Book picks similar to
The Quiet Village by T.J. Walter


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Death on D'Urville: A Claire Hardcastle Mystery


Penelope Haines - 2019
     When Claire’s routine flight to pick up regular passenger, Jorge, from a remote island turns into a homicide investigation, she is excited to discover she may hold a clue to the crime! A growing attraction to investigator Detective Sergeant Jack Body, and a desire to help solve the murder, leads Claire into a world of disputed Maori history, artefact smuggling and child abuse. Death on D’Urville is the first novel in the Claire Hardcastle Mystery series set in New Zealand, following Claire’s adventures as a commercial pilot, flying instructor and accidental detective.

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?

No Trench To Rest


Avan Judd Stallard - 2017
    Except now he cannot escape the war that follows every step of the way as he and Henry—his comrade in arms—seek rest and recuperation in the mountains.Instead of wine and women, they find Germans and a secret plot to destroy France’s hub of munitions production. Cut off and outnumbered, they recruit a motley army comprising a women’s auxiliary and an old farmer with a big rifle and bad attitude.There’ll be no rest for these soldiers, not until Michel and Henry go to war.

Safe at Home


Christina Kirby - 2015
    The Georgia townsfolk’s true Southern charm is the unexpected prescription needed to heal her soul, and the sexy carpenter who touches her heart are distractions she didn’t plan on, but they might offer her a chance at a new life, if she can let go of her past. Town heartbreaker Spencer Malloy isn’t looking for anything serious. His days are perfect working as a contractor, attending his nephew’s baseball games, or taking him fishing. He never expects to fall for the big city girl, Samantha. She’s not his type, timid and closed off, but in her unguarded moments, he’s intrigued by the woman he can’t get out of his mind. The urge to get closer to her grows stronger each day, and when the shadow of evil resurfaces, he vows to protect Samantha, even if it means abandoning his home and joining her on the run. When confronted by the man who’s bent on revenge, Samantha must choose between running again to save the people she loves, or, if she has the strength, to stay and fight for her new life.

The Company You Keep


Angela Henry - 2005
    Hard as she tried,twenty-eight-year-old Kendra Clayton never quite broke out of her hometown of Willow, Ohio. Now she works part-time as a GED instructor and beefs up her income by hostessing at her uncle's restaurant, soaking up the local gossip. It's a quiet life, but Kendra hasn't given up hope that one day Mr. Right will walk through the door. In the meantime, her sleepy hollow is about to get a rude awakening, and Kendra is about to get some excitement—though it's not quite what she had in mind… When Kendra hears that her friend and co-worker, Bernie Gibson, is finally ready to kick her cheating gigolo boyfriend to the curb, she couldn't be happier. Forty-something Bernie deserves much better—and so do all the other women Jordan Wallace has been involved with. In fact, Kendra hopes they never set eyes on his lying face again. And she's about to get her wish. Before she has a chance to end the relationship, Bernie discovers Jordan's brutally murdered body on her property. The first call she makes is to Kendra, the second is to 911. As the two get caught up in a series of police interviews, Bernie asks Kendra to withhold some seemingly harmless information. In the name of friendship, Kendra reluctantly agrees. But soon Kendra's favor ends up implicating her in the crime. The only way Kendra can save herself—and the friend she believes is innocent—is by doing some investigating of her own. And the closer she looks, the more suspects she finds. Jordan was a man that women loved and hated—usually at the same time. Now one of them has crossed that thin line. But between Jordan's past and present conquests, which include several girlfriends in a variety of colors, and a chain of emptied wallets and vengeful hearts, which one could be a killer? As Kendra's curiosity draws her deeper into the case, she also gets into an unexpected attraction to a man who may hold the missing piece of the puzzle—if she can survive long enough to put it together.

Spider Silk (Sheriff Bud Blair Oregon Mystery Series Book 1)


Rod Collins - 2006
     A suspicious death leads to an investigation, a manhunt, and the capture of the self-confessed killer. But when Sheriff Henry "Bud" Blair reads the autopsy report, he begins to suspect that someone other than his prisoner is the actual murderer. Set in Oregon's high desert country, Spider Silk introduces you to a compelling cast of characters and sets you on a fast-paced, page-turning adventure to find out who is behind a string of (seemingly) unrelated murders. Moving from the backdrop story of a remote ranch and a lonely widower to the dark and pervasive reach of organized crime, Spider Silk is not only intriguing... it's an entirely believable saga. Surprising forensic evidence and sharp detective work keep your interest level high and the suspense palpable in this police procedural cliffhanger. Spider Silk is also a love story. Badly burned by divorce, Bud Blair steers shy of women. But his work makes it almost impossible to avoid contact with Nancy Sixkiller, the beautiful Yakima Indian woman who manages the Emergency Services Center in Lake County, Oregon. That contact is intensified when Bud is injured and Nancy takes on the role of caregiver. When you dive into this gripping western fiction tale, you'll enter the sparsely settled, high desert landscape blessed with the hot springs, big lakes, and timbered mountains Collins knows and loves.

Abandoned


Lee Shepherd - 2015
    Drugged. Abandoned.A rural area in the north of England is put on edge as teenage girls start to go missing. The local authorities are stumped in their search for the one responsible.Charles Lee lives a very normal life, in stark contrast to his troubled past. Putting years of abuse, neglect and loss behind him, he has built a new life in the countryside with his beloved family and border collie. However, his past soon starts to haunt him as burned bridges are resurrected, old grievances resurface and a lust for revenge takes over.Will Detective Taylor and psychological profiler Georgina Riley suss out the clues and piece together the jigsaw in time to stop the disappearances?

Throw a Monkey Wrench


Karen Chester - 2016
    She’s hired to throw a housewarming party for the brash and arrogant Tony Barnet, who’s eager to impress the big end of town. But when the party ends in disaster, Tony is quick to blame Emma, and the subsequent rumors spell doom for Emma’s business. Thank goodness she still has the job of planning Sean and Madison’s wedding. Sean, one of the notorious McCluskey clan, is about to marry Madison, the beautiful daughter of the rich and powerful Whites. But when Tony Barnet is killed, the police swiftly arrest Sean McCluskey. Though the evidence is damning, Emma is convinced her friend is innocent. With Sean facing prison, the wedding in jeopardy, and her fledgling business in danger of tanking, Emma must unravel the mystery and expose the real killer before it’s too late. The Emma Cassidy Mystery series: Book 1: Throw a Monkey Wrench Book 2: Pushed to the Limit Book 3: Murder Most Likely (coming in 2016)

Stolen Memories Boxset: A Collection of Gripping Mysteries


Alexandria Clarke - 2018
    These stories have accumulated over 100+ reviews and have been boxed together for the first time!Missed ConnectionsHow far would you go for revenge? Veronica Bauer isn't above homicide. Twelve years after a ruthless attack killed her mother and put her father in prison, she embarks on a mission to bring the real culprits to justice. As bodies start to drop, Detective Sheila Arden is assigned to the gruesome case, but she soon discovers that the truth is more complicated than she thought. In a riveting game of cat and mouse, each woman challenges the other to reach new heights.The ProfessorFollowing the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is home to an elite secret society with questionable moral standards. Can Nicole crack the case of her missing professor and finish her thesis paper, or will Nicole herself crack under the pressure?

Purple Death


Brian L. Porter - 2010
     The victims, all unconnected to each other, are dispatched using a unique poison, previously associated with the notorious Borgia family. As the murders begin to multiply at an alarming rate, Connor finds clues hard to come by, and every lead takes him down yet another blind alley. The killer seems to be one step ahead of the police at every turn. Together with his assistant, Sergeant Lucy Clay, they must piece together the shreds of evidence that will lead them to the mysterious Chocolate Woman, and in turn to the brain behind the horrific murders that soon come to be known as the Purple Death.

Mele Keahi's Ghostly Mysteries (Destiny Bay Mysteries #1-3)


J.D. Winters - 2016
    She came to the California coast for the peace and comfort of family, but suddenly she seems to be a magnet for murders. They’re dropping like flies all around her, and she's the only one who can solve them - with the help of some ancestral spirits, and, of course, a trusty black cat. But even with her ghosts, her wits, and her family at her side, she wonders - could the next new ghost in town be her? A GHOST FOR CHRISTMAS—Mele is home for the holidays, only to find a dead man in the front yard. Could her beloved Aunt Bebe be the murderer? GHOST ON DUTY—Mele is nervous to meet with the mean old rich man in the mansion, but it’s even more chilling to find him dead! Does his silver cat carry a clue to the killer? A GHOST IN TIME—This time Aunt Bebe is really in trouble-it seems obvious that she is the one who ran down the victim. But who really engineered the crime? Delicious Hawaiian recipes included!

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)

Nightsong: A Neanderthal mystery


M.J. Rhodes - 2016
    When Bronwyn learns later that she was the only witness to the abduction of a young boy, she takes it upon herself to find the boy. Her obsessive search for the boy triggers deep memories of her own—Neanderthal—ancestor. Can these memories from 40,000 years ago help her to find the boy, and also help her to understand who she really is?

The Genesis Files


Gwen Richardson - 2012
    But, along with being exhausted from the daily coverage of murders and mayhem in the nation’s fourth largest city, he’s hit a glass ceiling at work, and his editor, Ed Jackson, goes out of his way to make Lloyd’s life miserable. While interviewing potential witnesses to a murder-suicide at a Houston high-rise, Lloyd meets a mysterious stranger who subsequently leads him down a path which changes his life. But Lloyd’s journey is fraught with peril, as both he and his family barely escape a hired assassin. Follow Lloyd Palmer on his quest for the ultimate truth in the provocative thriller, The Genesis Files.

Bellingwood Boxed Set: Books 4-6


Diane Greenwood Muir - 2017
    Be sure to look for the first set (Bellingwood Boxed Set: Books 1-3) to start reading about this wonderful little community in the heart of Iowa. Secrets and Revelations: Between the community's celebration and a woman who claims to have been part of Polly's family when Polly was a baby, this summer is heating up. The big quilt show has relocated to Sycamore House and the woman in charge is a shrew. Polly's protective instincts are aroused when the woman attacks people who are unable to protect themselves. Everyone you know and love is back, and new friends are introduced. It's never boring in Bellingwood. Life Between the Lines: When one of Polly's guests dies at Polly's front door, she is thrust into the middle of his mystery. It's much more than just finding his killer; he asked her to find someone else. A vandal attacks Sycamore House just as they are preparing for Halloween and a Masquerade Ball. If it weren't for Polly's friends and her burgeoning relationship with Henry Sturtz, she'd be lost. Room at the Inn: In this Christmas short story, Polly rescues more animals and people. Rather than Polly calling the sheriff, this time he calls her when a young family's car breaks down on the edge of Bellingwood. Polly has the room and the heart to take care of them. Henry opens her eyes to a new landmark that might be a great investment, even though it needs a great deal of work. A Season of Change: Three young men return home to open Secret Woods Winery and Henry is tasked with building their new lodge. When Polly finds a body at the work site, it is just the beginning of a chaotic few weeks. Andrew Donovan introduces Polly to his best friend who will change Polly's life in extraordinary ways. The vandal that attacked Sycamore House in "Life Between the Lines" is back and escalating. With all of the changes happening in Polly's life, she is thankful for friends that keep her steady.