Book picks similar to
Off the Record by Bonnie Hearn Hill


fiction
1tbr-series
thriller
central-valley-writers

Fractured Persona


Harry Krebs - 2013
    A glimpse in a mirror and the evidence of a driver's license prove that Fornek is trapped in the body of warehouse worker Daniel Curtis. Terrified, he insists that he's Richard Fornek, but when faced with the prospect of admittance to a psychiatric hospital, he is forced to assume a new role to buy time to figure out what’s going on. Alone and confused, things go from bad to worse as he struggles to regain control of his life. A little romance, a little murder, and a whole lot of hair-raising suspense unfold as he scrambles to stay one step ahead of the mayhem.

The Peter Savage Novels Boxed Set:


Dave Edlund - 2017
    The New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Steve Berry praises Peter Savage as "a hero full of grit and determination" and calls the series "required reading for any thriller aficionado.”The Peter Savage series by bestselling, award-winning author Dave Edlund has taken readers around the world on a deadly race to energy independence, dropped them in a battle to end a genocide, made them stare down a threat of bioterrorism, and unearthed an unthinkable act of treason threatening to redraw the map of the Middle East. Now, read Books 1-4 in a convenient anthology before Guarding Savage debuts on April 24, 2018. CROSSING SAVAGEIn this edge-of-your-seat thriller, author Dave Edlund brings readers face to face with the promise of energy independence... and its true cost. "This book is fast-paced and lively, reminiscent of a Tom Clancy thriller." - The US Review of BooksRELENTLESS SAVAGEIn this fast-paced, action-driven adventure Peter Savage confronts a hidden genocide, genetic manipulation, and a tipping point in the balance of world power."Not since Crichton's Jurassic Park have I read such an engaging mix of genetic misdeed and thrilling action." - Gary W. Stout, author of Serial SamaritanDEADLY SAVAGEFrom the award-winning Peter Savage novels comes a tale of political intrigue, biological warfare, and the fragile balance of world power."Dave Edlund's Deadly Savage is an enthralling story from its thoughtful beginning through to its multiple climactic moments and gripping plot twists." - Foreward ReviewsHUNTING SAVAGEWhen an unthinkable act of treason and a clandestine pact threaten to redraw the map of the Middle East, Peter Savage becomes both hunter and prey."Dave Edlund delivers another knockout punch...fast-paced action, political intrigue, ruthless adversaries...and a heroic Peter Savage." - Linda Berry, author of Pretty Corpse

Conundrum


Susan Cory - 2012
    But fellow-student Iris Reid knows that any jealous member of the ruling clique would have relished pushing him off.Twenty years later, a reunion is luring the same cast of characters back to Cambridge. The opening night dinner is being held in a Modernist house that Iris has designed. She hopes to untangle the events that led to her friend's death. But the murderer has other plans. When a long-ago boyfriend turns up dead the night of the dinner, all the incriminating evidence points to Iris. What began as an attempt to avenge her old friend, turns into a desperate race to avoid being framed by the clever killer - a killer capable of twisting the truth into a bloody conundrum.

Dead for Good


Stacy Claflin - 2021
    Brad Morris likes to think of himself as one of the best: an assassin at the top of his game. For years, he’s juggled work and family — attentive husband and loving father by day, cold-blooded killer by night.But when the charismatic neighbor that Brad openly despises turns up dead on the same night he was out on a hit, Brad suddenly finds himself a prime suspect. His wife lies to the police but her lie only lands him deeper in trouble, and it’s clear she thinks he might be guilty too.Brad’s being framed and he knows it, but it’s nearly impossible for him to prove his innocence without admitting he’s an assassin.Can he catch the killer without endangering his family — or blowing his own cover?Dead For Good, Book 1 is the first book in the new Stacy Claflin and Nolon King Dead For Good series.

Accidental Hitman


A.W. Wilson - 2011
    He stumbles (quite literally) into a murky netherworld where he learns that he does have a talent after all - he can kill.Flying by the seat of his pants, Tom muddles his way through his new career, balancing the needs of his underworld bosses, his unknowing girlfriend and his knowing-too-much best friend. He's caught up in a rip-tide of events that he's forced to see through to the bitter - and darkly comic - end.

Spies Of Jerusalem


Colin Smith - 2013
    A land of conflict. And a land of spies.As World War One rages on the killing fields of Flanders, another battle is playing out in the Holy Land.British forces invade a stronghold of the Ottoman Empire, fighting German officers, Arab conscripts and Turkish troops.But as the British armies advance, the Germans suspect they have a traitor within their ranks.An agent - code-named Daniel - is transmitting messages to the British from the heart of the German headquarters.If they can't stop him, the war will be lost.But as the Germans dig deeper, they discover an espionage ring called Nili made up of Zionist Jews supporting the British.They begin close in on the ring.But will they ever unearth the true identity of Daniel?And what is the true purpose of the organisation known as Nili?In this gripping novel, Colin Smith interweaves the stories of British Tommies, German officers and Jewish nationals.In a tale of intrigue and espionage the hunt for Daniel turns into a race against time, as the British prepare to meet the Austrian troops on the brutal battlefield at Huj.'Spies of Jerusalem' brilliantly blends fact with fiction in a novel that will appeal to fans of Alan Furst and and John Le Carre.

When Hope Calls


David Lui - 2017
    They don't know who she is. They don't know where she is or her destination. All they have is a phone connection. Every clue draws them closer to her rescue...or pushes them to frustration. Within the next twelve hours, they must each make daring sacrifices and be tested to their limit.The clock is ticking, the odds are against them...will they be able find Mya?

Graven Images


Jane Waterhouse - 1995
    Her story of the moment involves a madman known as the Holy Ghost, a deranged serial killer who disfigures his victims. When Susan Trevett lives to tell about her encounter with the Holy Ghost, she picks a young farmboy out of a police lineup. But then Susan does a dramatic turnaround: she insists that the boy is innocent, and that she disfigured herself to repent for past sins. The jury delivers a not guilty verdict, and Garner is left with an ending to her book she fears might not tell the whole story. To compensate, Garner plunges headlong into another case. A media firestorm has erupted around celebrated sculptor Dane Blackmoor. Body parts have been found in his lifelike sculptures, and Garner, who has tangled with the enigmatic artist in the past, thinks she knows the villain's identity. As she becomes increasingly involved in the Blackmoor story, she realizes she's being stalked by a cold-blooded killer who knows her like a book. Garner suddenly understands that there's a small space between the words true and crime: make one mistake in judgment, and it may come back to haunt you - with a vengeance.

The Vanishing (Detective Dean Cornell, #1)


David J. Delaney - 2015
    Grab a copy now. Detective Dean Cornell is investigating the murder of a young woman when he and his partner stumble across a second brutal murder. Hunting for the killer through the streets of Sydney he discovers another young girl has vanished, leaving a distraught father holding onto whatever hope he can. Dean and the detectives of Sydney homicide desperately try to unfold the mystery of the dead and the missing. Can they find the killer before another life is lost What people have said about the Author “David J Delaney mixes suspense and emotion to put you on the edge of your seat. You’ll have a blast reading his books.” J. Thorn, author of The Portal Arcane trilogy "Good luck putting down one of David's books. He'll have you biting your nails and turning pages for hours." Zach Bohannon, Amazon Top 100 Author of the Empty Bodies series “David has the ability to grab hold of you with his voice and never let go. The sense of place he firmly puts you in is remarkable, evoking every sense, every feeling of that moment. As a fan of David's work I know when I begin to read one of his stories I'll be reading late into the night, because putting it down isn't an option. If you're interested in a great read, you cannot go wrong with anything written by this talented author. I, for one, can't wait for his next story, and the next, and the next...” Sue Coletta, Crime Writer

Into The Silence


David F. Berens - 2020
    All by different authors.

East Wind


Jack Winnick - 2015
    The president moves fast to prevent panic across the nation. The government receives an ominous threat from an anonymous Middle Eastern source: similar attacks will be launched upon other American cities unless all aid to Israel is terminated, virtually isolating the Jewish State and allowing its Arab neighbors to overrun it. The FBI, CIA and other federal organizations are called to action. A crack U. S. Israeli team is given the daunting assignment of uncovering the source of the threat and the identity of the next targeted city against a five day deadline. The team: Lara, a young female FBI computer whiz and Uri, a charismatic male Mossad field agent. Theirs is a breakneck chase across the country in a race against time and the unknown Islamist terrorists.

The Blue Executions


George P. Norris - 2014
    An incident in a Queens housing project hurls highly decorated detective Tommy Galvin not only onto the front pages of the newspapers but also into the crosshairs of the sociopath. The hunter becomes the hunted! Galvin’s actions on a warm spring evening ignite a powder keg of racial tension and civil unrest, capturing national attention which must be dealt with and brought under control by the NYPD. When the two men finally come face to face, Galvin’s life has changed forever, in a way he could have never imagined. The Blue Executions will take you from the eyes of the killer to the investigation charged with taking him down; from the inner workings of a major New York City newspaper that the killer has entrusted, to the behind the scenes politics of the NYPD at the highest levels. All of the while, Galvin’s life is on the line.

The Butterfly Tattoo


M.D. Thomas - 2020
    Jon, guilt-ridden because he forgot to make sure his son had buckled up, will do anything to save his relationship with his wife. Bartender Elle doesn’t believe in guilt, even as it accelerates her descent into alcoholism. Narcotics officer Harvey has been stealing seized drug money for months to pay off his grandparent’s debt, unaware his superiors are onto him. Their struggles morph from difficult to life-threatening when Lee’s spirit finds each of them.They all think they know what Lee’s spirit is after. They’re all wrong. Drawn ever-closer together, their mistakes and misdeeds accumulate until Lee’s spirit latches onto one of them, and if they can’t figure out the truth in time, everybody they care about might die.

Isolation Island: Into the Wild


Johnny Moscato - 2021
    I would go so far as to compare it to the works of Stephen King.” -Amazon/Goodreads Reviewer”The action leaps off the page and smacks you in the face. Once you start reading it's very hard to find a stopping point.” Amazon/Goodreads ReviewerIt was supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime—the chance to be on a reality show and win a million dollars. Ten contestants are dropped individually on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean with one goal in mind—SURVIVE. But, there are more dangers lurking in the shadows than just the wolves, bears, isolation and harsh environment. Nobody expected a murderer among them. The last survivor standing will win the million dollar prize, but the real prize might be merely coming home alive when all communication with the outside world is lost and sleeping bags start turning into body bags. The Cast:Derrick Bond- A twenty-nine year-old ex-Marine from Texas. He’s come to Isolation Island to escape the demons of his past and prove he still has what it takes to adapt, overcome, and survive. Jillian Hill- 49 years-old. A self-proclaimed badass. She’s a wife and mother of six from Kentucky, full of grit and determination. She signed up for the ultimate test of endurance to prove to her kids anything is possible.Tucker Jordan- A yoga instructor from Vermont looking to become one with nature and test his ability to live off the land. But, Isolation Island’s harsh climate does not welcome visitors with open arms. Can he find peace and harmony among the hungry wild animals?Stephanie Hamilton- An artist and experienced survivalist from Colorado. She can survive anywhere, but what she wants most is to win the million dollars so she can live off the grid on a Caribbean island. Wes Wood- A farmer from Mississippi looking to strike it rich on his first trip outside the country. Will his shady past catch up with him in a competition where mental toughness is as important as physical ability?Kimmie Arden- A burnt-out nurse from New York who’s sick of the daily grind and work-related stress. If she can outlast the others, it can mean a more peaceful life for her whole family.Seaton Rogers- A screenwriter and self-described introvert—perhaps the type of personality most suited for months of isolation. He wants the million dollars so he can distance himself from society and live a self-sustaining life on his own terms. Zoey Price- A dance instructor and the youngest person in the competition entering at twenty-four years-old. She’ll have to learn quickly and adapt if she wants a shot at beating the older, more experienced survivalists. Floyd Benson- A pizza delivery man from Florida with two young children depending on him. Can his energy-conserving strategy help him survive longer than the others?Ezra Greer- A hard-nosed truck driver from Alaska. He’s come to Isolation Island to escape his dark past and make a new start. One million dollars would surely go a long way. Ten contestants. One million dollars up for grabs. The last person remaining wins.Welcome to Isolation Island. Let the game begin.

The Lake and 17 Other Stories


David McAfee - 2010
    and Saying Goodbye to the Sun. THE LAKE THE SPIDER AND THE FLY EXHIBIT A Plus 14 Horror Microstories! BONUS STORY: One last Dinner Party, by David Dalglish, author of the Half Orc series.