Book picks similar to
Secrets Under the Mesa by Nicki Huntsman Smith


thriller
action-adventure
sci-fi
science-fiction

Clone's Bride


C.J. Scarlett - 2017
    They see clones as expendable since they are so easy to replace. Some are even under the mistaken impression clones aren’t real people and they share a hive mind. Lar Shalon is one such clone. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to combat all the irrational beliefs about his kind. Being a physician he understands the critical need to breed humans in order to save his dying race. What he can’t quite get his head around is how they are going to lure human females to them. As he sets about learning their breeding habits, one won’t seem to leave him alone. She can’t seem to keep from touching him. It’s disconcerting and he doesn’t know quite what to make her behavior. Madison and her twin sister are dying. The doctors on Earth have no idea what’s wrong with them. Their one hope of survival is signing up for the alien brides program. Aliens have spaceships and technology, right? They must have advanced medical knowledge as well. The desperate pair risk everything on one last wild gamble at staying alive, landing gorgeous alien husbands in the bargain.

Eight


W.W. Mortensen - 2016
     When she receives stunning photographs related to the discovery – courtesy of expedition leader and former partner, Ed Reardon – entomologist Rebecca Riley finds herself on the next flight to Brazil, heading down to join the team of scientists assembling there. She hasn’t seen Ed for more than a year, and their relationship hadn’t ended well. But his revelation is impossible to ignore. What she and Ed uncover is beyond imagination: strange statues in the jungle… a ruined city built by the refugees of a lost Pacific continent… and a terrifying new species of animal. Forced to confront a crippling childhood phobia she’d thought long dead and buried, Rebecca realises this new species is no ordinary enemy. It is an ancient enemy, one whose very existence has implications for all of humankind… and the planet itself.

Fishermen's Court


Andrew Wolfendon - 2019
    So why would a team of killers want to murder him and frame it as a suicide? Finn survives the encounter to discover the killers have left behind a “suicide note” detailing a dark incident from Finn’s past no one could possibly know about.Finn escapes to Musqasset Island, his former home, to seek refuge with an old friend, but soon realizes he has trapped himself on the small island with the very people who want him dead—and with old debts that need to be paid. His only hope for survival, and redemption, is to figure out who’s trying to kill him and why they’ve waited eighteen years to act—no easy task in a raging nor’easter, where communications are shaky and relationships (and Finn’s mental state) are even shakier.

The New and Improved Ada Lee Bixby


Rebecca Moisio - 2013
    She’s not really what her boyfriend David wants any longer; turns out, he’s “outgrown her.”When her friends convince her that a complete makeover is just what she needs to feel more confident about herself and make her ex jealous, Ada Lee reluctantly agrees. This new look brings surprising attention, but the flattery is short lived as Ada realizes that she is really just a pawn in a game. Is it time to re-evaluate her motives for wanting to change?While caught up in her own drama, Ada Lee has missed what was right in front of her the whole time. In a flurry of emotion, she hurts the ones she loves, grasps for ones she has no business pursuing, and just about misses the opportunity of a lifetime. "The New and Improved Ada Lee Bixby" is a story of self-discovery as Ada heals from tragedy on the road to her new and improved self, encountering a few surprises along the way.

Flash


Tim Tigner - 2013
    Aside from raging headaches and no idea what's happened, they appear to have nothing in common. Troy thinks it's 2001 and he's still a combat surgeon fighting terrorists in Afghanistan. Emmy believes it's 2002 and she's still grifting a living from the streets of L.A.Are they archenemies or coconspirators? Lovers or friends? What are they doing in the Caribbean, and why is a Croatian assassin determined to kill them? The only thing they know for certain is that they'll be spending the rest of their lives in prison if the police catch them before they learn the truth.

Dead Energy


James M. Corkill - 2018
    “Let someone else save the world from the bad people.” At least, that was his plan.While on vacation sailing the waters of the Puget Sound, he sees a brilliant flash of light from an oil tanker and changes course to help. He discovers there was no explosion, no one on board, and 80,000 tons of crude oil has mysteriously vanished without a trace! His only clue is a dollar size crystal found in the empty hold of the tanker.The Director of National Security, Martin Donner, is his friend, and asks him to help the Coast Guard in solving what starts out as a small problem of stolen crude oil. Initial thoughts are of a major oil leak, but none is found. When the bodies of the crew are found frozen to death on a mountaintop 150 miles away, Alex realizes there is more going on than just stealing oil.The Reverend Menno Simons, an environmental fanatic, leads his followers on a crusade to rid the world of crude oil. His disciples carry innocuous vials of powdered crystal to oil-rich countries to contaminate their supplies.Meanwhile, people in the northwestern states are trying to survive, which has now become the one rule. The AOS, Army of Survival, initially recruits people who wish to learn the skill of survival. Now that skill is becoming a fact of life, and the army starts keeping people against their wills, training them to become soldiers. John Everex, the new leader, is a man on a mission. He rules without compassion and kills without mercy.Harold Woolley is a meek man, with a demanding wife and two teen age children. He becomes caught up in the struggle to survive, and mistakenly ends up at the AOS camp. When his lack of courage threatens his family, he tries to become the brave man needed to get them out of their desperate situation, but after being a coward his entire life, he doesn't think he can change.Things go from bad to worse as more tankers are attacked and their crews killed. The few witnesses all claim to see a bright light and a rainbow effect surrounding the tankers, but how did it happen? The Alaska pipeline and west coast refineries are suddenly empty! Civilization descends into chaos when the lack of fuel keeps basic necessities from reaching the inner cities, pitting human against human in a desperate attempt to survive the madness spreading across the planet. Alex’s only clue is the crystal, which under a high-powered microscope, appears to be alive.A fantastic ride, with thrilling scenarios, exhilarating situations, and nail-biting suspense, by this bestselling and award-winning author. How does Alex stop Menno and his followers before civilization reaches total collapse?Find out by grabbing your copy now!

Armageddon and the 4th Timeline: A Spiritual Odyssey Through Time & Eternity


Don Mardak - 2012
    "Armageddon and the 4th Timeline" is a mystical fantasy with three thought-provoking themes: the war on terror and the potential of a nuclear holocaust; time travel in an attempt to alter future events; and the teaching of new-age spiritual principles that affect the way mankind coexists.The book was a finalist in the 2012 ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards.

Crimson Worlds Collection II


Jay Allan - 2014
    No one expects the deal to last, and both sides are preparing for the next showdown. But from the depths of space another challenge is coming, one that will endanger the very survival of mankind and force not just the Alliance and its colonies, but all of the Superpowers, to join forces or face annihilation. The dusty ruins the Alliance discovered on Epsilon Eridani IV were built by an ancient race, eons dead. But their guardians remain, and the disturbance of long silent caves triggered an automated alert, one which has been heard. Erik Cain and his Marines grimly take to the field once again, for what may be their final battle, against the robotic legions of the First Imperium. But facing a ruthless and technologically superior enemy may be easier than learning to fight alongside old enemies. The Line Must Hold (Crimson Worlds V) The robotic legions of the First Imperium burst into human space, destroying everything in their path. Their antimatter-powered fleets drove back the desperately defending human forces, seizing world after world. Directed by the maniacal Regent, the enemy pressed forward with one goal - the destruction of mankind. The Superpowers of Earth, bitter enemies for over a century, have at last banded together to face the threat from outside. Their combined forces have fought stubborn delaying actions to buy time, but they couldn't stop the relentless onslaught. Now the Rim has fallen, and the heart of human space lies before the invaders. On three worlds, mankind will make its stand, and all the power Earth and its colonies can muster has been gathered there. Three worlds - Sandoval, Garrison, and Samvar. The Line. Erik Cain grimly leads his veteran Marines and their new allies to Sandoval, to fight and to hold that world against anything the enemy throws at it. But Cain plans more than just a defense; he intends to annihilate the enemy forces...and he'll sacrifice anything to win the ultimate victory. Even his soul. To Hell's Heart (Crimson Worlds VI) The combined forces of humanity have beaten back the First Imperium invasion. For the first time, the enemy has been defeated in battle. The cost was high in blood and suffering, but the Line held. The heart of human-occupied space has been saved from annihilation. For now. There is little time for the victorious warriors to savor their triumph or mourn their dead. The First Imperium has been driven back, but it has not been defeated. No one expects the fruits of victory to be more than a brief respite. Augustus Garret, Erik Cain, and the rest of the human high command have a decision to make. Do they stand on the defensive, waiting for the massive second invasion they all know will come? Or do they consider another option, one that compels them to face overwhelming odds, and launch a strike that could end the war in one campaign? The attack ship Hornet returned home after a miraculous run through enemy space, and her crew brought with them priceless intelligence…the location of a world of the First Imperium. In the capitals of Earth, the ruling classes call for caution, for the armed forces to stand on the defensive. But on the frontier, Garret and his compatriots are planning something different, and they do not intend to be deterred. They are going to take the war to the enemy. They are going to march into hell’s heart.

Survivors


Toby Neighbors - 2021
    Once a proud member of the Fleet Marine Corps’ elite Terrestrial Advance Combat teams, the battle on colony planet Luyten C left him broken and scarred. But after a year of surgeries and physical therapy, he’s ready to complete his enlistment as Master of Arms on the exploration vessel Rihla. It should be a simple, stress free assignment - but things rarely work out as they should.For decades humanity’s efforts to spread across the galaxy have been hampered by the violent Orrkasi, an intelligent, space faring race of which little is known. But Staff Sergeant Vanhorn is no stranger to the Orrkasi. He’s a veteran with eight combat engagements, a harden warrior, a man who knows how to improvise, adapt, and overcome. But he’s facing challenges he never expected before. His body is crippled and scarred, the TAC Team brotherhood he once thrived in see him as a pariah, and he’s haunted by the horrors of combat. Just getting through his first cruise after returning to active duty won’t be easy.When the explorer ship Rihla reaches the Leonis system after almost a month in hyperspace, they find a habitable planet with a rich atmosphere, liquid water, and the ideal climate. It’s a perfect world for human colonization, but they aren’t the first to arrive and the Orrkasi have a surprise waiting for them.Survivors is an exciting military science fiction novel by master storyteller Toby Neighbors for fans of Starship Troopers, First Blood, Battle Los Angeles, and Heartbreak Ridge. With a cinematic feel, and characters you’ll love, Survivors is a smashing first book in a series that you’re sure to want more of.

Children of Earthrise: Books 1-3


Daniel Arenson - 2018
    Our planet is lost. We are the last humans, and we must go home. Children of Earthrise is a story of exodus. Of humanity lost among the stars. Of one man rising to lead our people home. In 2016, the Earthrise series became a surprise bestseller, captivating hundreds of thousands of readers around the world. Set two thousand years later, Children of Earthrise begins a new story, one for both new readers and old fans. This bundle includes the first three Children of Earthrise novels: The Heirs of Earth, A Memory of Earth, and An Echo of Earth.

Mission Veritas


John Murphy - 2011
    Vaughn Killian must hide his past as a ruthless rebel fighter at the risk of imprisonment.  The Carthenogens, "saviors" from another planet, assumed total control of Earth by preaching peace. Eighteen-year-old Vaughn Killian, son of the US ambassador to Thailand, knows otherwise; they killed his parents, forcing him to survive as a rebel for two hellish years in a purge of Bangkok.Now millions are dead and thousands are disappearing in massive airlifts every day, and Killian saw it all. The almond-eyed tyrants have a stranglehold on that information, all militaries, and the world at large.Killian is determined to "resist to the death" and seizes the opportunity to join Black Saber, an elite cadre formed to oppose Carthenogen tyranny. To qualify, he and eleven other candidates must undergo a trial mission on Planet Veritas, a rugged mining outpost where the atmosphere makes people reveal their true selves. Killian must keep his past a secret at the risk of imprisonment. It's a hard thing to do with a body full of scars--especially when Stiles Kerrington, an entitled son of a former US vice president, has singled him out for disqualification. If he fails the mission and can't continue the fight, he'll be jailed while the docile population on Earth is consumed, one city at a time.

The Peacock Cloak


Chris Beckett - 2013
    In doing so, the book triumphed over a very strong shortlist, including collections by one Booker Prize winner in Anne Enright and two authors who have been Booker shortlisted in Shena Mackay and Ali Smith (the latter a winner of the Whitbread Prize).When announcing the winner, one of the judges – James Walton, journalist and chair of BBC Radio 4’s The Write Stuff – said, “I suspect Chris Beckett winning the Edge Hill Prize will be seen as a surprise in the world of books. In fact, though, it was also a bit of surprise to the judges, none of whom knew they were science fiction fans beforehand.”In 2012 the Sunday Times named Chris’ latest novel Dark Eden the best science fiction novel of the year, and it is currently shortlisted for the BSFA Award in the same category. NewCon Press are delighted to be publishing The Peacock Cloak, the latest collection from one of Britain’s most distinguished and accomplished genre authors. Contains twelve stories (85,000 words) all previously uncollected.

iSEAL


Jude Hardin - 2014
    Four weeks as a lab rat and his military career will be back on course.Unfortunately, by the end of day one, he finds himself on the run from the police, the CIA, and a mysterious criminal mastermind named Oberwand.With no memory of his past, and with little hope for a meaningful future, Brennan must utilize every weapon in his binary arsenal just to stay alive.

Panacea


F. Paul Wilson - 2016
    Paul Wilson.Medical examiner Laura Hanning has two charred corpses and no answers. Both bear a mysterious tattoo but exhibit no known cause of death. Their only connection to one another is a string of puzzling miracle cures. Her preliminary investigation points to a cult that possesses the fabled panacea--the substance that can cure all ills--but that's impossible.Laura finds herself enmeshed in an ancient conflict between the secretive keepers of the panacea and the equally secretive and far more deadly group known only as 536, a brotherhood that fervently believes God intended for humanity to suffer, not be cured. Laura doesn't believe in the panacea, but that doesn't prevent the agents of 536 from trying to kill her.A reclusive, terminally ill billionaire hires Laura to research the possibility that such a cure exists. The billionaire's own body guard, Rick Hayden, a mercenary who isn't who he pretends to be, has to keep her alive as they race to find the legendary panacea before the agents of 536 can destroy it.

The Professor: Book 2


Alexandria Clarke - 2017
    Her team of unexpected allies harbors its own destructive secrets, leading Nicole on a dangerous mission to the heart of the society. As time and options dwindle, can Nicole make one last stand to save herself and her friends?