ago. When Regi and Samuel’s close friends suspect a kidnapping, Regi—with the help of her sister, Claudia, and friend Wakanda—resolves to follow Samuel to Alaska but soon learns secrets about her fiancé she hadn’t bargained for. While Samuel struggles with his faith and with understanding why he has been accused, Regi risks life and love to set him free.

Checking Out


Clair M. Poulson - 2013
    After years spent preparing for a career in law enforcement, hes finally working his dream job with the LAPD, and his criminal justice degree is almost within reach. The last thing he wants to do is return to his sleepy Wyoming hometown to run the family hotel after the death of his mother. But at the insistence of his older siblings that he honor his late mothers wishes, what choice does he have? When Keene arrives at the Tempest Hotel, it quickly becomes clear that all is not as it seems. He s shocked to learn that his mother s death was anything but natural foul play was almost certainly involved. As he becomes embroiled in the investigation and in his budding relationship with lovely local law enforcement Officer Chaille Donovan the body count rises: another murder victim is discovered, and there is no doubt that this bizarre string of crimes is somehow tied to the hotel and to him. Against a chilling backdrop of family feuds, shootings, and armed robbery, Keene must draw upon his years of training to unearth a killer. And in a town this small, no one is above suspicion.

The Believer


Stephanie Black - 2005
    Welcome to New America—a place where reading the wrong book can cost you your life!Ian Roshek finally believes in something. The young history professor has studied a contraband copy of the Book of Mormon—and he knows what it says is true. But now his newfound convictions will be put to the test as he struggles to listen to the still, small voice, while society screams in his ear.Ian’s sister Jill and her influential boyfriend only see Ian as a man with religious delusions--a man who needs help. And though her facade of brutality hides it, police interrogator Alisa Kent feels a trace of compassion toward this flawed, but courageous man who stays true to his faith--despite the fact that it’s contrary to both logic and public opinion. If only for selfish reasons, she wants to know more. But soon Ian’s choices will ignite a chain of events that he, and those around him, cannot escape.

The Assignment


Jean Holbrook Mathews - 2011
    

The Crayon Messages: A Visiting Teaching Adventure


Christine Thackeray - 2008
    With a husband alway traveling, a daughter on the brink and still adjusting to her new ward, she hopes her new visiting teaching route will bring some much needed companionship. Then she finds out she has been given the hardest visiting teaching route ever with the surly inactive Bishop's wife at the top of the list. At least her companion Gwen seemed nice, an older woman in a nursing home who said no one had visited her in years. Using this to her advantage, Cath calls her new sisters and convinces them to cheer Gwen up. Surprisingly most agree but when Cath arrives at the Pleasant Valley Home for the Elderly she is disappointed to find Gwen fast asleep. Apparently Gwen has a sleeping disorder called KSL and no one knows when she will wake up- it could be weeks. Armed with a bucket of crayons and a handful of paper, Cath convinces the sisters to write Gwen notes so when she does wake up, she'll know some cares. What no one guessed is that Gwen would write back and change all of these women's lives forever.

Tempest Tossed


Josi S. Kilpack - 2004
    She’s on the fast track in her career and nothing will slow her down, not even falling in love with a man who holds the key to helping her find the peace she’s searched for all her life. With two failed marriages behind her it’s easy to be skeptical, but there is something about Tally that’s impossible to ignore. Janet decides to join her life to his, hoping the complications will work themselves out. But despite Tally’s determination to make their marriage work, Janet has secrets she is desperate to protect. Soon, she finds herself helplessly trapped within a prison of her own making. Overwhelmed by the harsh consequences of her decisions, she sees no point in trying any longer as Tally turns his back on her too. By the grace of God Janet is given a second chance, one more opportunity to resolve her past and develop faith for the future. Can she find her way back to the family she once had? Can she forgive herself for all she’s done? And most importantly, will the man she loves be able to trust her one last time?

The Alias


Mandi Slack - 2011
    But when the FBI reveals some disturbing information about her ex-husband, she is forced into hiding to protect herself and her son. In the process, she risks losing her identity, her future, and her heart. Thrilling and suspenseful, this novel is an edge-of-your-seat read.

Royal Target


Traci Hunter Abramson - 2008
    And she certainly doesn't expect to fall in love with him. Janessa resists her feelings, fearing conflicts in her personal and professional life, yet when the Prince admits his feigned affection has become genuine she can no longer pretend. Matters of security, society, and spirituality make their unlikely romance even more complex, and escalating political intrigue gives Janessa an excuse to ignore the questions in her heart. But when a terrorist plot against the royal family endangers them both, Janessa and Garrett must face the challenges of loyalty to family, to country, to God—and to love.

Vanished


Lynn Gardner - 2004
    In Maggie McKenzie's case, the saying is not only true, but the starting point for a troubling--and deadly--mystery.Maggie has just begun her first job as a full-fledged newspaper reporter. It’s a dream come true. But soon the young journalist finds she is captivated by what should be old news – a girl who vanished years ago – who looks amazingly like her. Intrigued by what she has heard about the missing girl, Maggie takes advantage of her travels for another assignment to try to solve the mystery of Alyssa Lawson’s disappearance. While on her cross-country quest, Maggie meets psychologist Dr. Flynn Ford, who is interested in helping her solve the puzzle--and in getting to know Maggie better. But as the pair inches closer to the truth, witnessed begin turning dead. And it appears Maggie and Flynn could be next. Could the woman Maggie thinks might be her sister be trying to kill her?