Book picks similar to
Outsider by John Francome


fiction
mystery
1
20th-century-mysteries

Cap's Place


Robert Tarrant - 2015
    Suddenly his world was knocked out of orbit and he found himself living with his Uncle Mickey above Mickey's bar in South Florida. Mickey's untimely death leads to Jack becoming a bar owner. Jack's protective approach to his life includes staying emotionally uninvolved with everyone around him, those who work at the bar, customers, and the objects of his frequent one-night stands. Without warning Jack finds himself struggling to protect his beautiful bartender from unknown forces intent on killing her. Jack is confronted with decisions that require him to ignore rules he had previously deemed unbreakable. The characters who inhabit Cap's Place turn out to be much more complex than Jack ever anticipated. Each book in the Cap’s Place Series is a snapshot into the adventures and evolving lives of Jack Nolan and those who are a part of his South Florida Bar. As is true in real life, no single snapshot answers every question. In Jack’s case, no single glimpse ever clearly reveals to him all of the unfolding puzzles.

Lynchpin: The Best Laid Schemes of Mice and Men


Siddharth Maheshwari - 2021
    A sinister plan, of a shrewd calculating mastermind, has set the wheels of doom in motion. He is now pulling the lynchpins across the country and making it fall into disarray. He is using everyone in his path to achieve his goals. Within thirty days he intends to control the nation’s soul. As chaos grips the country, it’s a race against time for DSP Ranbir Roy of the Intelligence Bureau and Inspector Vikram Aditya Singh to stop him before anarchy dooms the country. The pieces are set, the board is laid out but what happens when your own pawns move against you? What will be the end game?

A Man to Die for


Suvika - 2015
    After three broken engagements I’m not going to waste my emotional energy on something that’s not going to give me anything.” – Shikha Bose.“I think my husband is having an affair with one of his colleagues. But I’m afraid to ask. Now it’s just in my head but if I ask and he doesn’t deny, it will become a reality.” – Preeti Singh.“My boyfriend doesn’t want to acknowledge me even as his friend in front of his family, let alone the fact that we’re lovers. It’s like I’m his dirty little secret.” – Siya Grewal.So the three friends come to a unanimous conclusion. Men suck. And like the characters in a sci-fi flick, perfect men are fictitious. The discussion takes off from there and ends with a post on social media. Attributes that this fictitious man should possess; some genuine, some funny and some downright naughty. Response to that post is unexpected in more ways than one. A Man to Die for creates a sensation with countless likes, retweets and forwards. And when the identities of the post-makers are revealed, the three friends are left to face the judging looks and snide comments. But when comments escalate to threatening calls and one of the three gets brutally murdered, the other two flounder in shock, grief, fear and fury. Someone has taken the post as a personal insult and was out for retribution by killing their friend and vowing to kill them too. Now, with the help of a DCP, who, according to Shikha was a dubious combination of a jerk and a hero, the killer must be caught. As the police race to unravel the identity, the killer strikes again...

The Twelve Murders of Christmas


Tim Ellis - 2011
    Each day, victims are found stabbed with their clothes removed and their faces ripped off. A verse from the carol is daubed on the wall in blood. Will Quigg find the killer before he is forced to resign? Also, Quigg must choose between two women, or must he? And can he persuade the Chief to let Sergeant Begone be his partner on a permanent basis?

Saving Paradise (Pono Hawkins Thriller Book 1)


Mike Bond - 2019
    The real Hawaii is something else…” When a beautiful journalist drowns mysteriously off Waikiki, former Special Forces veteran Pono Hawkins, now a well-known Hawaii surfer and international surfing journalist, quickly gets embroiled in trying to solve her death. What he learns soon targets him for murder or life in prison as a cabal of powerful corporations, foreign killers and crooked politicians focuses the blame on him. Haunted by memories of Afghanistan, and determined to protect the Hawaii he loves from dirty politics tied to huge destructive energy developments, Pono turns to Special Forces buddies and his own skills to fight his deadly enemies, trying to both save himself and track down her killers. A national US best-seller, Saving Paradise is alive with the sights, sounds and history of Hawaii, is a rich portrait of what Pono calls “the seamy side of paradise”, and a relentless thriller of politics, lies, manhunts and remorseless murder.

The Expansion


Christoph Martin - 2017
    The only person Max can trust is his new-found love, beautiful Karis Deen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Except Karis herself holds a dangerous secret that could not only destroy Max, but could change the entire balance of world power.

The Past We Run From: A Yorkshire Murder Mystery


Meg Jolly - 2021
    A child killer on the loose. Time is running out.When a toddler goes missing in the middle of a bustling Bradford park in broad daylight, Detective Daniel Ward is put on the case. It ought to be an open and shut investigation; but the hours tick by, and Millie Thompson is nowhere to be found.There’s only one conclusion DI Ward can come to: she was taken.When a known child-killer is spotted in the vicinity, Ward fears the worst. Has this infamous monster struck again, right under his nose?He has to catch up with the only lead he has, before the infamous Hunters - merciless, vigilante, justice seekers who will seek retribution at any cost - catch up with his suspect first.If they do, DI Ward may never find Millie alive again.‘I raced through this book in one sitting. A compelling and intriguing plot that kept me turning the pages with a cast of complex and diverse characters and a gritty Northern setting. Highly recommended.’ — Imogen Clark, #1 Amazon Bestselling AuthorSet in the diverse, beautiful, and historical city of Bradford, The Past We Run From is the first in the DI Ward crime thriller series from debut crime novelist Meg Jolly. Perfect for fans of JD Kirk, Dave Gatward, and JE Mayhew, join DI Ward today on a twisting race to solve the case.

Black Friday


James Patterson - 1986
    Blue: Welcome to James Patterson's classic superthriller, Black Friday. A courageous federal agent, a powerful and resourceful woman lawyer - only they can possibly stop the unspeakable from happening. New York City is under siege by a secret militia group - and that's just the beginning of the relentless terror of Black Friday. I love to lose myself in a thriller — especially the rare one that moves along like an out-of-control freight train. The thriller that actually got me started writing was The Day of the Jackal. With Black Friday, I wanted to concoct a shamelessly manipulative story that the reader couldn't wait to finish, but didn't want to end. Now get on this freight train!--- James PattersonOriginally published in 1987 as Black Market, also by James Patterson.

Ever Told


Benjamin Bremasi - 2018
    The victims were brutally killed in their locked bedroom with seemingly no way for the killer to enter or leave undetected. The list of suspects is endless. And the possible motives are even more disturbing. As the case evolves, the investigation becomes even more complex as secrets are revealed and betrayals come to light. Aided by her partner Caiden and her bedridden father Tony, Jill continues to unearth clue after clue as she desperately tries to solve the mystery and identify the killer. But the more she digs, the more she comes to realize that someone is out to get her as well. Is her unknown assailant connected to the investigation, or does the answer lie much closer to home? Once she discovers that the case may even have personal connections to a horrific event in her own sordid past, Jill will stop at nothing to complete the puzzle and finally put to rest the multiple acts of deception that have all converged into one unforgettable nightmare. For fans of suspenseful thrillers and mysteries filled with stunning twists and gut – wrenching reveals, Ever Told will show you just how easily lies can spiral out of control and how secrets can ultimately lead to our own demise. From the thrilling first page to the jaw – dropping surprise ending, you’ll never trust another word you hear again – even your own.

Unspoken Fear


Hunter Morgan - 2006
    . . In a sleepy little rural town in Delaware, someone is stalking the residents, murdering them for sins they thought were committed in secret. Seeking Redemption . . . After serving five years for vehicular homicide while driving drunk, Noah Gibson has just been released from prison. He's lost everything: his job as parish priest, his wife and his home. He's also blacking out and can't account for his time when the murders were committed. Unspoken Fear . . . Rachel Gibson has done her best to forget her ex-reverend husband, but she begins to fall in love with him all over again--seemingly against her will. Now she wonders if her new-found love is responsible for the brutal deaths of former friends and neighbors, killed to "pay" for their sins. From The Publisher: Hunter Morgan creates chilling suspense with romantic elements in small town settings. Fans of Melinda Leigh, Loreth Anne White, Skye Jordan as well as Mary Burton will enjoy this and other Hunter Morgan romantic suspense stories. Other Titles By Hunter Morgan: She'll Never Tell She'll Never Live She'll Never Know What She Can't See Unspoken Fear Are You Scared Yet Don't Turn Around

The Poison Garden


A.J. Banner - 2019
    J. Banner, bestselling author of The Good Neighbor.Elise Watters seems to have it all—a blissful marriage, a gorgeous Victorian home surrounded by lush gardens, and a dream job running her late mother’s herbal boutique.But on the eve of her first wedding anniversary, Elise makes a shocking discovery that turns her life upside down and casts doubt on everything she thought she knew—about her marriage, her friends, and even herself. As she treads into dangerous territory, Elise is forced to wonder: Is her whole future at stake? Or is paranoia getting the best of her?If she is to believe what she sees, Elise has every reason to fear for her life…

The Waiting Room


Emily Bleeker - 2018
    She can’t sleep, can’t work, and can’t bear to touch her beautiful baby girl. Her emotional state is whispering lies in Veronica’s ear: You’re a bad mother. Your baby would be better off without you. But not everything can be reasoned away by Veronica’s despair. Can it?After all, the break-in at her house happened. The disturbing sketches she found in her studio are real. So is the fear for her daughter’s safety—especially when Veronica comes home to a cold, silent nursery and a missing baby.As she turns from victim into primary suspect, Veronica realizes that only she can find her daughter. Authorities aren’t helping. They’re only watching. Veronica’s concerned mother has suddenly vanished from her life. And a new friend seems to be keeping secrets from her too. Now, reality is waiting for Veronica in a dark place—because someone’s mind games have only just begun.

AgniBaan : Guardians of the Fire Chamber


S. Venkatesh - 2021
    

Strange Bodies


Antonia Marlowe - 2013
    The Richardsons’ deaths are just two of several brutal murders to be unearthed. With local police stymied, former Scotland Yard Commander, Nicholas Adams and his team, are called in. But even with the extensive surveillance of central computer BigSys and the pervasive eyes of cameras that cover so much of the country, it takes the skills of the attractive Verity Burne – computer wizard and freelance feature writer – to uncover the links between the homicides that lead to the discovery of past injustices and a thirst for bloody vengeance.

Cyberionage


Michael P. Elias - 2013
    Special Agent Moti Kidron is in a race against time to infiltrate and locate the nuke deep behind enemy lines. A page-turning cyber war thriller aiming to block imminent nuclear holocaust in the Middle East.From Hezbollah controlled Lebanon thru Silicon Valley to the White House situation room - this debut novel is carefully researched, deftly plotted and will keep military thriller and techno geeks glued to every page. This action packed military thriller pits allies, the worlds top intelligence agencies and special forces against each other here the "technological edge" plays a key role protecting global interests. A decorated special ops soldier and Mossad cyber hacker, Moti Kidron, is in a race against time to find a rogue Iranian nuke while keeping the United States at bay without disclosing the scope of his infiltration into the core of their networks.The Israeli Mossad has embarked on the most widespread global cyber espionage program that infiltrates the United States CIA and NSA's most coveted PRISM systems. A secret artificial intelligence super computer secretly infiltrates the core ofthe NSA's networks enabling a predictive system to monitor and track nuclear proliferation programs around the globe.Nuclear holocaust is imminent in the Middle East. The Mossad and Israeli prime minister have proof that a rogue nuclear attack originating from Iran is hours from launch. The countdown results in a 4 way nuclear showdown that includes the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran.