good murder mystery books Audiobooks

I was told my daughter Esther died days after she was born, fourteen years ago. Now I know she is alive. And she’s been charged with murder. Esther has been living in foster care all her life, not knowing her mother ached for her. Was willing to fight for her. Now is my chance to make up for lost time. I will do anything to get my daughter back. Her father tried to take her from me once, but now nothing will get in my way. I just have to prove her innocence. Trouble is, she’s run away. Before I can I fight for her freedom, I have to find my daughter. And I will do anything to make that happen. Anything. I haven’t clawed my way out of a cult only to lose my child once more.

An enthralling, atmospheric new novel from the author of acclaimed debut Inherit the Bones , featuring Colorado police officer Gemma Monroe. It’s Halloween night in Cedar Valley. During the town’s annual festival, Detective Gemma Monroe takes a break from trick or treating with her family to visit an old family friend, retired Judge Caleb Montgomery, at his law office. To Gemma’s surprise, Caleb seems worried―haunted, even―and confides in her that he’s been receiving anonymous threats. Shortly after, as Gemma strolls back to her car, an explosion at Caleb’s office shatters the night. Reeling from the shock, Gemma and her team begin eliminating suspects and motives, but more keep appearing in their place, and soon another man is killed. Her investigation takes her from a chilling encounter with a convicted murderer at the Belle Vista Penitentiary, to the gilded rooms of the renovated Shotgun Playhouse, where Shakespeare’s cursed play Macbeth is set to open in a few weeks. Yet most disturbing of all is when Gemma realizes that similar murders have happened before. There is a copycat killer at play, and if Gemma can’t stop him, he’ll carry out his final, deadly act.

Jeffrey B. Burton's The Keepers is the next installment of the Mace Reid K-9 series, featuring golden retriever cadaver dog Vira and her handler, Mason Reid. Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection―that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira. When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o'clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself. The Keepers is an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you'll want to root for.

A HEARTSTOPPING MYSTERY FROM YOUR NEW CRIME FICTION OBSESSION: BIBA PEARCE. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A brilliant thriller . . . I was hooked and couldn't put it down.” Angela C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Every chapter has a massive turnaround . . . with a slap bang ending that you don't expect.” Booklover BEV ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The killer came as a total shock to me.” Angela F. Twelve years ago , Noah Palmer went for a bike ride and never came home. His body was found in the Box Hill woods, a five-pointed star carved in his chest. He is the fourth victim of a serial killer who has never been caught. Now , a young woman is involved in a shooting outside Harrods in central London. Her DNA shows a familial match to the Box Hill cold case. Detective Rob Miller leads the investigation. But there’s not much to go on. Just when he thinks he’s got a lead, the case is turned on its head. To solve this mystery, Rob’s going to have to go off-book, potentially putting his career — and already complicated love life — on the line. Can he stop the Box Hill killer? A TWIST IN EVERY CHAPTER — YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN THIS UNSTOPPABLE CRIME MYSTERY. This gripping page-turner is perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, James Oswald, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, L.J. Ross, Alex Smith and J.M. Dalgliesh. MEET THE DETECTIVE DI ROB MILLER Detective Inspector Rob Miller of the Met is finally given his first case as Senior Investigating Officer. For an ambitious, young detective, this is a dream come true. He’s gunning for promotion, and will do anything for his job, but can he also keep his personal life in check? THE SETTING The Murder Investigation Team is based out of leafy Putney, with its overgrown often-flooded riverbanks. One way the river leads into central London, the other out into the countryside. It’s an idyllic setting that masks a criminal underworld. PRAISE FOR THE BOX HILL KILLER : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Kept me guessing until the end.” Barbara ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Cleverly crafted plot, suspense from start to finish, a real page-turner . . . This is a must read.” Rubie C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Biba Pearce has created another gem of a crime thriller.” John D. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I can usually guess at who the bad guy is but this one through me for a loop! I was pretty shocked at the who done it!” Debbie B. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A twisty mystery and a surprising ending. Very much recommended!” Hannelore C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Fast moving and full of surprise twists to keep the reader on their toes.” Ruth G. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Very well done, Ms. Pearce.” Joyce F. DETECTIVE ROB MILLER MYSTERY SERIES Book 1: THE THAMES PATH KILLER Book 2: THE WEST LONDON MURDERS Book 3: THE BISLEY WOOD MURDERS Book 4: THE BOX HILL KILLER

The simple life gets complicated when death comes calling in the first novel in the national bestselling Amish Mystery series. Claire Weatherly has fled a high-stress lifestyle for a slower pace—in Amish country: Heavenly, Pennsylvania. She only planned a short visit but instead found herself opening an Amish specialty shop, Heavenly Treasures, and settling in.Claire loves her new home, and she’s slowly making friends among the locals, including Esther, a young Amish woman who works in the shop. So when the store’s former owner,the unlikable Walter Snow, is murdered, and the man Esther is sweet on becomes a suspect, Claire can’t help but get involved. Newly returned Detective Jakob Fisher, who left Heavenly—and his Amish upbringing—as a teenager, is on the case. But his investigation is stalled by the fact that none of his former community will speak with him. Claire’s connections make her the perfect go-between. As Claire investigates, she uncovers more than she wanted to know about her neighbors. And suddenly, everything she had hoped to find in this peaceful refuge is at risk...

California wedding planner, Kate Ludlow, moves back home to New England after her marriage implodes. In tow is her teen daughter Ellis, unhappy and nervous about the move. Suddenly, Kate's responsible for turning her part-time wedding planner gig into a full-time business. Kate's off to a good start, too, when she books the society wedding of the year. The prosperity of her business is dependent on the success of Marcy Simpson's wedding. The joy of an unlimited wedding business is intoxicating. But when Kate's best florist is murdered, her focus changes from pulling off the year's most glamourous wedding to saving her own skin-for Kate's suspect number one for the murder. Further complicating her life, Kate's old high school flame, Brian McAllister, is the police detective assigned to the murder case. The spark is definitely not gone from their connection, as they have unfinished feelings. Throw in a scavenger hunt for an antique missing family ring, the job transfer of Kate's ex to New England, and quirky and endearing townsfolk, Kate has more than she can handle-almost.

The fourth book in Joanna Schaffhausen's heartpounding Ellery Hathaway mystery series, Every Waking Hour .... After surviving a serial killer’s abduction as a young teenager, Ellery Hathaway is finally attempting a normal life. She has a new job as a rookie Boston detective and a fledgling relationship with Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her years ago. But when a twelve-year-old girl disappears on Ellery’s watch, the troubling case opens deep wounds that never fully healed. Chloe Lockhart walked away from a busy street fair and vanished into the crowd. Maybe she was fleeing the suffocating surveillance her parents put on her from the time she was born, or maybe the evil from her parents’ past finally caught up to her. For Chloe, as Ellery learns, is not the first child Teresa Lockhart has lost. Ellery knows what it’s like to have the past stalk you, to hold your breath around every corner. Sending one kidnapped girl to find another could be Chloe’s only hope or an unmitigated disaster that dooms them both. Ellery must untangle the labyrinth of secrets inside the Lockhart household -- secrets that have already murdered one child. Each second that ticks by reminds her of her own lost hours, how close she came to death, and how near it still remains.

High summer in River Bluffs, Indiana, is always sweltering and sweet. But the heat is really on when a decidedly dead body turns up in the neighborhood. When established house flippers Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod donate a week’s worth of remodeling work to Jazzi’s sister Olivia, they’re expecting nothing more than back-breaking roofing work and cold beers at the end of each long, hot day. With Jazzi’s live-in boyfriend and partner Ansel on the team, it promises to be a quick break before starting their next big project—until Leo, an elderly neighbor of Olivia’s, unexpectedly goes missing . . . When the friendly senior’s dog tugs Jazzi and the guys toward the wetlands beyond Olivia’s neighborhood, they stumble across a decomposing corpse—and a lot of questions. With Jazzi’s pal Detective Gaff along to investigate, Jazzi finds her hands full of a whole new mystery instead of the usual hammer and nails. And this time it will take some sophisticated sleuthing to track down the culprit of the deadly crime—before the killer turns on her next . . .

“This book kept me up late as I had to finish it reading all in one go and only stopped for dinner!” Robert “Perfect combination of intrigue, hope, teamwork and relationships. So well written I could almost smell the winter air .” Tom "It’s fast-paced, enjoyable, entertaining and unputdownable reading. What a terrific first book for Biba Pearce.” Peggy “ This could make a great serial killer murder mystery movie , or better yet a mini TV series.” Tony “A fast-paced story with surprises coming all the time to keep the reader’s interest. It is a hard one to put down.” Elouise A SCINTILLATING DEBUT MYSTERY FROM YOUR NEW CRIME FICTION OBSESSION: BIBA PEARCE. Please note this book is a completely revised edition of THE SURREY STALKER. A deranged serial killer targeting brides-to-be. An ambitious young detective. A case that could destroy everything. A young woman is brutally attacked on her way home. It looks like she was the victim of a jilted — and twisted — ex-lover. But then two more women, also engaged to be married, are found dead. The press call the killer the ‘Surrey Stalker’. And there’s a stack of similar cold case files. The pressure is on for young, ambitious DI Rob Miller. But with all the time he’s spending at the office, Rob’s also running a fine line trying to keep his fiancée, Yvette, onside as they try to plan their wedding . . . AN UNSTOPPABLE CRIME MYSTERY THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN This page-turning debut is perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, James Oswald, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, L.J. Ross, Alex Smith and J.M. Dalgliesh. MEET THE DETECTIVE DI ROB MILLER Detective Inspector Rob Miller of the Met is finally given his first case as Senior Investigating Officer. For an ambitious, young detective, this is a dream come true. He’s gunning for promotion, and will do anything for his job, but can he also keep his personal life in check? THE SETTING The Murder Investigation Team is based out of leafy Putney, with its overgrown often-flooded riverbanks. One way the river leads into central London, the other out into the countryside. It’s an idyllic setting that masks a criminal underworld. PRAISE FOR THE THAMES PATH KILLER : “A very well written police murder mystery with a great plot and well developed, believable characters.” Pete “I love the plot and found it very interesting, it kept me guessing throughout .” Sharon “It pulled me in and keep me turning the pages. DI Miller is likeable and I look forward to reading more of this series .” Yvonne “The beginning of an awesome new thriller/police procedural series . I am so pleased to discover this new author.” Saundra “This is a gripping story you won’t want to put down. Twists keep you turning pages.” Sharon “ I thoroughly enjoyed this book — my first read by this author and I am pleased to find out there are more in this series.” Catherine “This story will grip you from the beginning and keep you reading!” Pat

A HEARTSTOPPING MYSTERY FROM YOUR NEW CRIME FICTION OBSESSION: BIBA PEARCE. His mentor slain. A detective out for revenge. A criminal mastermind always one step ahead. Detective Rob Miller is at home with his crying newborn son when he gets the news. Retired Chief Superintendent Sam Lawrence, Rob’s friend and mentor, has been shot dead. Lawrence had always been his rock. Rob is devastated. An hour ago Lawrence had called to ask him to meet, but Rob couldn’t go because he was on daddy duty. Now he will hunt down the killer — but his boss thinks he’s too emotionally involved. This time it’s personal, but it’s not the only murder Rob’s got on his plate. The body of a young man is found on the south bank of the Thames near the London Eye with an unusual stamp on his wrist. Are the two killings related? Then a suspect has their throat slashed in custody and another body bearing the same stamp turns up. Rob knows this is not the work of some amateur criminal, but someone with terrifying reach — and the name they keep hearing is the Wolf. His baby won’t sleep. His partner needs him. Can he be there for them and bring a killer to justice? AN UNSTOPPABLE CRIME MYSTERY THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN. This gripping page-turner is perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, James Oswald, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, L.J. Ross, Janice Frost and J.M. Dalgliesh. MEET THE DETECTIVE DI ROB MILLER An ambitious young detective gunning for promotion. He will do anything for his job, but can he also keep his personal life under control? THE SETTING The Murder Investigation Team is based out of leafy Putney, with its overgrown often-flooded riverbanks. One way the river leads into central London, the other out into the countryside. It’s an idyllic setting that masks a criminal underworld. PRAISE FOR THE SOUTH BANK MURDERS : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Fast paced! Riveting! Emotional! Suspenseful! Compelling! Complex! This book brings it ALL!! ” Tam ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is a brilliant read. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.” Billie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A good read full of twists and turns and an excellent ending.” Carole ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I was gripped from beginning to end . It was a real page turner and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.” Barbara ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Good story line, and characters, making it one to recommend .” Iain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I honestly stayed awake until 3 a.m. to finish this as I just couldn’t put it down , having been hooked right from the first few pages.” Many B. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A big twist near the end leads to a fast-paced and very satisfying conclusion.” Paul