Book picks similar to
Behind the Ranges by Stephen W. Meader


stephen-w-meader
young-readers
digital
fiction

The Splitting Earth


Ryan Zavis - 2018
    There is only one rule: the temple must be made of materials only from the earth, nothing else.That won’t be a problem. Not for him. Because Rok isn’t a normal little boy. No, not at all. He is a demigod: a quarter of the blood in his veins is the blood of the gods. His heritage grants him power over the earth and its many elements—over stone and soil and the deep, dark, hidden ores. Just like his three siblings, Rok has a unique magical power.However, it isn’t all meditation and peace in Zuuland. Unknown to Rok and his family, his father’s vengeful brother Labec lurks in the shadows with his two children, Coltin and Menga. Uncle Labec is consumed by the desire to steal the greatest treasure of Rok’s father, King Nyark: the ZUKOPAL, a mysterious and powerful opal ring that shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow.But it isn’t just power Uncle Labec seeks. His motivations run far deeper. Labec is the yin to King Nyark’s yang. He seeks a balancing of light and dark, and even more—revenge for past wrongs. Will Rok and his siblings be able to bring peace between their father and uncle? Or will the Zukopal drive them even further apart?

The Amish Detective


Hannah Schrock - 2016
     Hannah Byler has never married, at twenty-five she half believes it is too late and she half lives in regret at what she might have done in the Englisch world. As she watches Jacob’s body being lowered into the ground her mind starts working and she feels that there may be more to the accident than meets the eye. She and her reluctant sister Ruth start investigating the case and find a haunting web of lies, deceit and coverups that lead them into danger…

Childhood Sweethearts: Passion, Love & Loyalty


Jacob Spears - 2015
    but can they "Come Up" together? Smooth and China are a "power couple." An urban Gothic modern day Bonnie and Clyde. They know the ins and outs of the streets. But Smooth also knows its consequences. Which is why he wants to get "out" of the life just as quickly as he first entered it. The money? It's always an intricate part of any exit plan. The problem? His childhood sweetheart China. She loves "the life" - the wealth, and street cred it has brought her. Perhaps she has a little hidden passion for the action too. But at the end of the day China is a "paper chaser." Their romantic and business dynamic however has never been more tested until now. The life and its stresses, but most of all... its trappings have caused a fracture in their once impenetrable relationship. Smooth wants her by his side when he gets out for good, but China's addicted to the money. It affects her better judgment. Er go she wants their transition out of "hustling" to be a slow one... if at all. As the pair begin to rise through the ranks... enemies, cops, and rivals become a much larger problem. In addition to one-time friends becoming foes. Together they're unstoppable. But money is the root of ALL evil and make no mistake these two love money. The question is... do they love each other more?

Where There's Smoke: Charlie Walden's First Case


Peter Murphy - 2017
    But he soon finds himself struggling to keep the peace between three feisty fellow judges who have very different views about how to do their job, and about how Charlie should do his.And as if that’s not enough, there’s the endless battle against the ‘Grey Smoothies’, the humourless grey-suited civil servants who seem determined to drown Charlie in paperwork and strip the court of its last vestiges of civilisation.No hope of a quiet life then for Charlie, and there are times when his real job – trying the challenging criminal cases that come before him – actually seems like light relief. If you like Rumpole of the Bailey, you'll love Walden of Bermondsey Praise for Walden of Bermondsey 'No one writes with more wit, warmth and insight about the law and its practitioners than Peter Murphy. He has no equal since the great John 'Rumpole' Mortimer' - David Ambrose'Though his exasperation is sometimes palpable, what triumphs over everything is his sense of humour. And it is the humour that makes Walden of Bermondsey such a delightful read. Think of him as what Rumpole would be like if he ever became a judge, and you get some idea of his self-deprecating wit and indomitable stoicism. Add a dash of Henry Cecil for his situation and AP Herbert for the fun he has with the law, and you get a sense of Peter's literary precedents' - Paul Magrath

Relative Strangers: A British Family Story


Allie Cresswell - 2012
    The McKay family gathers for a week-long holiday at a rambling old house to celebrate the fiftieth wedding anniversary of Robert and Mary. In recent years only funerals and sudden, severe illnesses have been able to draw them together and as they gather in the splendid rooms of Hunting Manor, their differences are soon uncomfortably apparent. For all their history, their traditions, the connective strands of DNA, they are relative strangers. There are truths unspoken, but the question is: how much truth can a family really stand? The family holiday mushrooms, drawing in sundry relatives both estranged and deranged. The machinations of an appalling, uninvited aunt threaten the holiday – and the family – with irreparable damage. This book will make you question your own family situation. What does it really mean to be 'family'?

Boundary (Field Book 3)


Simon Winstanley - 2017
    The sharp corners and twists are taken at speed, leaving you to grip the edge of your seat! Continue your journey now,Go beyond Time itself...

Baby Zeke: The Diary of a Chicken Jockey


Dr. Block - 2015
     He had no idea why he was so little when all of the other zombies he met were so big. It did not seem fair to him. But after meeting his zombie mentor, Zeb, he learns that he has special powers that will help him survive in the crazy, amazing world of Minecraft. When he later meets a chicken named Harold, his life seems to have taken a turn for the positive. But, a nighttime raid on a village begins the process that will turn his world upside down.... Baby Zeke the Chicken Jockey series and is a must read for gaming fans everywhere!

Henry Parker Series Books 1-5: Henry Parker Series


Jason Pinter - 2017
    Now, for the first time ever, the entire Henry Parker series is available in one box ebook set! Meet Henry Parker in THE MARK. Henry is a young, ambitious reporter with the world at his fingertips...until he’s accused of murder and forced to go on the run to clear his name and stay one step ahead of some dangerous folks who’d like to see him behind bars...or worse. In THE GUILTY, Henry investigates the murder of one of the most famous women alive, only to find that her killer has his sights set on more victims, and may just have a blood tie to one of the most infamous killers in history. In THE STOLEN, Henry meets Daniel Linwood, who was abducted from his home as a child, only to return five years later without a scratch...or memory of the encounter. In THE FURY, when a strange man accosts Henry on the street, Henry has no idea that this man is about to open the door to a past Henry had hoped to leave behind, but also might hold a clue to a rash of drug-related murders. In THE DARKNESS, Henry believes a long-dormant criminal kingpin has retuned to the city, and if he can’t figure out a way to end the reign of terror, everyone’s lives are at stake. As a BONUS, you’ll get the novella THE HUNTERS for FREE! This ebook exclusive serves as a “bridge” novella between THE FURY and THE DARKNESS, and offers a deeper look at characters you’ll grow to love...or love to hate. Discover the series readers have embraced around the world!

The Fire Escape Stories


Chuck Cascio - 2016
    Mike and his cousin, Salvatore “Sally-Boy” Boccanera are born one minute apart, in the same hospital, and it seems like they’ll never be more than a minute apart the rest of their lives. Their experiences knocking around the city are challenging, funny, touching, and at times disturbing—all of the ingredients that define growing up. Life lessons happen in the Italian bakery Sally-Boy’s father owns, where the boys loll and play, with ears and eyes wide open. But maybe the biggest lesson of all looms over Mike’s father, who’s determined to make drastic changes in pursuit of a better life. Hanging in the balance, at the center of the boys’ tumultuous lives, is the fire escape. It’s a place that is uniquely theirs, and Mike best describes its spell, recalling how it reeks in the rain, blisters in the sun, and ices over in the snow. It’s where he and Sally-Boy talk and think and philosophize and plot and try to understand all they can about themselves and the world.

Dead Man's Walk: An Unofficial Inspector Morse Mystery


Antony James - 2018
     Set in 1971, Detective Sergeant Morse is confronted by two deaths along Dead Man’s Walk, which he’s sure are connected to the Oxford Martyrs of the 1550s. There are clues and red-herrings aplenty as Morse uses his detective skills to be metaphorically furlongs ahead of the field, albeit on the wrong racecourse. For Morse there is romance, an unpleasant academic with which to contend, beer in copious quantities, opera, a crossword-type clue, and even an appearance by a boy named Dexter, but above all there is a murder mystery puzzle, set against the backdrop of 1970s Oxford, which only he can solve. For those who love Oxford, the iconic Inspector Morse or even just a good old mystery, Dead Man’s Walk is a taut, entertaining tale of intrigue and delight. Antony James is a British author. A pseudonym for Antony Richards, he is the chairman of the Inspector Morse Society and was a close friend of the late Colin Dexter. He is also an actor with the Irregular Special Players, who regularly produce Sherlock Holmes-based plays.

The Evil Twin?


P.G. Van - 2016
    She never expected a simple act of kindness would be life altering. Reyan comes into her life threatening to shake up her focus and challenges her resolve. He is everything Vinnie wants in a man and he shows up just when she thought she had everything she needed to stay focused on her life and her goals.Will he crack her titanium tough exterior and get to her heart? Will she let him into her life especially with what she has been through since she was ten? Will she trust Reyan to help her recover from her emotional wounds? Will she get to the bottom of why people think they have seen her at places that she has never been to before. Does she have a doppleganger or a twin?Follow Vinnie's and Reyan's love story as she learns the true meaning of love, trust and family.

California Blood


Pete Palamountain - 2011
    Baldy.• Suicide of a wandering derelict.• Murder of a wealthy matriarch.• Murder of a charismatic Catholic priest.

The Geisha and The Monk


Julian D. Bound - 2011
    As well as sharing an insight into the preparation and life of a Geisha, the novel explores the seldom known life and training of a Buddhist monk within Tibet's monasteries. Two souls born thousands of miles apart. Together each shall follow a similar path.Japan, 1876: A girl is born, her life path to become the famed Geisha she is destined to be. Tibet, 1876: A boy is born, ordained to be the revered Lama he is recognised as. San Francisco, 1900: At the dawning of a new century fate brings them together, a lifetime away from all they have ever known.

They Called Him Cav: Reloaded


William Coury - 2014
    He has long since passed away, but his book remains, gathering dust on my shelf when it should have been entertaining good folks like you. So here it is at last: a western with heart written on an old manual typewriter. The story takes place in the badlands of West Texas (where he lived), and is chock-full of all the sprawling drama, heartache, triumph, tragedy, and gun-slinging grit one could desire. The cover of the book is adapted from an oil painting brushed by our father back in 77—one of many. I remember it hanging on the wall when I was a kid. I believe it was his favorite, so thought it only fitting that it be the cover. Now, finally, after all these years, our dad will get the recognition he deserves for both his writing and his painting. I sure hope he can see what's going on down here, 'cause I know it would make him smile. So take a deep breath, and let the troubles of the modern world slip away as you journey back to a simpler time (two simpler times, actually), the old west, and the 1940's....

The Boy Who Danced With Monkeys


P.L. Klein - 2015
    The picture captioned The Boy Who Dances With Monkeys, went viral when Noah's mother Vivi, and her friend Jenna Simon, who snapped the picture, where found brutally murdered days later. While some speculated that Noah may have witnessed the crime, a traumatic brain injury weeks later compromised his already fragile memories. Twenty-five years later, journalist Ava Watson is investigating the murders of her Aunt Jenna and Noah's mother. When Ava meets Noah, she soon finds that his over protective step-grandmother and her secretive staff won't make it easy for her to question Noah alone. In order to solve the murders, Ava needs to isolate Noah and help him discover the dark tragic secrets deeply hidden in the shadowy corners of his mind. The problem is, there are too many others who would prefer that those memories never surface.