Book picks similar to
Message from a Corpse [An Amy Brewster Mystery] by Sam Merwin Jr.
mystery
pulp
vintage-mystery
amateur-detective
For Want of a Penny
Fenella J. Miller - 2016
A family tragedy means Sarah is forced to go into service at Grey Friars House as an under nursery-maid. Meanwhile her younger brother Alfie, to avoid being taken into the workhouse, runs away to London to seek his fortune. Although the situation wasn’t of her making Sarah thrives, but just as she is becoming established in the household her past returns to shatter her happy life and she is dismissed without references. Alfie arrives in London but is tricked and sold to work as a slave on a coal barge. However, eventually he prospers and begins to make himself a better life. 'One Good Turn' the second and final part of this series will be published in July.
An Unlamented Death
William Savage - 2015
Adam Bascom trips over a body in Gressington churchyard, he never imagines it will change the whole direction of his life. As a recently-qualified physician trying to establish a practice in a small market town in north Norfolk, Adam should be devoting all his energy to his business. But it soon becomes clear that the authorities are intent on making sure the death is accepted as an accident and refuse any deeper investigation. Adam’s curiosity and sense of justice cannot accept this. He knows there are many unanswered questions about the death, but he has no standing that would allow him to become involved formally. Instead, he uses friends, old and new, unexpected contacts and even his own mother to help him get to the truth. Set against the turbulence of late-Georgian England, a country on the brink of war with Revolutionary France, the book reveals a land where spies keep constant watch on everyone the government deems ‘undesirable’, religion is polarised between the established church and a mass of dissenting sects, and the perennial ‘Irish question’ has at last spilled over into outright terrorism. Bad weather, poor harvests and enclosure have driven many people in the countryside into abject poverty. Only the smugglers along the coast offer regular and highly-paid ‘work’ helping to unload contraband. Yet here too, the Revenue’s Riding Officers, backed up by troops of dragoons, are waging an increasingly successful campaign to stamp out the major gangs. Adam must thread his way through all of this, encountering many new demands along the way, from a family torn apart by religious bigotry, and a teenage thief turned informer, to a secret section of The Alien Office, a government department dedicated to keeping a close eye on anyone likely to prove a threat to the realm. As he becomes more and more essential to the government’s efforts to combat internal dissension and prepare for war, Adam finds he must draw on all his medical and personal skills to bring the case to a successful conclusion.
Sidekick to Memory Man
Anna Gooding-Call - 2015
Warning: This is an independent companion to Memory Man, meant to enhance your experience of the novel. If you have not yet bought David Baldacci’s novel, make sure to purchase it before buying this unofficial Sidekick. A knock to the head left Detective Amos Decker with an unusual medical condition: he can’t forget anything. Over a year has passed since he came home to discover the bodies of his wife and daughter, but he still sees their images vividly in his mind. Now, a new case which seems related to the murders offers him the chance to find out what really happened—but to do so, he’ll have to peer directly into the agony of his past. A master of suspense, David Baldacci has published twenty-nine novels, all of them bestsellers. Memory Man is the first novel in his new Amos Decker series. With this Sidekick, you’ll: • Learn what you might have missed on your first read of Baldacci’s novel • Discover some of the book’s secret gems and underlying themes • Explore possible alternate endings and imagine ideas for a prequel • Spend some more time with the characters you’ve come to know and love, delving deep into their psyches and hidden motives • Get a chance to discuss Memory Man with other savvy readers Sidekicks are entertaining and insightful reading companions, filled with delightful commentary and thought-provoking questions. What are readers saying about Anna Call's Sidekicks? "Makes the book much more interesting," "a real eye-opener," a "beautifully written perspective into what is actually happening between the lines." Designed to be read side by side with the novels they complement, they’ll give you even more reasons to love some of today’s best books.
Clueless in Cleveland (A Sam Carter Mystery Series Book 1)
Nelle Lewis - 2017
Now she’s back − a return less anticipated than a Browns’ Super Bowl win − to help her mom out of a funk. Sam heard it was bad, but now Mom's blowing off bingo? Sam begins to suspect that her mom’s depression may not be all it appears, but she gets side-tracked when her investigator brother Paul tosses her into a case. They’re on the hunt for a client’s missing wife, Tracy. Sam discovers she has an old connection to Tracy, but will that help Sam find her, or will it land her in a trap she can’t escape? Shadowing Sam in her hunt is Johnny Rosato, a warmer complication from her past. Sam's emotions are mixed, but her lower half has a strong opinion. An ancient and unfinished crush, a secretive mother, an aiding and abetting best friend, a hot cop, a salacious uncle, and a living garden gnome all compete to distract Sam as she stumbles down a distorted path. Can she find Tracy? And will childhood ties suck her back in for good?
The Spencer Quinn Box Set #1: Dog On It and Thereby Hangs a Tail
Spencer Quinn - 2011
The big difference here is that the narrating buddy is a dog, Chet by name.In Dog On It, he and his partner Bernie investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped. Bernie and Chet have both had some setbacks in life—Bernie in combat, Chet in K-9 school—but together they make up a team like no other in the literature of detection. Chet is full of heart, and occasionally mischief, but always intensely loyal to Bernie—and dedicated to unraveling the mysterious disappearance of a high school girl who seems to have gotten mixed up with some very dangerous characters. In Thereby Hangs a Tail, Bernie and Chet are called on to investigate threats made against an unlikely target—a pretty and pampered show dog named Princess. What seems like a lark of a case turns serious when Princess and her owner are abducted. To make matters worse, Bernie’s on-again off-again girlfriend, reporter Susie Sanchez, disappears too. When Chet is separated from Bernie, he’s on his own to put the pieces together, find his way home, and save the day.
Death's Confessor: A Civil War Murder Mystery
Phillip Bryant - 2016
Pueblos, Apache, former Mexican citizens and the US Army collide in a tale of greed and murder. A new civil war mystery series by best selling author Phillip and Jennifer Bryant. Peter Thomas Smith's days on the post of Fort Craig, New Mexico territory, are spent fighting boredom, keeping cool, and giving the spiritual state of the 5th California Mounted Infantry volunteers a ready ear. As chaplain, he isn't asked to do much in the way of fighting Apaches and there have been no wounded in battle to tend to from fighting Confederates. He is content to let this state of affairs continue, that is until the Piro scout, Tafoya, brings in a soldier half dead with no name, no unit, and no reason for being there. Like his preferred namesake before him, Thomas the doubter, there are too many questions to ignore. Like historical murder mysteries? Find more civil war mysteries and historical fiction by searching Phillip Bryant or P.J. Bryant. If you like civil war fiction, be sure to hunt up The Shiloh Series by Phillip Bryant, a four novel set.
Bare Knuckle
Cindy Brandner - 2018
And yet, here Brian Riordan was doing exactly that. So begins this prequel to the Exit Unicorns series, as we join the Riordan boys in the rough and tumble world of Belfast, Northern Ireland, during a summer of change and promise. Casey Riordan is on the cusp on manhood, and is learning just how high the price of that transition can be. Tagging along on this adventure is his brother, Pat, who is both shadow and conscience to Casey. Their father, Brian, is simply trying to keep his sons safe—a tall order in the gritty streets of this particular city. Bare Knuckle spans the events of one summer, giving a glimpse into the lives of the Riordans—the boys as they embark on the path to the men they are destined to be, and their father as he guides them along the way. The road is not smooth and contains hard lessons, both those of betrayal and treachery, all stemming from the events of one warm July night, when the match of hatred is set to the fuel of violence. After that night, life as they know it spirals out of control for the Riordans, until one man is forced to rejoin a world he thought he’d left behind forever, to ensure the safety of those he loves.
The Diamond of Jeru
Louis L'Amour - 2015
Set in Sarawak in 1955, this full dramatization features an international cast of actors, cleverly crafted sound effects, and a stirring musical score that combine to create a unique audio adventure.Library Journal Best Audiobooks of 2015 Audiofile Best Audiobooks of 2015 Praise for The Diamond of Jeru"Groundbreaking production values…a bellwether of what audiobooks could become" —Library Journal, starred review"Beau L’Amour has pulled out all the stops…A sweeping film-like audio production" —Audiofile Magazine, Earphones AwardAn Audio Dramatization, Read by a Full Cast:Joe MortonJoel BryantTraci DinwiddieTime WintersJack OngMichael NgHayden LeeNicholas HoskingJon Jon BrionesRonabir LahiriPeter LavinJosh RosenthalGlenda Morgan BrownPaul GanusWill MacmillanSanjay ChandaniBenny TjanderaJee TeoNick BallardBru MullerLee RehermanFrom the Audiobook Download edition.
House of Men
Catherine Cookson - 1977
Even so, Kate found it difficult to understand his peculiar hatred of his elder brother Logan, on whose charity Maurice was obliged to depend. But when she accidentally stumbled upon Maurice with Logan's fiancée , she became aware of some of the secrets of Tor-Fret, and realised she was getting too deeply involved with Logan Rossiter and the other inhabitants of the mysterious household.
The Blue Door
David Fulmer - 2008
It’s a favor that’s going to turn Eddie’s life upside down. Sal Giambroni buys Eddie a round and offers him a part-time gig helping with his private-detective work. Despite Eddie’s reluctance, a few days on the job reveal that he has a knack for snooping—and then he stumbles onto a cold case involving a missing soul singer. A music lover with a budding interest in the singer’s attractive, talented sister, Eddie finds himself involved in a violent, twisted story of betrayal and intrigue, power and passion—all set to the beat of rock and roll. David Fulmer’s acclaimed Storyville series brought us a New Orleans teeming with jazz. The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues took fans to Atlanta and the blues. The Blue Door now brings us the vibrant city of Philadelphia and the early days of its famous soul.
The Unlucky Woman
Jonathan Dunsky - 2018
She may live to regret it.Hilda Lipkind is sure her husband is cheating on her. So she hires Adam Lapid to find out with whom.Adam expects this to be a short, ordinary investigation.Both he and his client are in for a surprise.For what starts as a routine case soon turns out to be anything but.To succeed in his mission, Adam must dig deep into both past and present, and cut through layers of lies and secrets.And in the end, he must uncover an unexpected truth that may do his client more harm than good.You will love The Unlucky Woman because it's a fast-paced mystery story with twists and turns.Get it now!
Ridgetop
Carol Ervin - 2015
If Angela sings—even speaks—she could ruin her voice for good, but she faces another threat: falling hard for Rudy, her first love, the man she abandoned to follow her career. Over the next few days the three will meet again in Winkler, the small town where the Ridgetop festival takes place.
All three will be forever changed. All three will run for their lives
The Lost Daughter
Iris Cole - 2021
She couldn’t know the terrible price she would pay.Clary’s home is the foundling hospital where she has lived since birth. When a terrible tragedy occurs, Clary is blamed and thrown to the streets with her only possession - a token, left by her birth mother.When Bill Whitely finds Clary beaten in a back alley, he offers her sanctuary, but a startling discovery spurs her forward into a dangerous undertaking.As Clary navigates a forbidden world, secrets and suspicions are rife, forcing her to flee for her life.Alone and destitute on the streets, Clary is lured into a world of debauchery, where she must fight to regain herself and find the answers she is looking for.Will Clary ever discover the truth of her past? And what of Bill? Is he lost to her forever?For fans of Dilly Court and readers who love historical romance.
The Drowned Village
Norma Curtis - 2022
He’s not ready to let go.Sixty-five years ago. Pushing aside drooping hollyhocks, Elin Jenkins tosses back her dark hair and runs up the familiar path to the tiny village of Capel Celyn, past the mossy graveyard with its crumbling stones, towards the farm that’s been in her family for generations. Laughing, Al catches her around the waist, squeezing her tight. ‘Marry me,’ he whispers. ‘I’ll use my Navy liberty leave, we’ll go ask your parents. I don’t want this to end.’ Tears prick her eyes as she smiles up at him.Three days later, Al is on his ship back to Pennsylvania. And in the months that follow, Elin’s frantic telegrams to him go unanswered. Then she receives the wedding invitation. Scribbled on the back are three words: No hard feelings.Present day. Al Locke, retired Navy Captain, smooths his silver hair and finishes up with a spritz of aftershave. With a spring in his step he hasn’t had for decades, he sets off up the well-worn track through the valley. As he rounds the last bend, his heart begins to race. He has no doubt he will meet her in the village today. He will at last hear the horrible truth of what happened to Elin after he left, and he’ll confess why he couldn’t face coming back… until now.As Al crests the final, familiar hill, a startling brightness draws him in like a vision. Before him, a glittering lake fills the entire valley. The pretty stone village of Capel Celyn, and all trace of Elin, are gone…A beautiful and heartbreaking story about lost love, forgiveness and family secrets. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kate Morton and Kathleen McGurl will love this book.