Book picks similar to
The Manchester Murders: books one to three by Pamela Murray


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crime-thriller
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Murder at the Seaview Hotel


Glenda Young - 2021
    Tom loved Elvis and for Helen this is a sign that she should stay.But the series of mysterious events which follow, suggests that the developer is not going to give up easily. Then, shortly after Twelvis arrive, one of the group disappears. His body is found floating in a lake, with his blue suede shoes missing. Could the two be connected?With the reputation of the Seaview on the line, Helen isn't going to wait for the murderer to strike again. With her trusty greyhound Suki by her side, she decides to find out more about her guests and who wanted to make sure this Elvis never sang again.

A Most Inconvenient Marriage


Summer Hanford - 2019
    With each attempt at flirtation a greater disaster than the last, she despairs of ever leading a happy life, until the Duke of Solworth asks for her hand. Yes, he’s only looking for an heir and yes, he insists she must live in Egypt, but he’s kind, handsome, and steady. At least, he seems that way, until the moment Cecilia says ‘I will.’ THIEF OF BROKEN HEARTS by Louisa Cornell Seventeen years ago, after losing his mother and brothers in a horrific tragedy, Endymion de Waryn left his memories, his past, and the childhood friend he’d been forced to marry behind in Cornwall, vowing never to return. Now, as the Duke of Pendeen, he lives a very ordered life, just as he prefers. Having scheduled the months of August and September to conceive an heir, he summons his wife to London to do just that. When her answer is an emphatic No! he is left no choice but to break his vow and go to Cornwall to fetch her. However, a duchess who meets her husband at the door with one of Manton’s finest firearms needs more than a ducal command to be fetched. Seventeen years ago, Rhiannon Harvey, daughter of a wealthy coal merchant, made a devil’s bargain with a ruthless duke to marry his heir the boy she loved with all her girlish heart. Wedded, bedded, and left to run the ducal Cornwall estate, she becomes the keeper of her husband’s tragic memories, owner of the family’s secrets, and a duchess not to be trifled with. Her husband’s uninvited arrival introduces her to a man haunted by the past he cannot remember and one determined, God help her, to woo her into his bed. When Rhiannon’s life is threatened, she and Endymion must work together to discover why. His haunted memories and inept wooing may bring them together. But the secrets of the past promise to tear them apart and if they cannot overcome the lies and betrayals of their broken hearts, their newfound love may be stolen from them forever. HOUSE OF THORNS by Jude Knight Retired spy, Bear Gavenor has fled the marriage mart for the familiarity of his work; restoring abandoned country manors to sell to the newly rich. Never does he anticipate that his first task will be to deal with the thief he’s caught stealing his roses. Evicted from her home and ruined with claims she has a lover, Rosa Neatham fears she will soon be unable to care for her invalid father. When she returns to her former home to gather roses to brighten his room, her fortune worsens when she’s startled by the home’s new owner and injured in a fall. Bear takes her in, but when the rector confronts him about living with an unmarried woman, Bear decides to halt the rumormongers’ attempts to ruin her further and marries Rosa. He needs an heir. She needs a protector. Love needs to overcome the scandal, secrets and self-doubts that each brings to this marriage of convenience. THE BLUE SLIPPER by Erin Rye Olivia Mackenzie, disowned granddaughter of the Duke of Lennox, has only one foot in society and a tenuous one at that. One day at a garden party, she stumbles upon her soon-to-be fiancé in the arms of another woman. Revenge is sweet and immediate. Seizing the first stranger wandering past, Olivia plants a kiss full on his lips. Eight years ago, Lord Nicholas Blair turned to gambling and womanizing in an effort to hide his pain when his rival, Lord Randall, wed the woman he loved. But living the life of a rogue has grown dull.

Ancient Origins


Robert Storey - 2016
    Sarah Morgan’s only mistake? Finding it.The world holds its breath as the colossal asteroid 2011 AG5 hurtles towards the earth. As humanity is faced with extinction, archaeologist Sarah Morgan is in a race against time to uncover a secret that has been buried for millennia: that an advanced ancestor once populated the earth. As Sarah travels across the continents in search of the truth, she discovers there are those that will kill to protect this most ancient of secrets...Meanwhile, in a clandestine facility below the earth’s surface, Professor Steiner has been charged with overseeing the preservation of the human race. Steiner believes he is on schedule to deliver his task, but as the world is poised on the brink of destruction Steiner’s plans begin to unravel.That which has lain buried may yet prove to be their only hope…Dark Descent (Book 2)The journey begins...Plunged into darkness, the Earth’s surface is shrouded in dust from the impact of asteroid AG5.Whilst the cloud threatens to choke the very fabric of civilisation, Sarah Morgan is being held prisoner. In the depths of a subterranean facility, she has uncovered a deadly weapon; the truth behind the enormous structure buried beneath the Earth.Elsewhere, Professor Steiner and Robert Goodwin may be humanity’s greatest hope, but they must struggle against monumental adversity as an internal battle rages within the Global Meteor Response Council.Running out of luck, choices and time, all must fight to reclaim their chosen paths or watch those around them wither and die.Let There Be Light (Book 3)In the darkness, you can’t always trust the light...A year has passed since the cataclysmic impact of asteroid AG5. Whilst Earth’s survivors struggle against a devastating winter, the world’s finest assemble on the International Space Station for a covert mission that could change the course of civilisation.Back in the U.S., Former Director General Steiner is due to stand trial for masterminding heinous acts of terror. As calls for the death penalty gain momentum, those that sit in judgement are unaware that Steiner holds the key to the survival of the entire human race.Meanwhile, marooned in separate locations within the colossal underground realm known as ‘Sanctuary’, Sarah Morgan and Richard Goodwin are fighting for their lives to reach the surface. Unbeknownst to them, their shared purpose is about to awaken a terrifying denizen of the deep...

Mistaken Identity (Jack Dillon Dublin Tales Book 8)


Mike Faricy - 2019
    Faricy takes things from there into a 'Can't put it down' tale that will have you riveted. A great read. - The Irish Gazette Two American women, Kate Betto and Megan Ganino, a redhead and a blonde, are arrested and cooperate with authorities to aid in the conviction of a pair of major drug dealers. At the conclusion of the trial, they're secretly flown back to the US to serve time. It happens to be the same day that Kate Murray and Megan Gaffney, a blonde and a redhead, arrive in Dublin to celebrate their college graduation, rent a car, and drive west. Things go terribly wrong almost immediately. US Marshal Jack Dillon and DI Paddy Suel investigate a torched rental car and quickly learn there's a lot more going on . . . and the clock is ticking! Grab your copy NOW!

The Murders at Foxglove Close: A brilliantly addictive cozy murder mystery (A Neighbourhood Watch Mystery Book 1)


Rose Temple - 2021
    

No Refuge: A thrilling murder mystery with a big twist


Nicola Clifford - 2021
    

A Question of Despair


Maureen Carter - 2011
    Two streets away, through the open window of an unmarked police car, and they could hear the screams.HER BABY IS SNATCHED OFF THE STREET.When a child goes missing, every minute’s precious. When a baby’s taken, every second counts.Detective Sarah Quinn is called in.Baby Evie’s mother is in pieces. But then she seems unwilling to help. What isn’t she telling them?Time is running out to find Evie alive.TWO WOMEN ON THE CASERuthless TV journalist Caroline King is a thorn in the side of career cop DI Sarah Quinn. Caroline’s emotional and impulsive. Sarah’s known at work as the Ice Queen.WILL SPARKS FLY? CAN THE THIN BLUE LINE HOLD?The investigation reaches a dead end. The clock is ticking. The two enemies must work together to get baby Evie back alive.A heart-pounding thriller you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, Charlie Gallagher, Angela Marsons, DS Butler, Carol Wyer and Rachel Abbott.

Teatime Pastries and Punishments (Teatime Classic Whodunit Cozy Mystery Book 1)


Leighann Dobbs - 2019
     A dead body in the koi pond of the Twigsledge Flower Show is nothing unusual for amateur sleuth Ida Johnston who is vacationing in the English village where the show is being held. She’s sure she can solve the crime before afternoon tea, especially since she already has her first suspect - the strange cat-attracting woman who is vacationing in the cottage next to her. Elspeth Whipple is no slouch when it comes to solving murders, either. It hasn’t escaped her notice that the strange scone-stealing woman in the cottage next to her doesn’t seem to be disturbed by the body.  Could that be because the woman put it there? When their amateur sleuthing puts them on the radar of the local police, the two women are forced to team up in order to clear their names. Finding the killer is no easy task, however, especially when the entire village had reason to want the victim dead. This stand-alone mystery combines characters from the Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery Series and the Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series and is perfect for fans of Miss Marple, Midsomer Murders and Murder She Wrote.

SHE WILL RESCUE YOU


Chris Clement-Green - 2019
    Elegant, intelligent, and ambitious but lonely. She works among society’s darkest minds in perpetrator profiling. A man is murdered in a Norfolk turkey shed. Just another violent incident or something more? Ellie Grant is a lonely young woman. She works for minimum wage at an animal shelter and nurses a simmering hatred for all those who abuse animals. When she “finds” a winning lottery ticket, she faces a terrible choice: use the money for what she believes in or give the ticket back to its rightful owner. THE TWO WOMEN BECOME LOCKED IN A BATTLE WHICH WILL TEST ALL THEIR BELIEFS. HOW FAR WILL THEY GO? And both women fall in love with the same man. WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Dead Girl Walking


Roberta Gately - 2020
    What’s your emergency?”“He came for her. She’s been shot,” says a desperate voice, as footsteps echo down an alley. “She’s dying.”“Oh no, oh no, he’s coming back. Please, come quickly––” And then a click, and the drone of a dial tone.The beautiful young woman on the stretcher could be on her honeymoon. Chestnut hair tumbles around a pretty face, rose petals tangled in the loose strands. But the bandage around her forehead tells a different tale, as Emergency Room Nurse Jessie Novak desperately battles to keep her alive. Jessie’s thoughts are racing—who shot this beautiful young woman and more importantly, why?Ann Hart’s life hangs by a thread, and Jessie cannot bear to see this beautiful young woman die without justice being done. Being a nurse is like hunting for clues, and Jessie is sure she can find the person who hurt Ann. She also asks her friend Detective Sam Dallas for help digging into Ann’s past. But then Jessie receives a gift that sends shivers up her spine: a huge bouquet of blood-red roses, just like the ones in Ann’s hair…As the first snowflakes start to fall, another body turns up. Jessie is sure that she’s in danger too—since the roses, someone has been watching her… Sam is reluctant to see the link but Jessie knows she must find the culprit before he strikes again. He is stalking her through the frozen streets and he doesn’t want his fun to stop. Can Jessie turn the tables on the killer, or is she just a dead girl walking?A totally addictive mystery novel that will leave you gasping for breath and have your heart thumping! Fans of Lisa Regan, Gregg Olsen and Tess Gerritsen will be completely hooked.

All Around the Ton


Elizabeth Boyce - 2016
    But prim and proper behavior isn't always so easy when hearts are involved. From the ballrooms to the gaming hells, these five Regency couples are turning the ton on its ear with their scandals and secrets. Once an Heiress Well-known rogue Ethan Helling is over his ears in gambling debts and must marry a fortune. Enter Lily Bachman with the largest dowry the haute ton has seen in years and zero interest in marriage. But when the seducer becomes the seduced, Lily and Ethan are forced into a hasty union. Now, to gain her fortune, Ethan must find a way to make his unwilling bride happy. Once Upon a Scandal Caught in a scandal of her father's making, Jane is an outcast in the society that once prized her refinement. Can Lord Benjamin Marworth, whose reputation as a rake conceals his role as a spy for the Crown, save both England and Jane by faking her death and reincarnating her as a French cousin who can ferret out the stolen war secrets he needs? It's a proposition steeped in scandal if they're caught - but love just might be worth the risk. Merry's Wonderful Christmas Gift The winter holidays used to be Miss Merry Damonson's favorite time of year. Until her almost-fiance Edward Everton abandoned her two days before Christmas. Now he's returned to their country village, but is it too late to reignite old flames? A holiday ball might just offer these unlucky lovers a second chance. The Glass Orchid Determined to take charge of her own fate, orphan Adel Beaumont pursues the only means to an independent life available to her: become a courtesan to wealthy and powerful men. Twenty-one-year-old Rhys Camden is his father's answer to increasing the family's social standing to match their newfound wealth. When Adel and Rhys's lives entwine, they vow to defy society and family and risk everything to be together. But they soon learn how dangerous that defiance can be. How to Wed an Earl To inherit the family coffers, Lucas, Earl of Ravenstone, must claim a fiancée who will no doubt be thrilled at the prospect of finally being able to use his name and become his countess. But Penelope Maitland has already been using Lucas's name - to fend off her stepfamily's creditors. Lucas finds that in order to keep his fortune, he will have to lose his heart to a woman who is tired of waiting for him.Sensuality Level: Sensual

Watch Her Die


Deborah Lucy - 2018
     Please note this book was originally published as “Death Watch.” HE WATCHED HER DIE Who murdered Greta Ashton-Jones? This beautiful married woman is found naked, strangled and tied to her bed. Who’s been watching her and taking pictures of her? Who needed to kill her — and why? Detective Inspector Temple investigates. It’s not the straightforward ‘domestic murder’ he’s been told. Written off by a boss who’s relegated him to the back office, he knows he has to find her killer and fast, but he soon has trouble of his own. DISCOVER A MURDER MYSTERY YOU WON’T WANT TO PUT DOWN TILL THE STUNNING CONCLUSION He’s on the wrong side of the law trying to protect himself and his family when a dangerous criminal with a vendetta is released from prison. As things go wrong, losing his job is the least of his problems. Temple uncovers a tangled web of deceit, betrayal and blackmail which leads him to a depraved undercover world. CAN DETECTIVE TEMPLE CATCH THE KILLER BEFORE HIS OWN LIFE FALLS APART? Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Damien Boyd, Rachel Abbott, Patricia Gibney or Mark Billingham. What readers are saying about WATCH HER DIE “Could not put it down.” SP “Well written and plotted, an excellent and complex crime novel.” MP ‘Loved this book, gripping story, kept me guessing till the end.’ DW “Compulsive read!” GC THE DETECTIVE As a small boy, DI Temple found his mother dead. She had been brutally murdered, with the crime unresolved. Temple is a man on a mission to find her killer, it’s why he joined the police. With the past throwing a long shadow over his life, as a detective, this makes him even more determined to seek justice for other victims as he hunts their killers. His personal quest makes him difficult to live with and difficult to work with and his relationships suffer. But he’ll stop at nothing to protect his family, even though they are estranged and if it means breaking the law. THE SETTING The DI Temple novels are set in Wiltshire, a largely rural county. Its landscape of beautiful rolling hills, downs and valleys gives no immunity to the crime that infects its scattered towns and villages. Steeped in ancient history, the tourist guides make no mention of the organised crime groups, the murders and turf wars, or the drugs that saturate the streets, lanes and school playgrounds. The M4 artery across the top of the county pumps its poison from London and Bristol, linking east and west coasts, providing criminal gangs and networks with an easy route to ply their deadly trade. THE AUTHOR Deborah Lucy worked for 25 years in Wiltshire Police, alongside a number of senior investigating officers as they investigated major crimes, including murders, missing persons, abduction and kidnaps. For three years she worked in the missing adults and children arena, with police, government policy advisers and charities. Latterly, she conducted lifestyle inquiries for international blue chip companies into the lives of billionaires, millionaires and politically exposed people around the world.

The Final Girl


Kenneth Preston - 2021
    One survived.Seventeen-year-old Jill Turner is the final girl, the lone survivor of a campsite massacre. Now, a killer is on the loose, and Jill holds the key to catching him. But this killer is no ordinary man. He is a monster, both alive and dead, and Jill knows this all too well. She knows what the monster is. She knows where he comes from. And she knows that he will kill again.For veteran homicide detective Darlene Moore, this case is personal. Having lost her daughter two years ago, she finds herself drawn to Jill, and she will stop at nothing to protect her. But there is something strange about Jill’s story, something that leads Darlene to wonder if the girl knows more about the killer than she is letting on.Jill is keeping a secret, one that has cost the lives of four of her friends. As Jill struggles with her past and the knowledge that her actions may have created a monster, Darlene races against time to stop a killer before he strikes again.

Lies People Tell


Liam Hanson - 2019
    A vicious killer on the loose. When DCI Bran Reece is called to the bloody crime scene of a brutally murdered woman, he thinks the case is his. And when the victim turns out to be the sister of his nemesis; believes the local gangster must be somehow involved.The new Chief Superintendent has other ideas. She sees the recently widowed Reece as a volatile risk-taker and puts him on leave, forcing him to watch from the sidelines. Or so she thinks. DS Elan Jenkins soon realises her boss’s replacement is out of his depth and takes matters into her own hands. But Elan has unknowingly put herself and others in grave danger.With the body count rising, can Reece and Jenkins overcome their personal issues and do what’s right? Even when the truth might be closer to home than either of them is willing to admit.

Crime Thriller Collection: 12 Heart Thumping Crime Thrillers, including the DI Karen Heath & DI Scott Baker Series, plus a standalone psychological thriller and a short story


Jay Nadal - 2020