Book picks similar to
In the Heat by Ian Vasquez


mysteries
mystery
myst-country-challenge-eur
fiction

State of Wonder


Ann Patchett - 2011
    Marina Singh embarks upon an uncertain odyssey into the insect-infested Amazon, she will be forced to surrender herself to the lush but forbidding world that awaits within the jungle. Charged with finding her former mentor Dr. Annick Swenson, a researcher who has disappeared while working on a valuable new drug, she will have to confront her own memories of tragedy and sacrifice as she journeys into the unforgiving heart of darkness. Stirring and luminous, "State of Wonder" is a world unto itself, where unlikely beauty stands beside unimaginable loss beneath the rain forest's jeweled canopy.

Heartless


Alison Gaylin - 2008
    But as soon as she arrives in San Esteban, it's clear there's something very strange lurking behind its idyllic appearance. Creepy local customs, a gruesome recent murder, and Warren's peculiar disappearances do little to ease her fears. When tourists are killed, Zoe decides it's finally time to get to the bottom of the sinister goings-on. But it could be asking questions is really only asking for trouble...

Serenity


Harry Kraus - 2002
    Nobody except his former physician's assistant who hasassumed his identity.Serenity was to be a fresh start and the fulfillment of a vowmade years ago. Being a doctor there is supposed to be a quiet, non-descript job. But it is in this touristy, seaside town wheredrugs flow, insurance is defrauded and people are dying.As the mystery around these suspicious activities and deathsunfolds, so does the new doctor's false identity. If the pretendercan survive the allegations and keep the unconditional love he'sdiscovered, he just may find the serenity he was seeking.

The Italians At Cleat's Corner Store


Jo Riccioni - 2014
    For seventeen-year-old Connie, however, the newcomers provide a tantalising glimpse of the wider world — a world beyond the gossip and petty concerns traded over the counter of Cleat’s Corner Store. As the Onorati brothers begin to cast an unexpected influence over Leyton, Connie realises that, like them, she must grapple with her ambitions and dreams for the future. But what can any of them hope to find in the ruins of all they’ve lost?

Missing You by Harlan Coben -- Review


Expert Book Reviews - 2014
    In Harlan Coben's "Missing You," nearly 20 years after being kicked to the curb unceremoniously by an old fiance, an NYPD detective runs into that very man on a dating site, leading to a reawakening, a realization, and ultimately, the deaths of several people. This review details which readers will ultimately enjoy this novel, which is virtually everyone. The face of Jeff Raynes is staring back at Kat Donovan. She contacts him and is surprised by his response. He fails to even remember her at first, then remembers, showing only modest affection. As detailed in this review, the twists that ensue are among the reasons for the success of "Missing You." If that wasn't strange enough, a Connecticut college student asks for Kat's assistance in finding his mother, who has mysteriously gone missing. On top of that, he asked for Kat in particular. How does he even know her? Need more? Kat visits the contract killer who is rotting away in prison for murdering her father, a man who is now denying his involvement. Who can Kat trust? The twists in "Missing You" are literally stacked on top of one another, which creates a pulsating ride for Coben fans. Not that the author needs help, but this review also details an alternative outcome that might have added even more miles to this thrill ride.

Isle Royale


John Hamilton - 2010
    Living in a lighthouse can be murder.SYNOPSIS:The year is 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian smugglers arrive. The gang’s leader is Sean LeBeck, a former lover of Collene MacDougal—the lightkeeper’s wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.The lightkeeper’s son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter "Chippewa." A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves on the island. Given one last chance at redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day."Isle Royale" is approximately 72,000 words.AMAZON READER REVIEW -- 5 STARS"A rip-roaring historical adventure set in the delightfully unusual setting of Lake Superior's Isle Royale. Hamilton's love for the locale comes shining through; Lake Superior at times seems one of the characters in the drama. A carefully-researched Great War flashback is almost a novella within a novel, while providing crucial motivation for the story."ABOUT THE AUTHOR:John Hamilton is a bestselling author and journalist. His work includes books about fantasy & folklore, science fiction, the national parks, and pirates. "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West" (Sparrow Media Group) was a finalist at the 17th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in 2005. He is a two-time Golden Duck Award winner for excellence in children’s science fiction literature. John can be found most summers hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. He is also an award-winning photojournalist and nature photographer. Connect with John online at: www.johnchamilton.com.

The Watcher Girl


Minka Kent - 2021
    But it was only to save him from the baggage of her own troubled past. Now all she wants is to make sure he’s okay.Only everything she learns about him online says otherwise. According to his social media accounts, he placed roots in her hometown, married a look-alike, and even named his daughter Grace. He clearly hasn’t moved on. In fact, it’s creepy. So Grace does what any concerned ex-girlfriend would do: she moves home…and watches him.But when Grace crosses paths with Sutton’s wife, Campbell, an unexpected friendship develops. Campbell has no idea whom she’s inviting into her life. As the women grow closer, it becomes clear to Grace that Sutton is not the sentimental man she once knew. He seems controlling, unstable, and threatening. And what a broken man like Sutton is capable of, Grace can only imagine. It’s up to her to save Campbell and her baby now—but while she’s been watching them, who’s been watching her?

Murder At The Fourth: A Forest Pines Mystery


Duncan Whitehead - 2016
    That is until local businessman, Donald Sands, is found murdered on the local golf course. Young and inexperienced Sheriff, Steve Calder, needs help and turns to Jenny to assist him in his investigation. Suddenly Jenny is plunged into a mystery unlike any other she has encountered and faces a multitude of suspects who all have a reason to rejoice the victim's death. It isn’t going to be as easy as Jenny thought, as she tries to find out who killed the most unpopular man in town. A string of mistresses, a jealous husband, a shady realtor as well as a down on his luck store owner, who couldn't repay a debt, are just some of the suspects as the plot thickens, and twists abound. Meanwhile, skeletons from Jenny's past are rattling their unwelcome bones. The truth contorts to a climax that will leave readers breathless.

The Good Neighbor


A.J. Banner - 2015
    That’s what Sarah thinks as she settles into life with her new husband, Dr. Johnny McDonald. But all too soon she discovers an undercurrent of deception. And one October evening when Johnny is away, sudden tragedy destroys Sarah’s happiness.Dazed and stricken with grief, she and Johnny begin to rebuild their shattered lives. As she picks up the pieces of her broken home, Sarah discovers a shocking secret that forces her to doubt everything she thought was true—about her neighbors, her friends, and even her marriage. With each stunning revelation, Sarah must ask herself, Can we ever really know the ones we love?

The Mad Trapper


Rudy Wiebe - 1980
    When it ended, he was the most notorious criminal in North America, the object of the largest manhunt in RCMP history.This is the story of Albert Johnson, the Mad Trapper, a silent man of superhuman strength and endurance, who defied capture for fifty days in the bitter cold of winter, north of the Arctic Circle. He was a man who crossed hundreds of miles of frozen tundra on foot, who survived dynamite blasts and the pursuit of police, trappers and the army, and who became the first man to cross the Richardson Mountains in a blizzard.

Catch Us If You Can


Cathy MacPhail - 2004
    These days it's Rory who has to look after the old man, and both of them dread being split up. But when he's told his grandad needs to go into a home and that he will be fostered, Rory is galvanised into setting out on the run with Granda. But where are they going, and where can they hide when their faces are plastered all over the newspapers and TV?

Booby Trap


Rex Stout - 2013
    It is the second of the two stories that feature Archie, Wolfe's live-in employee in all others stories, as Major Goodwin for the US Army Intelligence. In this, a grenade is used to create a lethal booby trap for an army colonel. "Booby Trap" is vintage Wolfe. It has everything his fans expect of their beloved character: beer, orchids, colorful exchanges with Archie, love (a woman in the brownstone), Wolfe leaving the house, Wolfe riding in a car, and Wolfe attempting to sit in an unsatisfactory chair.

The Slade House Affair: Clare Montgomery, Private Investigator


Daisy Thurbin - 2016
    In this first book in a new series, Mrs Montgomery is retained by an archaic well heeled family when its patriarch fails to arrive home at the expected hour. As with all of her writing, Thurbin demonstrates that a book need not contain gratuitous violence, graphic sex or coarse language in order to keep the reader entertained. Set in London and the Home Counties, Thurbin's attention to detail and meticulous research, coupled with an interesting conundrum and a sprinking of quirky characters, are bound to please even the most discerning of readers.

An Invitation To Murder


Norman Russell - 2021
    Even if that means marrying his daughter off to a rich American.Unfortunately for him, she is already in love with a penniless nobody named Alan Lavender — to the glee of Alan’s greedy uncle Guy.He’s been nosing into the Renfields’ murky past, and he says he’s uncovered a secret. Something so shocking it casts a shadow over Frank’s entire legacy.Tensions run high at the hall, until Guy Lavender turns up dead.A convenient coincidence for Frank?Detectives French and Edwards are on the case. But in a town full of secrets, the truth can be hard to find.And Guy’s won’t be the only body to fall before their work is done . . .Who will be next to die under the Renfields’ roof?

Fireworks in France (A Reverend Annabelle Dixon Mystery Book 7)


Alison Golden - 2021