Book picks similar to
A Prisoner Within by J.M. Northup


psychological-thriller
need
abuse
child-abuse

Elixir Project


Kary Oberbrunner - 2016
    After SWARM executes its deadliest attack yet, Sienna and her three college friends learn they have been chosen for the ELIXIR Project--a master plan designed to overthrow SWARM--and participation is mandatory.As she faces the deadly challenges of the Project, Sienna confronts layers of conspiracies that force her to question everyone she trusts and everything she believes about her friends, her parents' untimely deaths, and herself--all while staying one step ahead of SWARM. In this fast-paced, near-future thriller, will love and loyalty have time to catch up with Sienna? Or will she crack under the pressure of a future already chosen for her?

She Doesn't Know


Shane Morales - 2017
    You’d think after fourteen years of being an Air Force brat, she’d be used to being the new kid, but it still sucks. At least until she meets charming, charismatic Alex and falls for him hard. But Alex is a year older and is heading off to boarding school in Switzerland. Chloe won’t see him again for nine months and it’s breaking her heart. She doesn’t even know if Alex likes her back until he gifts her his private binder of hand-written stories and song lyrics to remember him by. That has to mean something, right? At long last the wait is over and Alex returns, but he's a haunted shell of his former self. Something bad happened while Alex was away, something that killed the light in his eyes, and Chloe is determined to help him. She has to get the old Alex back. But Chloe doesn’t know you can’t bring someone back from a place you’ve never been. All you can do is be there when they finally decide to come home. Due to strong language and sexual situations, She Doesn't Know is recommended for ages 16+.

Dancing with a Dead Horse


Danielle DeVor - 2014
    But if finding a body wasn’t bad enough, when a horse doll made of human skin and hair is found in his locker, the entire town accuses Jason of the murder.As the body count rises, so does the hostility. Jason is left with a choice: To run and hide or to clear his name and find out why the killer is targeting him before it’s too late.

The Brambles


Leah Erickson - 2017
     Elizabeth Gray is found hanging from a tree. Her town is shocked to learn that Elizabeth had no birth certificate, no social security number, no record of education. Her mother, an independently wealthy woman, refuses to cooperate with authorities. But Elizabeth is not truly gone: she communicates in spirit with her three childhood playmates, driving them to investigate the true circumstances of her death. And in doing so, Mack, Lillian, and Vanessa discover the world of The Brambles, a mansion owned by the elderly movie star, Mitch Cooper. They meet John Leary, a defocked priest and Mitch's "caretaker." Drugs, a motorcycle gang, a corrupt medical doctor nicknamed "Honeybear." How are all of these things connected, and what is the secret to Elizabeth's true identity? Only three brave teenagers can find out. The Brambles is a more than a mystery, but an absorbing exploration of life, death, and how people navigate relationships around them. A book you don't want to put down, and when you do, your thoughts go back to it." — Ross Rojek, San Francisco Book Review Mature teens to new adults who want a story that begins with a ghostly presence and evolves into a much broader plot will find The Brambles creates a brooding set of circumstances that embrace everything it touches, making for an engrossing story that's thought-provoking and hard to put down. — Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

The Cresswell Plot


Eliza Wass - 2016
    But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark.Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

Against Her Will


Peter Martin - 2013
    As Donna struggles to recover, her life spirals out of control, bringing back demons from the past. A complete mental and physical breakdown causes her to attempt suicide, and culminates in her spending a lengthy spell in hospital. There her recovery is slow, but when another suicide attempt fails, she is befriended by Evan, a male nurse, and a relationship ensues. Once she leaves hospital, the relationship develops further, and she meets Evan’s family. But it is his brother, Cole, who she seems unable to fathom. The difficulty arises when he subtly claims that Evan has ‘a darker side’. Then on her honeymoon, at the eleventh hour, Donna makes a devastating discovery that brings all her worst fears to the fore. Placing her in a situation that may well cost her, her life.

Gone


Christine Kersey - 2013
    Not only is her family missing, but another family is living in her house and claims to have lived there for weeks. As Morgan desperately works to figure out what has happened, she finds society has become obsessed with weight in a way she has never seen before. The more she searches for answers, the more she begins to wonder if she has somehow ended up in another world—a world she doesn't want to be a part of. Can she survive in this world until she can get home?Gone does not contain any profanity or sexual content and is appropriate for all ages.

Breaking Twig


Deborah Epperson - 2011
    Not even Twig’s vivid imagination, keen wit, and dark sense of humor is enough to help her survive the escalating assaults of Helen and a new stepbrother, but help comes from an unexpected source—Frank, her stepfather. Sometimes, having one person who loves and believes in you is all a girl needs to keep hope alive. Often raw and irreverent and sprinkled with all the Southern flavoring found in a good bowl of chicken and dumplings, BREAKING TWIG, is about finding love where we least expect it, destroying lives with easy lies, and realizing each of us determine our own truth. (Taken from author's website.)

Finding Hannah


John R. Kess - 2012
    Weeks of searching by volunteers and local law enforcement provides no clues to Hannah’s whereabouts. Determined to find her after the official search is suspended, Dylan sets out using his extensive knowledge of the forest to search for his sister. He is joined by Molly, an energetic fifteen-year-old who just moved to the area with her drug addict mother and her mother’s drug dealing boyfriend. As Dylan and Molly search hundreds of acres surrounding the Appalachian Trail, they must deal with the rugged wilderness, Dylan’s grief stricken family, and Molly’s abusive home life as the two refuse to give up their goal — Finding Hannah.

Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer


Demelza Carlton - 2013
    The worst part is that they're human. "Name?" "Nathan Miller.""What happened?""I was shot.""By whom?""A homicidal lunatic with a gun and bad aim." "Her name?""Caitlin Lockyer.""What happened to her?""Looks like someone tried to kill her."Nathan found Caitlin on a beach covered in blood. Saving her life was just the start. Now he's the prime suspect and he has to find out who's really responsible. Both of their lives depend on it.Who hurt her? Why was he shot? What did he promise? Why doesn't his story add up? Who was the dead man on the beach? What will she remember when she wakes up? A tiny taste of what's in store: "Stay away from her, Nathan. That girl isn't good for you."Stay away from her? I'd go crazy with worry in a day. "You don't know her."Chris looked grim. "Neither do you. Is there anything you wouldn't do for her?" "Yes," I snapped. "I wouldn't die for her."Chris turned around to stare at me, her mouth hanging open. "Do you want to know why?" I asked steadily. "I wouldn't die for her because I wouldn't be able to protect her any more. What if I missed one of the people who hurt her? I couldn't take that risk. She's too important." Nightmares Trilogy Dark, disturbing and definitely scary - Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer is the first book in Demelza Carlton's Nightmares Trilogy. The second book is Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller.

Jordan Quest


Gary Winston Brown - 2018
    Robb are sure to enjoy the Jordan Quest thriller series. A young girl returns from the brink of death with an incredible gift. Now, the dead have a voice... and law enforcement is listening. When a young Jordan Quest is discovered lying on the bottom of the pool at her family’s stately mansion she is pulled out of the water and pronounced “vital signs absent” by the attending paramedics. Unwilling to give up on the girl, Jordan is rushed to the hospital in a desperate attempt to revive her. Teetering on the brink of death, aware of her surroundings but unable to communicate with the trauma team who are working frantically to save her life, a strange and mysterious presence makes itself known to her. In that moment, Jordan’s life is changed forever. She calls it The Gift, and her unprecedented abilities will have a profound influence on the world’s understanding of psychic phenomenon. Hers is now the voice of the dead. And law enforcement is listening. Racing against the clock to help police locate and bring to justice killers who have long evaded capture, Jordan soon discovers an unsettling truth. Is her astounding ability really a gift? Or is it a curse that brings with it unimaginable consequences? This fast-paced series prequel also includes a six-chapter preview of “Intruders,” book one in the Jordan Quest series. The Jordan Quest novels are best described as tightly-written, page-turning suspense mixed with witty dialogue and high-octane action adventure. If you like stories featuring a tough-as-nails female protagonist and bad guy’s you’ll love to hate, the Jordan Quest series should be at the top of your ‘must-read’ list. Jordan and her adventures will appeal to readers who enjoy crime, police procedural, mystery, thriller and suspense, supernatural, paranormal, serial killer and FBI thriller books and movies. Each Jordan Quest book can be read as a stand-alone story. This is the 2018/2019 release schedule and recommended reading order: Book # 0: Jordan Quest (short-story series prequel, roughly one-tenth the length of an average Jordan Quest novel. Includes a six-chapter preview of book one, “Intruders.”) Book # 1: Intruders Book # 2: The Sin Keeper Book # 3: Mr. Grimm (Coming November 2018) Book # 4: Nine Lives (Coming March 2019) Book # 5: The Murder Gene (Coming June 2019) AMAZON REVIEWS: HERE’S WHAT JORDAN QUEST FANS ARE SAYING… “What a great story and I love Jordan’s character. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat and rushing to pick this up again and again. Looking forward to reading the next book.” “Amazing first novel. Intruders absolutely lived up to the promise of the prequel. It was faced-paced with lots of plot twists and turns. It really made me want to keep reading. Jordan is a very likeable main character and I can see great possibilities as the series progresses. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!” “Was anxious to read (Intruders) after reading the prequel and I was not disappointed. Loved the character of Jordan Quest, loved the pace and it was truly a great story. I look forward to the next book.

Enchant Me


Anne Violet - 2011
    Magic. Secrets. Attraction.While 17 year old Alexis Maher never thought she would live an ordinary life, she wasn't sure she would survive the kind of excitement she had now. After breaking up with her boyfriend of nearly a year he proceeds to spread rumors about her, making her one of the most hated juniors of Crescent Point High. If that wasn't enough, her grandmother dropped a bombshell. Alexis is about to come into her Druid powers, and it isn't going to be a pleasant process either. While most teens would welcome becoming psychic and telekinetic, Alexis isn't one of them.Just when her life is falling apart she meets Christian Marino, a gorgeous, mysterious senior whom she falls for faster than she would have ever thought possible. But her ex-boyfriend turned stalker takes exception to their rapidly developing relationship, and he's becoming increasingly dangerous. Then it becomes apparent that Christian has secrets of his own.Somehow she has to safely transition into her powers, uncover Christian's secret and save them both from Nicolas's vengeance.If you would like to see the book trailer for this story--look up "Enchant Me book trailer" on You Tube. More video diary moments from Alexis will be coming in the future.

Watchers of the Night


Matthew Keith - 2013
     Paul is thrilled - at first - but the agency is under siege from within, and Paul soon finds himself the focal point in the battle for its control. “Watchers of the Night” is the first installment in the Watchers Series. Beware: It does end with a cliffhanger! Books in the Watchers Series: Watchers of the Night The Rise of Indicium The Fall of Astralis Dreampire

Adventures in Funeral Crashing


Milda Harris - 2011
    At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!

Blackmail, Sex and Lies: A Victorian True Crime Murder Mystery


Kathryn McMaster - 2017
    It is the tale of a naïve, young woman caught up in a whirlwind romance with an older man. However, both have personality flaws that result in poor choices, and which leads to a tragic end. For 160 years, people have believed Madeleine Smith to have been guilty of murder. But was she? Could she have been innocent after all? This Victorian murder mystery, based on a true story, takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, 1857. It explores the disastrous romance between the vivacious socialite, Madeleine Hamilton Smith, and her working class lover, Pierre Emile L’Angelier. After a two-year torrid, and forbidden relationship with L’Angelier, that takes place against her parents' wishes, the situation changes dramatically when William Minnoch enters the scene. This new man in Madeleine’s life is handsome, rich, and of her social class. He is also a man of whom her family approve. Sadly, insane jealous rages and threats of blackmail are suddenly silenced by an untimely death. Written in British English, in the creative nonfiction style, this Scottish Noir will be enjoyed by those who enjoy Victorian murder mysteries, unsolved crimes, or fictionalised accounts of true crime. See the author’s bestselling debut novel, “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?” - another Victorian whodunit based on a real crime.