Book picks similar to
Devolution by Lars Emmerich


mystery
thriller
lars-emmerich
action

On the Street Where You Die (Stanley Bentworth, #1)


Al Stevens - 2011
    Previously a homicide cop, he drank his way out of a job and now runs a one-man private eye agency finding people who don’t want to be found. He doesn’t accept tough-guy assignments, calling himself a “soft-boiled detective,” but a recession is on, and business is off, so when a wealthy financier, formerly a mob enforcer, needs an anonymous blackmailer found in a life and death situation, Stanley seizes the chance to earn a fee.If he fails, the blackmailer outs his client to the wise guys, in which case the client gets a one-way ticket to the landfill, and Stanley risks becoming an unwilling passenger on that ride. He knows he must not fail, no small feat given that Stanley Bentworth is not all that tough.

Pushed Too Far


Ann Voss Peterson - 2012
    Police Sergeant Valerie Ryker solved that case, putting psychopath Dixon Hess in prison for life, and becoming the first female police chief of her tiny Wisconsin town.A COP'S UNFORGIVABLE MISTAKEThen the original murder victim turns up in a frozen lake, all in one piece and only recently dead, and Val must enter a race against time. In only forty-eight hours, Hess will be set free, and he wants payback. And Val, her town, and everyone she loves are at the top of his list.A KILLER'S NEXT VICTIMBut surviving Hess's vengeance is only part of her dilemma. For there's another killer in Lake Loyal. One who may be closer to Val than she knows...Val will need all the help she can get, including a sexy firefighter, her dead sister's daughter, and a tough Chicago cop named Jack Daniels. Everyone has a breaking point, and Val has just reached hers.From bestselling romantic suspense author Ann Voss Peterson comes a page-turning thriller of police procedure, passion, and revenge. Make sure you're holding your Kindle tightly with both hands.

The Deadly Art of Deception


Linda Crowder - 2016
    Caribou King, owner of The Broken Antler Gallery, is hip-deep in tourists when her old college pal Taylor shows up asking for refuge, saying she has no place else to go. Cara is cautious; Taylor was the wife of one of Alaska's most renowned artists––Jonathan Snow, who was mauled to death by a bear the previous year. Why would his widow want to return to the location of her tragic loss? Something about Taylor's story just doesn't ring true. Of course, she may not be the only liar in town. Taylor's former father-in-law accuses her of killing his son in front of a diner full of people, except he may have had a stronger motive. A handsome boat captain seems to fancy both Cara and Taylor but he can't make up his mind between them ––or between lying and telling the truth. The local constable mistrusts everyone, but may have a reason to be mistrusted himself. Will Cara help her old friend Taylor, or will doing so get her into a heap of trouble? When a headless body is discovered in the bay, Cara wonders just who she can trust in this tiny town.

Storm Surge


J.D. Rhoades - 2010
    For beautiful waitress Sharon Brennan, the luxurious Pass Island resort is a place to make a living for herself and her daughter Glory. For amiable handyman Max Chase, it's a place far away from his past.But there's a lot more to Max than meets the eye. And as a Category Five hurricane bears down on Pass Island, some very bad people arrive with a plan to use the cover of the storm to steal a mysterious object, an object that powerful people want desperately enough to kill for. When things go wrong and Sharon and Glory are trapped on the island with Max and a team of cold-blooded mercenaries, they begin to realize that maybe Max isn't the good guy they thought he was...but he may be just the bad guy they need.

The Last Teacher


Alan Lee - 2015
    After a successful but destructive career as a high-profile California homicide detective, and then a less successful and even more destructive stint working for a church, he has moved to Virginia to start over as a teacher. The only thing he's bringing with him is Kix, his infant baby boy. He plans for peaceful living with his son, but trouble soon finds him as his new co-workers begin showing up dead outside of his classroom. The Sheriff's Office is stumped, the teachers are scared, and hidden rifts within the county begin surfacing. The town turns to August for help, which he is compelled to provide after learning that evidence suggests he will be the next victim. August must survive entanglements with the small-time police force, a local drug dealer, and the young and aggressive brunette teaching across from him if he is to stop the mysterious killer.

Return To Sender


Dick Cluster - 1988
    But he’s got a complication right now—he’s trying to survive chemo. And then Gerald Meyer, a stranger he meets at the Post Office, asks him to mail a package to Meyer’s daughter. Easily done, but too late, Meyer changes his mind. And turns up dead. But now the package is gone, and clearly dangerous! Will Meyer’s daughter be the next victim? Worse, is Alex about to be arrested for murder? Out of those fears is born Alex’s career as an international detective—because the stranger’s daughter lives in Berlin, and he doesn’t know how to contact her. Too intrigued to let it go (and also because he’s a mensch) Alex sets off on an adventure that takes him to London and Berlin in the last years of the Wall, in a search for package, perpetrators, and to prove his own innocence. Along the way he’s plunged into the wreckage of Gerald Meyer’s life, a wake that includes the daughter, half-German and half-Jewish, as well as an underworld network, unusual banking transactions, blackmail, shadowy neo-Nazis, and a city in which, as Meyer’s daughter puts it, “Under all the showy stuff, Berliners are frightened of so many things.” Police detectives in two countries don’t make it any easier, but Alex learns to cope, trading bits of information while explaining his actions with metaphors such as the Yiddish meaning of his family name. Great scenes in Berlin make this a must-read for fans of international mysteries and thrillers, and World War II buffs will appreciate the historical aspects. Fans of Jewish detectives like Rabbi Small, Jake Samson, Rebecca Schwartz, Peter Decker, and Rina Lazarus will find themselves adding another series to their favorites. But it’s a great P.I. story for all mystery fans, in the vein of vintage male sleuths who are neither cozy nor hard-boiled—just regular detective guys, like Ellery Queen, Father Brown, Gideon Oliver, Charles Paris, and Tubby Dubonnet.

Greatest Enemy


Jason Kasper - 2016
    He has almost completed his final year at West Point when his world is turned upside down by a sudden discharge from military service. Angry and confused, David soon hits rock bottom.And that's when they appear.Three mysterious men. Men who know David's dark secret—they know that he has murdered someone in cold blood.And they want him to do it again.

Pitch Black


Elise Noble - 2015
    Forced to abandon everything she holds dear - her home, her friends, her job in special ops - she builds a new life for herself in England. As Ashlyn Hale, she meets Luke, a handsome local who makes her realise just how lonely she is.Yet, even in the sleepy village of Lower Foxford, the dark side of life dogs Diamond’s trail when the unthinkable strikes. Forced out of hiding, she races against time to save those she cares about. But is it too little, too late?  Please be aware that although one story arc is concluded in this book, Diamond’s full story is told over books 1-3 in the Blackwood Security series.

Broken


Matthew Storm - 2013
    The Laughing Man spared her life, but the nightmares that followed ended her career as a police officer.Having lost everything, Nevada is content to do odd jobs to keep a step ahead of the bill collectors and fund her out-of-control drinking problem. But that changes when Alan Davies, a local crime lord, comes to her with a problem. His wife and daughter are missing and he can’t go to the police. If Nevada helps him, he’ll pay her enough that she’ll never have to worry about money again.But what should have been a simple missing persons case quickly turns deadly. Alan Davies has enemies, and in the course of trying to save his family Nevada finds herself in the middle of a gang war. But her own demons are even more menacing, and the Laughing Man is still out there.

The Protocol


J. Robert Kennedy - 2010
    Descendent from the Roman Empire, they pervade every level of society, and are now in a race with our own government to retrieve an ancient artifact thought to have been lost forever.Caught in the middle is archaeology professor James Acton, relentlessly hunted by the elite Delta Force, under orders to stop at nothing to possess what he has found, and the Triarii, equally determined to prevent the discovery from falling into the wrong hands.With his students and friends dying around him, Acton flees to find the one person who might be able to help him, but little does he know he may actually be racing directly into the hands of an organization he knows nothing about…

The Girl From Paradise Hill


Susan Lund - 2018
    With no crime scenes, no leads and no suspects, the cases have gone cold.Until today.The remains of one missing girl are discovered in a burned-out cabin at a remote campsite, reopening the case and suggesting the worst may be true – a ruthless child killer is operating in Washington State.TESS MCCLINTOCKCrime reporter and amateur cyber-sleuth Tess is obsessed with the cold cases of missing girls in Washington State. As she works to settle her father's estate, she's shaken to her core when she uncovers evidence pointing to his involvement. FBI SPECIAL AGENT MICHAEL CARTEROn leave after solving a particularly heartbreaking case of child abduction and murder for the FBI's Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, Michael is back in Paradise Hill to recover and visit with family. Despite doctor's orders to stay clear of police work, Michael's drawn back in when Tess asks for his help understanding the secrets found in her father's attic.A RUTHLESS CHILD KILLER Having escaped justice for decades, he's bored and deliberately stirs the pot, revealing one of the dead girl's bodies. Despite hiding in plain sight, no one suspects that he's really a wolf and not the sheep he pretends to be. He sees Tess and Michael's involvement in the case as a challenge and views Tess as a temptation he can't resist.AN EIGHTEEN-YEAR OLD COLD CASEFor Tess and Michael, the cases are personal: Tess's best friend in public school, Lisa Tate, was one of the missing girls from Paradise Hill. Michael was babysitting the night little Lisa vanished. The guilt they harbor over their role in her disappearance drives them both. Desperate for answers, Tess and Michael join forces to track a killer and uncover the secrets Tess finds in her father's attic. Will the answers bring Tess peace or shatter her?THE GIRL FROM PARADISE HILL is the first book in the McClintock-Carter Crime Thriller Series.

Dawn Girl


Leslie Wolfe - 2016
    A few specks of sand clung to her long, dark lashes. Her beautiful face, immobile, covered in sparkling flecks of sand. Her lips slightly parted as if to let a last breath escape.Who is the beautiful girl found at dawn, on a deserted stretch of white sand beach? What is her secret?FBI Special Agent Tess Winnett searches for answers relentlessly. With each step, each new finding, she uncovers unsettling facts leading to a single possible conclusion: Dawn Girl is not the only victim. Her killer has killed before.Hiding a terrible secret of her own, Special Agent Tess Winnett faces her inmost fears, in a heart-stopping race to catch a killer who’s getting ready to end yet another life. Will she find the killer in time? Will she be able to stop him? At what cost? The rules of the game have changed. So has the textbook definition of a serial killer.Special Agent Tess Winnett is the bold, direct, and short-fused heroine of Dawn Girl. Putting her life on the line, she doesn’t pull any punches, searching only for the truth, and for the man who takes lives on her watch. Intelligent, resourceful, and uncompromising, Tess will take readers on a memorable, white-knuckled journey in this suspenseful, gripping serial killer thriller.

Lion on Fire: A casino-heist thriller


Ted Galdi - 2017
    Nothing goes as planned, and soon Brian is forced to team up with a charismatic co-worker to rob the mobsters who run the casino. Lion on Fire is the third book by Ted Galdi, the Amazon #1 bestselling author of Elixir and An American Cage. He’s been featured by Kirkus magazine, ABC, FOX, iHeartRadio, and many other media outlets. Main character Brian is shocked to learn that his younger brother not only has been dealing cocaine, but foolishly lost a whole package of it, and now owes his boss $30,000. If Brian’s brother doesn’t come up with the money in a few weeks, he’s dead. Brian decides to help. However, he realizes scrapping together that sort of cash in such a short timeframe is nearly impossible legally. So he approaches Dusty, another driver at the limousine company where he works, and asks him about the whispers of lucrative, yet illegal, side jobs he’s heard among the staff. After proving himself trustworthy with an initiation test, Brian is invited to participate in an underground driving network that shuttles wealthy individuals to extravagant, though illicit, gambling events set up in multi-million-dollar Manhattan penthouses. At first things go smoothly, and Brian pockets a lot of much-needed extra income. However, they turn jarring once he finds out a high-profile Russian gangster is behind the gambling events, and becomes mixed up with him not only professionally, but personally. With tensions rising, and the fate of Brian’s relationships with his parents and girlfriend now entangled with the underground casino, not to mention the life of his brother, he winds up in a position where pulling off a mafia robbery may be his only chance to get himself and his loved ones out of this mess alive and intact. Lion on Fire is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed gambling thriller, and also an emotionally charged buddy story, which pairs do-gooder Brian with the charmingly wild and alluringly mysterious Dusty, who not only guides Brian through the dangerous world of the mafia casino, but ushers him toward a new and profound view of the world as a whole. The book is perfect for fans of crime fiction that’s edgy while having a soul. A Russian mafia thriller featuring a revenge plan and heist, it’s loaded with adrenaline. However, it is just as touching as it is exciting. At the core of a plot about organized crime and pursuing police officers is the budding friendship of two young men who initially seem very different.   Set in New York City, Lion on Fire takes readers on a ride through a colorful cross section of neighborhoods and the lives that populate them. It’s written in the tradition of the Manhattan thriller, showcasing both the glamour and the grit of the city.  With this unique story, you’ll find yourself quickly turning pages as your pulse rises, while cheering for characters who make their way into your heart.

Hold On! - Season 1


Peter Darley - 2015
    However, she is rescued by mysterious interloper, Brandon Drake, an AWOL soldier. Using an advanced, experimental aircraft, he flees with her to his hidden cabin in the mountains of Aspen. There she learns his story – he’s a man on a mission to thwart a corrupt, government conspiracy.Brandon's and Belinda’s feelings for one another soon deepen. When they attempt to flee from America, they discover that now, Belinda too, has become a target of the conspiracy. A nightmare is unleashed upon them as the police, assassins, and government agencies drive them into relentless perils. Brandon’s combat training and stolen weaponry are challenged to the limit in the face of overwhelming odds; a devastating, reality-shaking discovery further hampering his plight.Shocking twists and cliffhangers take the two lovers on a journey through the first installment in this high-tech action, romantic thriller series.

Death in Nostalgia City


Mark S. Bacon - 2014
    Nostalgia City is the ultimate resort for anyone who wants to visit the past. A meticulous recreation of an entire small town from the early 1970s, it’s complete with period cars, music, clothes, shops, restaurants, hotels—the works. The relaxed theme-park atmosphere is just what Lyle needs—until rides are sabotaged and tourists killed. Then park founder, billionaire “Max” Maxwell, drafts Lyle into investigating—unofficially. As the violence escalates and employees get rattled, Lyle gets help. Kate Sorensen, the park’s PR director—and former college basketball player—becomes another incognito investigator. Except that she’s six-foot-two-and-a-half-inches tall and drop-dead gorgeous. So much for incognito. Together, Lyle and Kate unravel a conspiracy of corporate greed and murder.