Book picks similar to
The Popcorn Girl by Michael J. Vaughn
fiction
mystery
abandoned
contemporary
The Advocate
Lori Lacefield - 2018
A young recruit who will have to expose the truth of just how far one of them will go to get revenge.\Former victim Palmer Reed is facing the 20th anniversary of her kidnapping when she is recruited to the board of a prestigious foundation dedicated to helping the victims of crime. Run by Marjoram Swall, a woman known as The Vindicator, who helped rescue Palmer twenty years ago from the hands of their mutual enemy, the foundation gives Palmer something to believe in, hoping that by helping other victims, she will resolve her own painful past.But something dark lies beneath the foundation’s surface, and after Palmer learns of the foundation's use of blackmail to raise money for their cause, she discovers that several individuals who escaped their blackmail attempts all later died in mysterious accidents. She investigates, and soon believes their deaths are anything but accidental.Faced with the dilemma of staying loyal to her mentor and the foundation that's provided her with a purpose, or exposing the truth and tearing her life apart, she's forced to question her own ethical boundaries, whether the pursuit of justice and the equalization of a faulty legal system is worth murder.But her mentor won't risk giving her that choice, and soon Palmer finds herself the target of an unknown killer, her former kidnappers, and even Marjoram herself. For Palmer has opened a deadly link to their past, and she's on a mission to uncover the truth.
Living with Markus
Florence Osmund - 2016
Having put an embittered past behind him, Marc builds a successful landscaping business with clientele from the affluent suburbs of Chicago and starts to appreciate the finer things in life—and he's found the perfect woman to share in it. But when his alcoholic sister and her two young sons enter into the picture, Marc falls victim to their helplessness and temporarily puts his own life aside. When his despondent father is added to the mix, it doesn’t take long for Marc to completely lose sight of his own dreams—and his girlfriend. Does Marc save his relatives from their ill-fated lives, or save himself from entering into a life of self-sacrifice and missed opportunities? Painful soul-searching and late-night talks with the captivating tenant downstairs guide him to an unexpected decision and discovery of his true purpose in life.
The Quiet Village
T.J. Walter - 2017
He discovers a quiet village deep in the countryside and settles there. He makes new friends and finds a new love, but there are undercurrents; events that threaten his newfound peace. Then a murder occurs and he finds himself drawn into the investigation, unsure of who among his new friends he can trust. How will he overcome this without losing all he has gained?
A Terminal Agenda
Mark McKay - 2015
When a man dies violently one morning, only yards from the police station, the motive eludes him. The victim had recently been in India, looking for an ancient tomb that could contain something priceless. Was that reason enough to kill him?What seems to be a crime motivated by money, becomes something far more sinister. As the chief suspects continue to elude Nick, another agenda reveals itself, one that will bring death and destruction on a far larger scale. And anyone who compromises that agenda will be eliminated. As events unfold and the stakes get higher, Nick must confront the prospect of losing everything he holds dear, and taking a course of action that will change his life in ways he never imagined.
Seal of Secrets
William J. Cook - 2016
He never talks about himself, never mentions a family or friends. She sees sorrow in his eyes, and something else, something sinister. When his past comes back to haunt him, Chloe's own life and the life of her daughter are put in jeopardy. As the mystery deepens, Chloe gets pulled into a vortex of deception and murder.
House of Secrets: The Haunting of Winchester Mansion / The Haunting of Bechdel Mansion
Alexandria Clarke - 2017
In the small town of Black Bay, a vacant, forgotten house sits atop an overlooking bluff. When Bailey and Bodhi Taylor move in and begin renovations, the house seems perfect. But things move on their own, screams echo from the basement, and Bailey sees a shadowy figure out of the corner of her eye. Is the house haunted? And if it is, what does the ghost want with Bailey? The Haunting of Bechdel Mansion: A Haunted House Mystery One couple must unearth the secrets of a small-town murder before it's too late. A young couple from the city move to a small town, looking for a fresh start. They soon find their dream house in an old Victorian mansion and everything seems perfect, that is, until they experience strange supernatural occurrences linked to an unsolved mass murder from forty years ago. Unearthing the secrets buried within the mansion won't be easy. Can they solve the mystery in time, or will they face the same doomed fate as the tenants who came before them?
Famished
Meghan O'Flynn - 2016
At least, it feels that way until a serial killer starts dicing up women from the shelter where she volunteers. Despite the ever-present tingling at the nape of her neck, Hannah manages to convince herself that the killings have nothing to do with her brutal past—until her boyfriend is murdered in the same ruthless manner as the others. It doesn’t help that the police think she might have done it. But the cops are right about one thing: Hannah is responsible. Because she knows who the killer is. Now she must face the fact that she brought a monster with her to Ash Park—and his appetite for blood is insatiable. Everyone's hungry for something. Some are more famished than others.
Girl With No Fingerprints
Mark Bailey - 2017
A drug bust at a sex orgy forces a life change and a chance to start again in a new place where nobody knows her. But will her inner demons drive her back on a path of self-destruction? Like Milly Siobhan Russell is pretty and smart. Unlike Milly, she has all the advantages of a loving family. But is she too about to risk everything? From Perth, Western Australia, to a love story in Scotland and a vicious murder in a cheap motel in London; no relationship is safe, most are troubled. Lies and half-truths are told, the truth often far away, until a startling revelation reveals everything. You will never see it coming. This is the only crime thriller you will need to read this year.
Undertaking Irene
Pamela Burford - 2014
To dead people.Life gets complicated for Jane and her Death Diva business when she’s hired to liberate a gaudy mermaid brooch from the corpse during a wake—on behalf of the rightful owner, supposedly. Well, a girl’s got to make a living, and this assignment pays better than scattering ashes, placing flowers on graves, or bawling her eyes out as a hired mourner. Unfortunately for Jane, someone else is just as eager to get his hands on that brooch, and he’s even sneakier than she is, not to mention dangerously sexy.Just when she thinks her biggest problem is grand theft mermaid, things take a murderous turn. But hey, when you’ve teamed up with a neurotic seven-pound poodle named Sexy Beast, how can you go wrong?
The Fatal Heir
Lois Lewandowski - 2006
A few years previous, she survived a car accident that shattered her ankle and her first marriage. Now she’s remarried and walking again and life would be perfect—if only she could get pregnant.Fortunately, Gillian’s mother-in-law and one of the Jackson County commissioners from Bend Brook, Nebraska, hatch a plan that will enable Gillian and her husband Clint to afford the next step in fertility treatment: they ask her to become an investigator for the county. Her first assignment is to find the biological parents of the commissioner’s adopted daughter, Caroline. With only one concrete fact to go on—Caroline was left at a Colorado monastery in 1967—Gillian heads for Aspen. Unfortunately, no one at the monastery remembers any such event—or so they say. When one monk goes missing and a woman who’s sleeping in the bed reserved for Gillian is murdered, Gillian has second thoughts. She can’t turn back, though, since most of Bend Brook has taken bets on whether she’ll be able to solve the case.As she uncovers past events that lead to the discovery of Caroline’s true identity, Gillian realizes that sometimes the perfect family might be the one you already have …
Beach Traffic: The Ocean Can Be Deadly
Judith Lucci - 2019
Kat’s childhood friend, Heidi is looking for great sex and a fantastic weekend hookup. But, things turned bad quickly when they learn a friend of theirs had been brutally attacked. Federal and local law enforcement officials are concerned about a vicious murder on the beach and the disappearance of five women.
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Safe at Home
Christina Kirby - 2015
The Georgia townsfolk’s true Southern charm is the unexpected prescription needed to heal her soul, and the sexy carpenter who touches her heart are distractions she didn’t plan on, but they might offer her a chance at a new life, if she can let go of her past. Town heartbreaker Spencer Malloy isn’t looking for anything serious. His days are perfect working as a contractor, attending his nephew’s baseball games, or taking him fishing. He never expects to fall for the big city girl, Samantha. She’s not his type, timid and closed off, but in her unguarded moments, he’s intrigued by the woman he can’t get out of his mind. The urge to get closer to her grows stronger each day, and when the shadow of evil resurfaces, he vows to protect Samantha, even if it means abandoning his home and joining her on the run. When confronted by the man who’s bent on revenge, Samantha must choose between running again to save the people she loves, or, if she has the strength, to stay and fight for her new life.
Escape Route
G.A. VanDruff - 2016
Love Stephanie Plum? Escape Route is your next fun read! Dognappers. Hit men. Her ex-husband. A happy yellow Lab, an unhappy green gecko, her ex's new wife, and a conniving political climber make short work of her vacation. Can Jaqie save the hapless dog, the hopeless ex's new marriage, and finish her next screenplay before the deadline? Join in this fun-filled chase around the Chesapeake Bay, and find out if Jaqie can outsmart the hitmen, get her ex's extremely pregnant wife to the hospital in time, catch the dognappers, and deal with each and every relative hanging around the Shanahan family tree! Buy Escape Route and enjoy GA VanDruff's light-hearted tale of fun and suspense!
Don't Tell Meg Trilogy Box Set
Paul J. Teague - 2017
One night. So many deaths. When radio journalist Pete Bailey betrays his wife Meg on his fortieth birthday, he has no idea of the terrible consequences that will follow his infidelity. His passionate relationship with Meg is on the rocks and they’re having no luck starting a family. It’s only when he meets TV reporter Ellie Turner on a working weekend away from home that Pete succumbs to her charms in a moment of weakness. His treacherous actions set off a chain of events fueled by jealousy, revenge, violence and hatred. Five people will lose their lives as a result of Pete’s deception and he will be compelled to confront the ugly truth about his wife and his best friend, Jem. He thought that nobody would ever discover what he’d done with Ellie … but he didn’t know who was listening in the room next door. Don’t Tell Meg is the first part of trilogy of thrillers. Please note that this book contains mild violence, bad language and sexual references. The Murder Place: A missing wife. A former lover. A house that isn't yet done with death. Estranged from his wife and living on a caravan park, Pete Bailey thinks the worst is over. Well away from the marital home where the murders took place, Pete is still hoping to hear from Meg and get a sale on a property that nobody wants to buy. But the newspaper and TV reports haven't gone unnoticed and there are some new arrivals in the town. Teaming up with his TV friend and former lover, Alex Kennedy, Pete goes in search of the truth about Meg and hurtles headlong into a tangled mess along the way. The house where two men lost their lives is not yet done with the killing - and more people who are close to Pete must lose their lives before the secrets of Meg's past are revealed. Pete will be brought to the edge of despair and risks losing everything in this non-stop, psychological thriller. The Murder Place is the second part in the Don't Tell Meg trilogy. Please note that this book contains mild violence, bad language and sexual references. The Forgotten Children: A childhood poisoned by betrayal. A revenge that can wait no more. Things have gone from bad to worse for radio journalist, Pete Bailey. Not only is he still estranged from his wife Meg, he has found himself living in rundown flat in Blackpool, rapidly running out of money and scraping by to make ends meet. But the seaside resort holds the secrets of Meg's childhood years, which were poisoned by cruelty, betrayal and violence. As Pete gets closer to the truth, the past comes back to haunt him as a killer seeks to right wrongs and destroy old enemies. More lives will be lost and those closest to Pete will risk most of all. But finally, after all the death and misery, the terrible truth will be revealed. The Forgotten Children is the final part in the Don't Tell Meg trilogy. Please note that this book contains mild violence, bad language and sexual references. Paul J. Teague has also written the standalone thriller Dead of Night (Released May 2017)
Solomon Bull: When the Friction has its Machine
Clayton Lindemuth - 2017
You’ll find all the “thrilling… visceral… unsparing…” prose that earned his debut Cold Quiet Country the coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly. Blackfoot Indian Solomon Bull is the son of a rebel who died in the seventies fighting for the American Indian Movement. He trains for an Arizona race called Desert Dog, run through cactus beds, aqueducts, up sheer rock walls and through clouds of Africanized killer bees. The race will tell Solomon whether he’s a mere man, or heir to his murdered father’s revolution. Solomon tries to focus on Desert Dog. Ex-mercenary Cal Barrett designed the race to shred people, and rumor is he recruits winners into a clandestine paramilitary outfit. But on a whim Solomon bets his roommate he can cost dirty Senator Clyman ten points in his reelection bid. After antics involving spray paint and a highway billboard, the senator’s security chief suddenly shows up everywhere Solomon is… Then Rachel, hailing from the Treasury’s office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, introduces herself by soaping Solomon in the shower after a long run. She’ll do anything to get Solomon to infiltrate Cal Barrett’s clandestine organization. Something big is going down soon, she promises. Senator Clyman’s security man attacks. Rachel hounds. Solomon’s picked a bigger fight than intended. But now his roommate introduces Amanda, a prostitute who looks like an angel but for the boots and cigarette burns all over her back. She tells a story about Senator Clyman and an innocent Navajo boy that frames Solomon’s identity question in stark terms. Will Solomon turn his back on the victims of true evil? Will he become a cog in the machine his father died fighting? Solomon Bull is a young man learning why men exist. It’s about love, sacrifice, and a Native American on the pendulum between assimilation and war.