Book picks similar to
Dark Flag by Kevin Wignall


thriller
fiction
under-consideration
mystery-thriller

The Good Life Crisis


E.M. Smith - 2018
    Even the dead. A murder interrupts Special Agent Victor Loshak's vacation in Santa Fe -- a middle-aged man executed in his garage. The forensic details make it seem like a professional job, but the local police seem hell bent on pinning the killing on the dead man's wife anyway. The story doesn't quite add up. Loshak gets swept up in the hunt for the truth, even if he's still dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sandals. The agent digs through the seedy underworld of New Mexico, finds it populated with colorful characters who may or may not be playing it straight. The details of the case grow increasingly bizarre. Everyone seems to have a different description of the dead man in the garage -- his personality, his passions, his hopes and dreams all vary wildly depending on who is telling the story. If Loshak can find out who the victim really was, he can solve the case. If not... Grab this short sequel to Beyond Good & Evil! Praise for the Victor Loshak series: "Was hooked from the 1st page and stayed up all night to finish it. Jaw dropping edge of your seat action packed thriller." - Mary Palmer "There is a terrifying serial killer in this book. And the story is riveting...I really enjoyed getting to know Loshak better. I love the way he consciously reads people and uses his knowledge of human behavior to function in everyday life, not just as a detective. I love his self awareness. I love his measured, experienced approach to life and his job and I love his honesty with himself and other people." - Melanie "I felt that adrenaline rush tingling down my spine. You’ll be left wondering did I lock the back door?...I began reading this book, and didn’t stop until I was finished at 3:00am." - C. Awbrey "This was a wonderful, well written (with all their great details), sinister crime story." - C. Munger "Great read. Mystery, thrills, suspense and the grim horror of what true crime sounds, feels, looks, and smells like. A must read whether you have or haven’t indulged before in this series." - Indiquinn

Mrs. Thistlethwaite and the Magpie: A Tillamook Tillie Mystery


J.B. Hawker - 2017
    Thistlethwaite and the Magpie: "Super early review on Mrs. Thistlethwaite book from beta reader, Lisa Hudson: AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT!! I've been a fan of J.B. Hawker's fantastic writing for sometime. This book is outstanding!! Her ability to use elderly characters - Matilda Thistlewaite and Slim Bottoms - is brilliant!! These characters (as well as all the other characters) are painted so vividly that you feel as though you would recognize them if you met them in your local church, grocery store, or neighborhood. The story is set in a small town and reflects the devastation and fear brought by the disappearance of a young teenaged girl and the evidence of the return of a serial killer. The author seamlessly weaves the story and has you wanting to read the entire book in one sitting. It's about friendships, families, First Responders, and the criminal element. There are a myriad of surprises scattered all throughout this book. Read it. You'll be so glad you did!! " Fans of Miss Seeton and Mrs. Pollifax will welcome the indomitable Mrs. Thistlethwaite. Like these beloved, mature characters, at the ripe old age of eighty-five Mrs. T. is ready for whatever comes her way. When a beautiful and talented teenage ballet student disappears, rumors fly in the charming village of Tillamook, Oregon. Did she run away to the big city, or is she the latest victim of the notorious serial killer preying upon lonely young women along the coastal highways? Beguiling octogenarian, retired school teacher, Tillie Thistlethwaite, applies her exceptionally sharp mental skills and no-nonsense practicality to the mystery. Petite Mrs. T. and her tall gentleman friend, Slim, reject both theories and launch their own investigation. Will the amateur sleuthing of this unlikely and adorable pair succeed where the police fail, or will they fall victim to foul play?

Lie for Me


Mick Bose - 2018
    Loving husband and perfect daughter. But she gets an email from an unknown person who has photos of little Molly. More messages arrive, and the threat against Molly rises to a critical point. Who is sending them? And why are they after Molly? Someone tracks every move Emma makes. They will not let go. When Emma

Facing the Storm


David DeLee - 2018
    When the command was decommissioned, rather than accept re-assignment, Bannon retired from the full-time Coast Guard.But Bannon didn't leave the Coast Guard behind completely. He remains in the Reserves.Recruited by the Secretary of Homeland Security, he leads a small, secretive team of specially-trained, highly-skilled operatives capable of responding to and investigating specific, targeted threats against the homeland. Threats that cannot be effectively handled by standard operating means. Threats that call for a unique and often secret approach outside the normal channels of either Homeland Security or the Department of Defense.When not risking his life for the government, Bannon runs the Keel Haul, his bar in the resort town of Hampton Beach, on the New Hampshire seacoast. There, he also operates as a small town private investigator and tends to get himself in big trouble along with the help of his two best friends and teammates; Tarakesh "Blades" Sardana and CWO Skyjack McMurphy.Book 1 in the pulse-pounding Brice Bannon Seacoast Adventure seriesDon't miss any of David DeLee's explosive Brice Bannon Seacoast Adventures:FACING THE STORM * THE OCEANIC PRINCESS * STRIKE OF THE STINGRAY * THE YAKUZA GAMBIT * THE LEVIATHAN CONSPIRACY (coming soon)

Bough Cutter: A Northern Lakes Mystery (John Cabrelli Northern Lakes Mysteries Book 3)


Jeff Nania - 2021
    J. Box, and Patricia Skalka. Award-winning author Jeff Nania keeps readers wondering who is on the right side of the law in the rural Northwoods county.

The Protector


Mike Lunnon-Wood - 2020
    Titus Quayle was the best MI6 ever had – an operative of exceptional and lethal ability. But they burned him, abandoned him, and left him for dead. Holly Morton is the daughter of the spymaster who first recognised Quayle’s potential and the key to unlocking a global conspiracy her father died trying to bring down. To uncover the truth, Quayle must keep her safe from the threat of a powerful enemy in a globetrotting race against time. Nowhere is safe. But to survive in a secret world of spies and assassins, kill orders and kingpins, there’s no one you’d rather have by your side than Titus Quayle… NOTE: THE PROTECTOR was originally titled BROKEN SQUARE.

Only The Good Die Young : And I'm Not A Saint


Akash Verma - 2021
    She thinks that chapter of her life hasended, and starts afresh in Mumbai. But strangely, it seems her past is trying to catch up. Dhruv suddenlycomes back into her life. Even as they try to figure out their relationship, horrible things start happening to people they know. Together, Anuradha and Dhruv need to find out who it is that cannot bear to see them together. Who is carrying out these shocking crimes? Are they really soulmates cursed to stay apart, or is there some karmic debt they have to repay? Taut and thrilling, Only the Good Die Young is unputdownable.

Flood


Richard Doyle - 2002
    The country has suffered floods on an unprecedented scale in recent years, but have we seen the worst, an inundation that threatens millions of lives? Doyle’s vision is incontestable, backed up by over twenty-five years of research. Flood is the disaster novel of today.A storm rages over the north of Britain, a troop carrier founders in the Irish Sea, flood indicators go off the scale, the seas are mountainous and a spring tide is about to strike the East Coast. Air sea rescue and military personnel struggle to save lives all down the coast. The worse is yet to come. When the storm reaches the south the two forces of wind and tide will combine and send a huge one-in-a-thousand tidal surge up the Thames.But surely London is safe: the Thames Barrier will save the capital from disaster as it was intended to do? The river is a titanic presence by now, higher than anyone has known it, and the surge thunders towards the Barrier. Scientists begin to talk of the possibility of overtopping. Can fifty feet high gates be overwhelmed by a wave? Then there is an explosion the size of a small Hiroshima: a supertanker is ablaze in the estuary and most of the Essex petrochemical works are going up with it. The Thames catches fire and the wall of fire and water thunders towards Britain’s capital. This is the story of what happens next, and the desperate attempts to save the capital from destruction.

Lunenburg


Keith Baker - 2000
    Recently divorced without custody of her two young sons, Annie’s career is now stalling under the ambitions of her ruthless colleagues. John Taggart is a Scottish journalist looking to land the scoop that will secure his future. In Halifax to cover the Royal visit, John finally has a chance to understand his mother’s connection to the province, which she has always kept hidden.When two murders occur within 48 hours, they are both led to the small, picturesque town of Lunenburg and a 30-year-old murder case with a long-buried secret. The town’s dark past may hold the answers they both need, but digging it up could mean more danger than it’s worth.

Cozy Mystery 10 Book Set


Kayla Michelle - 2016
    The victim is Marty Diamond, a mattress mogul known for his high pressure sales tactics and schlocky TV ads. Unfortunately, the local police detective suspects that Chloe's good friend Kristina Miller is the killer. To prove Kristina's innocence, Chloe has to take matters into her own hands and find the real killer herself. 3 books included from this series: Mattress Mart Murder, Reunions Can Be Deadly, and Killer Finale.The Deanna Devlin SeriesWelcome to Desert Palms, a cozy Arizona tourist town set up against the mountains. Deanna Devlin is a thirty-two year old reporter who dreams of tackling hard-nosed stories, but is stuck writing puff pieces for the local paper. When a murder strikes Desert Palms, Deanna suddenly gets her chance to cover some hard-hitting news. Unfortunately, one of Deanna's good friends is wrongly suspected as the killer by the local police detective. To prove her friend's innocence, Deanna has no choice but to take matters into her own hands and find the real killer herself.2 books included from this series: A Prescription To Die For and A Novel To Die For.The Daisy McDare SeriesDaisy McDare wants nothing more than to find the man of her dreams and build a thriving interior decorator business. Instead she finds herself heartbroken and in the middle of a murder investigation. Daisy is in the middle of a decorating job at a famed local celebrity's mansion when the arrogant painter is found murdered in his backyard studio. Suddenly there's a house full of suspects, each with a bigger reason to want the victim dead than the next. 5 books included from this series: The Deadly Art Affair, The Deadly Legal Affair, The Deadly Directorial Affair, The Deadly Rock Star Affair, and The Deadly Restaurant Affair.

Sins of the Child


Shannon Heuston - 2019
    Now an ordinary wife and mother, she hides a terrible secret someone is determined to expose to the world. Who is Polly's mystery stalker? And what do they know about the events that occurred in the woods that long ago July day?

Pennsylvania's Finest


Michael Banas - 2013
    His surgical internship takes him to the prestigious Philadelphia General Hospital where he begins training under the famous Dr. Richard Knight. Dr. Knight is an old school cardiac surgeon whose interests include fast cars and beautiful women. Phil and his fellow classmates soon begin to experience the raw brutality of a one-year surgical internship. They quickly discover that the elder Dr. Knight is obsessed with a surgical mortality ranking that is published in the Philadelphia Chronicle every other year. This ranking compares Dr. Knight to all of the other cardiac surgeons in the region, and fuels his larger than life persona. Unfortunately for all, Dr. Knight’s patients begin to die at an alarming rate, causing his local aura to suffer. To complicate the matter Phil becomes intimately involved with the current mistress of Dr. Knight. A mistress who lives in an opulent world funded by the wealthy and distinguished Doctor Knight. Phil Drummer soon finds himself fighting for survival in the midst of his powerful mentor’s suddenly confused life. A mentor, who once swore to a Hippocratic oath, yet is inexplicably trying to cope with a series of deaths amid a crumbling reputation. For everyone involved at the Philadelphia General Hospital the situation rapidly becomes a matter of life and death - amid rising suspicions as to the exact cause of each fatal event.

Her Honor


William J. Coughlin - 1987
     Justice is twisted out of shape and anyone will do anything in their thirst for power. When the beautiful young Kathleen Talbot is assigned her first important case as a circuit court judge, she must confront more than her trial at hand. The case on the docket – a controversial “mercy killing” of a brain-dead victim by a vengeful officer – is a painful reminder of her own decision to have her terminally ill father’s life-support system cut off. At first, Kathleen’s sense of honor impels her to proceed, regardless of the consequences. But as the case progresses and the pressure mounts, she soon realizes that she, instead, has been put on trial. Meanwhile, with the position of executive judge up for grabs, political favours and backroom deals sweep through the courtroom, as judges are out to score the most votes. And Jane Whitehall, an ambitious and ruthless journalist, is determined to uncover a juicy, controversial story for the local paper. When Kathleen finds herself irresistibly attracted to Jeremiah Mitchell, the handsome, charismatic attorney for the defence, things become even more complicated. Despite her efforts to keep the relentless politics of the court from defeating her, the case suddenly explodes into hideously accusing headlines… And to what extent, will Kathleen’s honor protect her? Her Honor is a stunning legal drama and the very human story of a woman judge’s struggle to balance pride, passion, love and honor. Praise for Her Honor “ Her Honor is fascinating, a crackling and insightful book. I loved it” — Robert B. Parker, author of the Spenser Series “Combines a compelling insider’s knowledge with a powerful storyline. If you want to learn about the way it really is inside a courtroom and also be royally entertained, read this book …William Coughlin is habit-forming.” — James B. Patterson, Edgar Award-winning author of The Thomas Berryman Number “Enjoyable, informative … a well-written page-turner that gives insight into backroom judicial politics.” — Stanley Shapiro, producer and author of A Time To Remember “A humdinger! An irresistible story … and an exciting tapestry of the day-to-day running of criminal court … William Coughlin really knows his stuff!” — William J. Caunitz, author of One Police Plaza William J. Coughlin has combined a career as a United States administrative judge in Detroit with that of a best-selling novelist. His four previous highly acclaimed and successful novels are The Twelve Apostles, His Father’s Daughter, In the Presence of Enemies and Shadow of a Doubt.

Justice for Some


Kate Wilhelm - 1993
    She leaves for her father's California home to think about it, and reunite with her moody son and pregnant daughter. Then her father dies suddenly. A private detective is killed. And one of her own children is a murder suspect. Suddenly, everything she holds dear is at stake. She's desperatetly trapped between her unrelenting love for her familiy and her staunch loyalty to the law. Whose justice should she serve?

Assignment: Casablanca


Peter J. Azzole - 2019
    Their mission is simply to provide a temporary Top Secret special intelligence communications center to support U.S. members of a high level Allied war planning meeting.An easy mission quickly goes awry. Only two months after the Allied assault and occupation of Casablanca (Operation TORCH), the city remains a hotbed of Vichy and German sympathizers and spies. One unexpected event leads to another. Things get dicey, with life threatening situations, shots fired and dead bodies. Tony is diverted from Casablanca on a brief classified fact-finding mission to a neutral country's island. That mission gets complicated and ultimately results in spy catching and another death. Returning to Casablanca, events result in Tony meeting Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.Between "Casablanca's" covers are communications intelligence, counter-intelligence, military politics, diplomatic tension, WWII history, family dynamics, and in the final analysis, a very exciting, twisting and fast moving story.