Book picks similar to
Short Fuses by Stephen Leather
short-stories
crime
thriller
mystery
Maniacal
C.M. Sutter - 2016
The newly promoted Sergeant Jade Monroe, and her partner, Detective Jack Steele, have just been informed of an unidentified male body found at a local lake. The town is in an uproar. The victim was nearly decapitated, and murder simply doesn’t happen in North Bend. As more bodies turn up, the single connection between all of the victims becomes clear—it’s Jade, herself. With each new victim getting one step closer to Jade, time begins to tick away. She must find the person responsible before her loved ones, or herself, are targeted next. Note: All Detective Jade Monroe books are standalone stories, yet they are best read in chronological order. #1 Maniacal #2 Captive #3 Fallacy #4 Premonition
The Debt
Simon Kernick - 2006
It’s your cousin’s. And he’s done a runner.So now the local gangland bosses have come to you for repayment. They aren’t taking 'no' for an answer, but they will take your fingers - one by one - if you don’t get hold of the money. Very soon.You’ve got to think fast. You’ve got to act fast. And then you’ll have to get out of here – as fast as you can.
Long Time Dying Box Set
Solomon Carter - 2015
But Eva's PI partner Dan Bradley suspects the cop isn't giving them the full truth. The case sounds simple, but it proves to be anything but... Eva and Dan discover a murky sex crime syndicate which taints everyone it touches. The PIs must make a decision. Would you risk it all to save the innocent from a web of lust and deadly danger? Eva and Dan must take a stand, but temptation is a deadly business, and it could consume their business, their relationship - even their lives... Eva and Dan are flawed heroes facing the biggest cases of their lives. This gripping crime thriller boxed set is the first instalment of the thrilling Long Time Dying private investigator series. If you love mystery thrillers with strong female protagonists and snappy dialogue, you'll love this series. Long Time Dying is a tense and action packed roller coaster ride with hints of humour, great characters and lashings of romantic suspense. Murder mystery, high-speed action and great entertainment, Long Time Dying must not be missed! Fans of JD Robb, Jack Reacher, Robert Crais and Janet Evanovich will love Eva Roberts and Dan Bradley in this page-turning series. Praise for Solomon Carter and Long Time Dying "Just finished reading Long Time Dying. Wow, loved it. Looking forward to reading more!" "I've read all 13 books of Eva and Dan and am so addicted to them, that I can't wait for the next one!!! Absolutely terrific books!!! PLEASE don't stop writing them!!! Thank you for all the pleasure you have given me reading them." "I have just read all 12 books of Long Time Dying ...... Absolutely brilliant " "I've read all your books and I can't put them down... keep on writing and I'll keep on reading!" "Love your work... waiting impatiently for next book!" "Couldn't put your latest book down it was an edge of the seat story!" "Just finished reading 'Long Time Dying' and absolutely loved it!" Now it's your turn. Find out why so many readers love Long Time Dying. Download your copy now and join the adventure today! Long Time Dying - Private Investigator Crime Series books 1-3 Thrilling adventures featuring Eva Roberts & Dan Bradley, private detectives The Long Time Dying Series by Solomon Carter categorised as: detective romance series private detective novel series private investigator romance romantic suspense mystery romance romantic thrillers thrillers 100 must reads private investigator crime thriller series private investigator series private detective series hard boiled crime thriller pulp thriller pulp thriller series
Dirty Little Secrets
Liliana Hart - 2011
Graves has seen a lot of dead bodies in her line of work...She's not only in the mortuary business, but she's also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it's up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice.The murders are piling up...The residents of Bloody Mary are dropping like flies, and when a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.'s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he's so well known for. It only clouds the issue and puts her reputation on the line when the attraction between them spirals out of control.And passions are rising...J.J and Jack are in a race against time. They discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.'s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her the perfect victim in a deadly game.
An Ace and A Pair
Blake Banner - 2017
But he’s a dinosaur who belongs to another age. Detective Carmen Dehan has such a bad attitude that nobody at the precinct can stomach her. Captain Jennifer Cuevas wants them both out of the way and thinks they make a perfect pair. So she gives them the Cold Cases file – the cases nobody gives a damn about.She has no idea just how hot a cold case can get.Ten years back Nelson Hernandez and his four cousins were playing poker in a dive at Hunts Point. Somebody came in, blew them away and beheaded and castrated Nelson, leaving his head and his balls on the table. There was no shortage of suspects, the Jersey Mob, the Triads from Manhattan, or the 43rds own bent cop, Mick Harragan. But nobody was ever charged, and the night of the murder Mick Harragan went missing with Nelson’s wife, Maria.Now Stone and Dehan plan to find him – whatever the consequences…
Fresh Doubt
Eva Hudson - 2014
The haunting memories of that night shaped Ingrid’s life, driving her to become one of the toughest agents ever to join the FBI. Supremely fit, doggedly tenacious and virtually indestructible, Ingrid now works out of the US embassy in London. Madison Faber, a brilliant psychology student at a prestigious London college, has discovered her friend’s body in a pool of blood. Now she’s in police custody being questioned for murder. Protesting her innocence, Faber fears the killer will target her next and persuades Ingrid to hunt him down. But the deeper Ingrid digs, the deadlier the case gets. And when she uncovers a sinister group operating within the psychology department, Ingrid is in far more danger than she realizes.Up against the clock, and disobeying strict FBI protocols, Ingrid’s obsession to bring the killer to justice takes her far beyond the law. So far she may never get back.Unlock the thrills and twists of this up-all-night crime thriller series, perfect for fans of gripping mysteries, strong female detectives and any reader who has ever wondered if there’s a female version of Jack Reacher. There is, and her name is Ingrid Skyberg.PRAISE FOR EVA HUDSON"I was immediately struck by the plotting savvy and grip-factor of Eva Hudson's writing – she is a natural storyteller" - Sophie Hannah"In the tradition of all good thrillers, the plot rattles along at a fine pace. An intriguing mystery with many unexpected twists – not least of all the ending" - James Oswald"Gripped me from the first page. Ingrid Skyberg is a brilliant character" - DS ButlerABOUT EVA HUDSONAfter years of enjoying thrillers and police procedurals by authors like Lee Child and Michael Connelly, Eva was inspired to write thrillers herself. In 2011 she won the inaugural Lucy Cavendish fiction prize for her first novel, The Loyal Servant, and never looked back.
The Widow File
S.G. Redling - 2013
Receipts, parking tickets, the detritus of daily life—if you leave it behind, she will figure you out.Her latest case involves high-tech industrial espionage at a corporation with ties to the military. But when a team of assassins sweeps through the firm, stealing all files and killing her coworkers, Dani narrowly escapes. Whoever ordered the strike thinks Dani has vital information and they put a hit man named Booker on her trail.Armed with only her wits and a bag of random investigation materials, Dani must figure out who the enemy really is while playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the cunning hit man who has an agenda of his own.
Charade
Sandra Brown - 1994
It gave her a second chance at life. After leaving Hollywood to host a San Antonio TV show spotlighting children with special needs, Cat fights to gain respect as a newscaster. She meets Alex Pierce, an ex-cop turned crime writer, who regards her as a woman, not as a heart patient. When fatal "accidents" begin killing the other heart recipients, Alex may -or may not- be her most important ally. With her new world turning sinister and a mysterious stalker shadowing her every move, Cat is caught in a dark maze of betrayal and secrets...and perhaps sees too late the mask hiding a killer's face.
Knighthorse
J.R. Rain - 2010
Parker's Spenser and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, Dark Horse and The Mummy Case introduce a hard-hitting, wise-cracking hero with a modern twist.DARK HORSEWhen high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone's hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case. As the investigation continues, Knighthorse's personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother's unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice.THE MUMMY CASEPrivate investigator Jim Knighthorse takes on a very, very cold case. When historian Willie Clarke dies of mysteriously of dehydration in the California deserts, ex-football hero Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper―and discovers a shocking connection to one of the West's oldest mysteries. Over a hundred years ago, an unnamed cowboy was murdered in the California desert and, due to freak weather conditions, would become mummified within twenty-four hours. Now known to the world as Sylvester the Mummy and displayed in a creepy curiosity shop, Sylvester and historian Willie Clarke will be forever linked in mystery. That is, unless private investigator Jim Knighthorse can survive long enough to untangle one of the West's greatest unsolved murders. **Acclaim for the Novels of J.R. Rain**"Gripping, adventurous, and romantic―J.R. Rain's The Lost Ark is a breakneck thriller that traces the thread of history from Biblical stories to current-day headlines. Be prepared to lose sleep!"―JAMES ROLLINS, international bestselling author of Altar of Eden and The Doomsday Key"Dark Horse is one of the best books I've read in a long time! A great classic detective story with a modern twist. Unique and interesting characters (I think I'm half in love with Jim Knighthorse now!), a great plot that kept me guessing until the end, and some of the funniest lines I've read anywhere."―GEMMA HALLIDAY, author of Deadly Cool and Play Dead"Impossible to put down. J.R. Rain's Moon Dance is a fabulous urban fantasy."―APRIL VINE, author of The Midnight Rose and Blindfolded by Lust"Moon Dance is absolutely brilliant!"―LISA TENZIN-DOLMA, author of Understanding the Planetary Myths and The Dolphin Experience"Moon Dance is a must read. If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, be prepared to love J. R. Rain's Samantha Moon, vampire private investigator.
Strange Weather
Joe Hill - 2017
. . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in Aloft.On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. Rain explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.In Loaded, a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.
Mine to Take
Cynthia Eden - 2013
Not just watching - stalking her. Months ago, Skye was involved in a dangerous car accident. The accident ended her dancing career and sent her fleeing back to Chicago. Skye is convinced that her stalker caused the crash, and she fears that he won’t stop pursuing her, not until she’s dead.When someone breaks into her apartment in Chicago, Skye turns to the one man she believes can protect her - Trace Weston. Once, Trace was her lover. Two lost souls, they’d come together in a firestorm of need and desire. But then Trace had pushed her away. He’d joined the military, vanishing from her life. She’d put all of her emotion into dancing, and she’d tried to forget him.Now Trace is one of the most successful men in the United States. Rich, driven, and carrying dark secrets, he agrees to help Skye. He’ll protect her from the danger that lurks in the darkness, but Trace wants more than to just be a guard for Skye.He wants her. And he’ll take her. The years have changed him, hardened him. He’s not just a poor kid from the streets any longer. Now, he can have anything - or anyone - that he wants. And the one woman he has always wanted has just come back into his life. He won’t let her go again.But with the threats mounting against Skye, she suspects that her stalker may be intimately close. He’s a man who knows her too well. As his attacks grow ever more dangerous, she realizes that if she trusts the wrong man, she could be making a fatal mistake.Lust. Love. Obsession.Just how far would you go in order to possess the one person you want the most?Author's Note: MINE TO TAKE is a sexy romantic suspense novella—it contains approximately 41,000 words. MINE TO TAKE is intended for adults. Sexy situations and adult language will be found within the pages of this story - please consider yourself warned.
And So It Begins
Rachel Abbott - 2018
Evie brought Mark back to life after the sudden death of his first wife. Cleo, Mark's sister, knows she should be happy for him. But Cleo doesn't trust Evie...When Evie starts having accidents at home, her friends grow concerned. Could Mark be causing her injuries? Called out to their cliff-top house one night, Sergeant Stephanie King finds two bodies entangled on blood-drenched sheets.Where does murder begin? When the knife is raised to strike, or before, at the first thought of violence? As Evie stands trial, the jury is forced to consider - is there ever a proper defence for murder?And So It Begins is a darkly compulsive psychological thriller with all the hallmarks of a Rachel Abbott bestseller - a provocative dilemma, richly-layered mystery, knife-edge tension, and brilliant characterization.
Blue Steele - Box Set - Captures 1-6
Donald Wells - 2013
She wants answers.Who really killed Vincent Kane's wife? Was it her lover, or is Kane far more devious then even the police suspect?In the end, Blue discovers the truth and learns that the human heart holds many secrets.
BLUE STEELE 2
When Blue goes back to her hometown, a quiet visit turns into a nightmare, when her sister, Jenny, is accused of committing murder.With two of the town's leading citizens backing up the accusation, Blue knows that the odds are stacked against her sister. Determined to get to the truth, Blue keeps digging, and when the truth is finally revealed, it's darker and deadlier than she could have ever imagined.
BLUE STEELE 3
Blue was looking forward to a day of self-indulgence, when a bank robbery at a local mall forces her into action. The robbers have taken the daughter of Blue's best friend hostage and Blue follows them in a relentless pursuit, determined to get the little girl back safely.With the help of a mysterious stranger, Blue tracks down the murderous thugs, however, circumstances soon turn deadly, and Blue and her new friend find themselves just moments away from death.With little Amy's life on the line, Blue pulls out all the stops and her captors soon learn why the female of the species is the most dangerous.
BLUE STEELE 4
While working as a bodyguard, Blue tries to stop a robbery, but the bandits elude her and attempt to exit the scene of the crime.They're caught by the police before they can make their escape, but the money and jewels from the robbery are no where in sight.With no evidence to hold them, the cops must soon release the crooks and admit that they've been outsmarted.However, Blue is on the case and determined to solve the mystery, a mystery with a five thousand dollar reward.
BLUE STEELE 5
Blue is on the hunt for a runaway bank robber, but a call from an old client sends her rushing to his rescue.Once the client is safe, Blue, with the help of an old friend, turns her attention back to the bank robber. However, when she finally crosses paths with him, the results are shocking, and deadly.
BLUE STEELE 6
While searching for a bail skip in The Piney Woods of Texas, Blue gets dragged unexpectedly into a life and death struggle with a murderous madman. Coming in November BLUE STEELE BOX SET - CAPTURES 7-12
Only the Truth
Adam Croft - 2017
He travels for work and plays the carefree bachelor when he can. But now, on a solo business trip, in a remote coastal hotel, he’s surprised to find Lisa in his bathroom. She’s dead.He has no idea how she got there but one chilling fact is clear: everything points to Dan having murdered her. Someone is trying to frame him. Someone who might still be watching. In a panic, he goes on the run. But even as he flees across Europe, his unknown enemy stacks up the evidence against him.Dan is determined to clear his name and take revenge on Lisa’s killer, but the culprit is closing in. And then there’s the agony of his own guilty conscience. No, he didn’t kill her—but is it all his fault?