Books with category Suspense
Displaying books 433-480 of 538 in total

Mygale

2003

by Thierry Jonquet

Richard Lafargue is an eminent plastic surgeon haunted by dirty secrets. He has an operating theatre in the basement of his chateau and keeps his partner Eve imprisoned in her bedroom, a room he has equipped with an intercom and 300-watt speakers through which he bellows orders. Eve is only allowed out to be paraded at cocktail parties and on the last Sunday of each month, when the couple visits a young woman in a mental asylum.

Following these outings, Lafargue humiliates Eve by forcing her to perform lewd sexual acts with strangers while he watches through a one-way mirror. In alternating chapters, Jonquet introduces seemingly unrelated characters - a criminal on the run after murdering a policeman, and an abducted young man who finds himself chained naked in a dark chamber, forced to endure all manner of physical torture at the hands of a mysterious stranger, whom he calls 'Mygale', after a type of tropical spider. All of these characters are caught in a deceitful web, doomed to meet their fate.

Blindsighted

2002

by Karin Slaughter

A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it's only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer's twisted work becomes clear.

Sara's ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, leads the investigation—a trail of terror that grows increasingly macabre when another local woman is found crucified a few days later. But he's got more than a sadistic serial killer on his hands, for the county's sole female detective, Lena Adams—the first victim's sister—wants to serve her own justice.

But it is Sara who holds the key to finding the killer. A secret from her past could unmask the brilliantly malevolent psychopath... or mean her death.

Strangers

2002

by Dean Koontz

Six strangers are unaccountably seized by nightmares, attacks of fear, and bouts of uncharacteristic behavior. The six begin to seek each other out as puzzling photographs and messages arrive, indicating that the cause may lie in a forgotten weekend stay at an isolated Nevada motel.


Koontz has topped a fine roster of horror and suspense novels with an almost unbearably suspenseful page-turner. His ability to maintain the mystery through several plot twists is impressive, as is his array of believable and sympathetic characters.


With its masterful blend of elements of espionage, terror, and even some science fiction, Strangers may be the suspense novel of the year.

Last Man Standing

2002

by David Baldacci

Last Man Standing is a gripping thriller that delves into the intense world of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team. Web London, the sole survivor of a devastating ambush, finds himself in a fight not only to unravel the mystery behind the attack but also to reclaim his shattered reputation.

Trained to penetrate hostile grounds and come out alive, Web's world is turned upside down after a harrowing ten seconds in a dark alley that cost him everything: his friends, his fellow agents, and his standing among his elite peers. With suspicion hanging over him, Web embarks on a desperate search for answers.

In his quest to uncover the truth, Web teams up with psychiatrist Claire Daniels and a ten-year-old boy, the only other survivor of the ambush. As Web retraces his steps back to the bloodstained alley, he realizes that the assassin is still at large, and this time, one of them will truly become the Last Man Standing.

Red Rabbit

2002

by Tom Clancy

Red Rabbit takes us back to the early days of Jack Ryan, long before he was President or head of the CIA. Before he fought terrorist attacks on the Super Bowl or the White House, even before a submarine named Red October made its perilous way across the Atlantic, Jack Ryan was a historian, teacher, and recent ex-Marine temporarily living in England while researching a book.

A series of deadly encounters with an IRA splinter group had brought him to the attention of the CIA's Deputy Director, Vice Admiral James Greer—as well as his counterpart with the British SIS, Sir Basil Charleston. When Greer asked him if he wanted to come aboard as a freelance analyst, Jack was quick to accept. The opportunity was irresistible, and he was sure he could fit it in with the rest of his work.

And then Jack forgot all about the rest of his work, because one of his first assignments was to help debrief a high-level Soviet defector. The defector told an amazing tale: Top Soviet officials, including Yuri Andropov, were planning to assassinate the Pope, John Paul II. Could it be true?

As the days and weeks go by, Ryan must battle, first to try to confirm the plot, and then to prevent it. This is a brave new world, and nothing he has done up to now has prepared him for the lethal game of cat-and-mouse that is the Soviet Union versus the United States. In the end, it will be not just the Pope's life but the stability of the Western world that is at stake... and it may already be too late for a novice CIA analyst to do anything about it.

Desecration

Desecration: Antichrist Takes the Throne is the thrilling ninth installment in the Left Behind series. This gripping novel follows the Tribulation Force as they summon their courage against the menacing, newly-resurrected Carpathia. This malevolent figure shows a disturbing fondness for gruesome killings of those who dare to remain unloyal to him.

In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, Carpathia commits the ultimate act of desecration against the Judeo-Christian community, pushing the boundaries of evil. The stakes are unimaginably high, and the suspense is palpable as the characters navigate through this apocalyptic landscape.

Without Fail

2002

by Lee Child

Skilled, cautious, and anonymous, Jack Reacher is perfect for the job: to assassinate the vice president of the United States. Theoretically, of course.

A female Secret Service agent wants Reacher to find the holes in her system, and fast—because a covert group already has the vice president in their sights. They’ve planned well. There’s just one thing they didn’t plan on: Reacher.

Cape Refuge

Thelma and Wayne Owens run a bed and breakfast in Cape Refuge, Georgia. They minister to the seamen on the nearby docks and prisoners just out of nearby jails, holding services in an old warehouse and taking many of the "down-and-outers" into their home.

They have two daughters: the dutiful Morgan, who is married to Jonathan, a fisherman, and helps them out at the B & B, and Blair, the still-single town librarian, who would be beautiful if it weren’t for the serious scar on the side of her face.

After a heated, public argument with his in-laws, Jonathan discovers Thelma and Wayne murdered in the warehouse where they held their church services. Considered the prime suspect, Jonathan is arrested. Grief-stricken, Morgan and Blair launch their own investigation to help Matthew Cade, the town’s young police chief, find the real killer.

Shady characters and a raft of suspects keep the plot twisting and the suspense building as we learn not only who murdered Thelma and Wayne, but also the secrets about their family’s past and the true reason for Blair’s disfigurement.

The English Assassin

2002

by Daniel Silva

The English Assassin by Daniel Silva is a gripping tale that combines the worlds of art restoration and international espionage. Gabriel Allon, an Israeli spy turned art restorer, is drawn back into the dangerous world he thought he had left behind.

When Allon arrives in Zurich to restore a painting for a reclusive millionaire banker, he finds himself amidst a murder scene, with the millionaire lying dead at the foot of a priceless Raphael. As Allon tries to clear his name, he is plunged into a spiraling chain of events involving Nazi art theft, a decades-old suicide, and a series of brutal killings.

The stakes are high as Gabriel battles wits with an assassin he once trained, in a game of cat and mouse that spans the globe. With the Swiss authorities on his tail and a powerful cabal intent on keeping wartime secrets buried, Allon must use all his spy skills to uncover the truth.

This novel is tense, taut, and expertly crafted, brimming with unexpected reversals and thrilling action. Daniel Silva delivers a masterful story, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The Lake of Dead Languages

2002

by Carol Goodman

The Lake of Dead Languages is an evocative and intricate thriller that captures the reader's imagination. In the haunting tradition of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, this accomplished debut novel explores the shadowy corridors of youthful innocence tainted by dark sins.

Twenty years ago, Jane Hudson left the Heart Lake School for Girls in the Adirondacks after a terrible tragedy. Now, she returns to the serene yet isolated shores of the lakeside school as a Latin teacher, seeking a fresh start with her young daughter. However, ominous messages from the past begin to surface, dredging up forgotten memories that soon turn into a living nightmare.

Since freshman year, Jane and her two roommates, Lucy Toller and Deirdre Hall, were inseparable—studying the classics, performing school rituals by the lake, and sneaking out after curfew to meet Lucy’s charismatic brother, Matt. But during the last winter before graduation, their sheltered wonderland was shattered when three lives were claimed by senseless suicide.

Only Jane survived to carry the burden of a mystery that has remained hidden for more than two decades in the dark depths of Heart Lake. Now, pages from Jane’s missing journal, written during that tragic time, have reappeared, revealing shocking, long-buried secrets. As the truth slowly surfaces, young, troubled girls begin to die once again...

Compelling, sensuous, and intelligent, The Lake of Dead Languages is an eloquent thriller, balancing suspense and fine storytelling, and showcasing Carol Goodman's rare talent with a brilliant future.

Plum Island

2002

by Nelson DeMille

The hair-raising suspense of The General's Daughter... the wry wit of The Gold Coast...this is vintage Nelson DeMille at the peak of his originality and the height of his powers. Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide cop John Corey is convalescing in rural eastern Long Island when an attractive young couple he knows is found shot to death on the family patio. The victims were biologists at Plum Island, a research site rumored to be an incubator for germ warfare.

Suddenly, a local double murder takes on shattering global implications -- and thrusts Corey and two extraordinary women into a dangerous search for the secret of PLUM ISLAND....

The Mark

The Mark: The Beast Rules the World is an enthralling installment in the Left Behind series. An evil world leader proclaims himself the Antichrist, drawing up plans to mark all human beings. However, the determined members of the Tribulation Force are set on stopping him.

This eighth book in the internationally acclaimed series explores themes of faith, courage, and perseverance as the world spirals into chaos.

Roses are Red

2001

by James Patterson

In this heart-pounding but touchingly romantic thriller, Detective Alex Cross pursues the most complex and brilliant killer he's ever confronted - a mysterious criminal who calls himself the Mastermind.

In a series of crimes that has stunned Washington, D.C., bank robbers have been laying out precise demands when they enter the building - and then killing the bank employees and their families if those instructions are not followed to the letter.

Detective Alex Cross takes on the case, certain that this is no ordinary bank robber at work - the pathological need for control and perfection is too great. Cross is in the midst of a personal crisis at home, but the case becomes all-consuming as he learns that the Mastermind is plotting one huge, last, perfect crime.

Strangers on a Train

The world of Patricia Highsmith has always been filled with ordinary people, all of whom are capable of very ordinary crimes. This theme was present from the beginning, when her debut novel, Strangers on a Train, galvanized the reading public.

Here we encounter Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno, passengers on the same train. But while Guy is a successful architect in the midst of a divorce, Bruno turns out to be a sadistic psychopath who manipulates Guy into swapping murders with him. “Some people are better off dead,” Bruno remarks, “like your wife and my father, for instance.” As Bruno carries out his twisted plan, Guy is trapped in Highsmith’s perilous world, where, under the right circumstances, anybody is capable of murder.

The inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1951 film, Strangers on a Train launched Highsmith on a prolific career of noir fiction, proving her a master at depicting the unsettling forces that tremble beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.

The Sky is Falling

2001

by Sidney Sheldon

Washington TV anchorwoman Dana Evans suspects the accidents befalling the rich Winthrop family, killing all five members, were murders. Like Chicken Little and the sky falling, she chases clues across the world to unravel an international conspiracy. The inheritance goes to charity, so money is not the motive.

Her Sarajevo ward Kemal gets expelled, a prosthetic arm, then often naps afternoons under care of kindly new housekeeper. Unseen agents follow her, bug hotel rooms, while an evil mastermind voice overhears taped conversations and supervises regular secret auctions, inviting armed wealthy customers. Witnesses and informants die before, and after meetings. Friends become foes, nobody can be trusted.

As she closes in on her suspect, the shocking secrets she then unearths place Dana and her young son in dire jeopardy and -- in an unexpected turn of events -- Dana becomes the hunted. Can Dana outwit her pursuers and expose the truth that will astound the world?

Crimson Rivers

A horrifically mutilated corpse is discovered wedged in an isolated crevice. The highly-regarded but unpredictable ex-commando Pierre Niémans is sent from Paris to the French Alps to investigate. Meanwhile, Karim Abdouf, a young Arab policeman, is trying to find out why the tomb of a young child has been desecrated.

When a second body is found, high up in a glacier, the paths of the two policemen are joined in their search for the killers, a trail that embroils them with the mysterious cult of the Crimson Rivers.

Carolina Moon

2001

by Nora Roberts

Tory Bodeen grew up in South Carolina, in a small run-down house, where her father ruled with an iron fist and a leather belt—and where her dreams and talents had no room to flourish. But she had Hope, who lived in the big house just a short skip away and whose friendship allowed Tory to be something she wasn't allowed to be at home: a child.

After young Hope's brutal murder, unsolved to this day, Tory's life began to fall apart. And now, as she returns to her hometown, with plans to settle in and open a stylish home-design shop, she is determined to find a measure of peace and free herself from the haunting visions of the past.

As she forges a new bond with Cade Lavelle—Hope's older brother and the heir to the family fortune—she isn't sure whether the tragic loss they share will unite them or drive them apart. But she is willing to open her heart, just a little, and try.

Living so close to those unhappy memories will be more difficult and frightening than Tory could ever have expected, however. Because Hope's murderer is nearby as well...

From the Corner of His Eye

2000

by Dean Koontz

His birth was marked by wonder and tragedy. He sees beauty and terror beyond our deepest dreams. His story will change the way you see the world.

Bartholomew Lampion is born on a day of tragedy and terror that will mark his family forever. All agree that his unusual eyes are the most beautiful they have ever seen. On this same day, a thousand miles away, a ruthless man learns that he has a mortal enemy named Bartholomew. He embarks on a relentless search to find this enemy, a search that will consume his life.

And a girl is born from a brutal rape, her destiny mysteriously linked to Barty and the man who stalks him. At the age of three, Barty Lampion is blinded when surgeons remove his eyes to save him from a fast-spreading cancer.

As he copes with his blindness and proves to be a prodigy, his mother counsels him that all things happen for a reason and that every person’s life has an effect on every other person’s, in often unknowable ways. At thirteen, Bartholomew regains his sight. How he regains it, why he regains it, and what happens as his amazing life unfolds and entwines with others results in a breathtaking journey of courage, heart-stopping suspense, and high adventure.

Hiding in the Shadows

2000

by Kay Hooper

Terror waits just out of sight: Hiding In The Shadows

Accident victim Faith Parker has done what her doctors feared she never would: awakened from the coma that held her prisoner for weeks. But she has no memory of the crash that nearly killed her—or the life that led up to it. Nor does she remember journalist Dinah Leighton, the steadfast friend who visited her in the hospital... until she disappeared without a trace.

Now as Faith begins to regain her strength, she's shocked by intimate dreams of a man she doesn't recognize and tortured by visions of violence that feel painfully real. Something inexplicable ties her lost memories to Dinah's chilling fate. But even as Faith tries to understand the connection and reach out to save Dinah, death is stalking both women. And one of them will not escape its lethal grasp.

FBI agent Noah Bishop has a rare gift for seeing what others do not, a gift that helps him solve the most puzzling cases. Join him in this electrifying tale of psychic suspense!

Tick Tock

2000

by Dean Koontz

Tommy Phan, a successful detective novelist, comes home one evening to find a small rag doll on his doorstep. That night, with the popping of two stitches, something terrifying will emerge to tear apart the fabric of Tommy's reality—and his life.

Airport

2000

by Arthur Hailey

Airport is a gripping thriller that unfolds over the course of a single, chaotic evening at Lincoln International Airport outside Chicago. A ferocious blizzard wreaks havoc, pushing the airport and airline personnel to their limits as they try to cope with this unstoppable force of nature that endangers thousands of lives.

In the air, a lone plane struggles to reach its destination, battling the elements. Over the course of seven pulse-pounding hours, a tense human drama plays out as a brilliant airport manager, an arrogant pilot, a tough maintenance man, and a beautiful stewardess strive to avert disaster.

Featuring a diverse cast of vibrant characters, Airport is both a realistic depiction of the airline industry and a novel of nail-biting suspense.

Running Blind

2000

by Lee Child

Women are being murdered nationwide by a killer who leaves no trace of evidence, no fatal wounds, no signs of struggle, and no clues to an apparent motive. All the victims have one thing in common: they each knew Jack Reacher.

Jack Reacher is back, dragged into what looks like a series of grisly serial murders by a team of FBI profilers who aren't totally sure he's not the killer they're looking for, but believe that even if he isn't, he's smart enough to help them find the real killer. And what they've got on the ex-MP, who's starred in three previous Lee Child thrillers, is enough to ensure his grudging cooperation: phony charges stemming from Reacher's inadvertent involvement in a protection shakedown and the threat of harm to the woman he loves.

The killer's victims have only one thing in common--all of them brought sexual harassment charges against their military superiors and all resigned from the army after winning their cases. The manner, if not the cause, of their deaths is gruesomely the same: they died in their own bathtubs, covered in gallons of camouflage paint, but they didn't drown and they weren't shot, strangled, poisoned, or attacked. Even the FBI forensic specialists can't figure out why they seem to have gone willingly to their mysterious deaths.

Reacher isn't sure whether the killings are an elaborate cover-up for corruption involving stolen military hardware or the work of a maniac who's smart enough to leave absolutely no clues behind. This compelling, iconic antihero dead-ends in a lot of alleys before he finally figures it out, but every one is worth exploring and the suspense doesn't let up for a second. The ending will come as a complete surprise to even the most careful reader, and as Reacher strides off into the sunset, you'll wonder what's in store for him in his next adventure.

Tripwire

2000

by Lee Child

Jack Reacher, ex-military policeman, was enjoying the laid-back life in Key West until everything changed. The tranquility was shattered when Costello, a friendly private investigator, turned up dead. This amiable PI had been hired in New York by the daughter of Reacher's mentor and former commanding officer, General Garber.

Garber's investigation into a Vietnam MIA sets Reacher on a collision course with the sinister hand-less "Hook" Hobie, who is mere hours away from pulling off his biggest score yet. As the plot unfolds, Reacher finds himself embroiled in a web of danger and deceit, forcing him to confront his own past.

Join Reacher on this thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists and turns, as he navigates a world where danger lurks around every corner.

When the Wind Blows

2000

by James Patterson

Frannie O'Neill is a caring young veterinarian living in the Colorado Rockies, trying to erase the memory of her beloved husband's mysterious murder. It is not long before another neighbor suddenly dies, and FBI agent Kit Harrison arrives at Frannie's doorstep. Kit is hell-bent on solving the heinous case despite resounding protests from the FBI and the thrashing of his own internal demons.


Kit secretly pursues the investigation, yet witnesses keep turning up dead. Then Frannie stumbles upon an astonishing discovery in the nearby woods, and their lives are altered in ways they could never have imagined. Simply knowing the secret of Max — the terrified 11-year-old girl with an amazing gift — could mean death.


As more and more diabolical details are unearthed, the murderer's bloody trail ultimately leads the trio to an underground lab network, known as "the School." Here scientists conduct shockingly incomprehensible experiments involving children and genetic alteration.

Pop Goes the Weasel

1999

by James Patterson

Detective Alex Cross is back—and he's in love. But his happiness is threatened by a series of chilling murders in Washington, D.C., murders with a pattern so twisted they leave investigators reeling.

Cross's pursuit of the killer produces a suspect, a British diplomat named Geoffrey Shafer. But proving he's the murderer becomes a potentially deadly task. As Shafer engages in a brilliant series of surprising counter moves, Alex and his fiancée become hopelessly entangled with the most memorable nemesis Cross has ever faced.

The Quiet Game

1999

by Greg Iles

Penn Cage, a recently widowed prosecutor from Houston, returns to his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, seeking solace and peace. But what he finds is a town steeped in old secrets and older money.

When Penn discovers that his father is being blackmailed, he reopens a notorious murder case that has haunted the town for decades. This quest for truth pits him against the FBI and a powerful group intent on protecting their tainted legacy.

As Penn delves deeper into the mystery, he is joined by Caitlin Masters, a young newspaper publisher, on a dangerous journey to uncover one of the darkest chapters in American history. Together, they face threats from all sides, but Penn's most perilous journey is into his own past and the unresolved emotions linked to a woman he lost twenty years ago.

This gripping thriller is a tale of suspense, exploring themes of justice, family loyalty, and the enduring power of love and redemption.

Journey Under the Midnight Sun

1999

by Keigo Higashino

When a man is found murdered in an abandoned building in Osaka in 1973, the unflappable detective Sasagaki is assigned to the case. He begins to piece together the connection of two young people who are inextricably linked to the crime: the dark, taciturn son of the victim and the unexpectedly captivating daughter of the main suspect.

Over the next twenty years, we follow their lives as Sasagaki pursues the case, which remains unsolved, to the point of obsession. Stark, intriguing, and stylish, Journey Under the Midnight Sun is an epic mystery by the bestselling Japanese author.

A Small Death in Lisbon

1999

by Robert Wilson

A Small Death in Lisbon is a complex literary thriller that intertwines two gripping narratives set in different eras. The story masterfully shifts between 1941 Germany and 1999 Lisbon, offering a rich tapestry of historical intrigue and modern-day mystery.


In 1941, Klaus Felsen, an industrialist, is coerced by the SS high command to travel to Lisbon to oversee the smuggling of wolfram, a critical element for Hitler's blitzkrieg. Neutral Portugal becomes a battleground of clandestine operations, where business trumps alliances.


Fast forward to 1999, where the brutal murder of a young woman, Catarina Oliveira, on a Lisbon beach draws in Inspector Ze Coelho, a widower with a daughter. As Coelho delves into the case, he uncovers layers of personal and historical secrets, connecting past sins with present-day consequences.


This novel paints a vivid portrait of Lisbon's transformation post-1974 revolution and the lingering scars from World War II, seen through the eyes of both Germans and Portuguese. The narrative is leisurely yet compelling, leading to an extraordinary climax as the two timelines converge.

Fail-Safe

Something has gone wrong. A group of American bombers armed with nuclear weapons is streaking past the fail-safe point, beyond recall, and no one knows why. Their destination—Moscow.

In a bomb shelter beneath the White House, the calm young president turns to his Russian translator and says, "I think we are ready to talk to Premier Kruschchev." Not far away, in the War Room at the Pentagon, the secretary of defense and his aides watch with growing anxiety as the luminous blips crawl across a huge screen map. High over the Bering Strait in a large Vindicator bomber, a colonel stares in disbelief at the attack code number on his fail-safe box and wonders if it could possibly be a mistake.

First published in 1962, when America was still reeling from the Cuban missile crisis, Fail-Safe reflects the apocalyptic attitude that pervaded society during the height of the Cold War, when disaster could have struck at any moment. As more countries develop nuclear capabilities and the potential for new enemies lurks on the horizon, Fail-Safe and its powerful issues continue to respond.

Transfer of Power

1999

by Vince Flynn

On a busy Washington morning, amid the shuffle of tourists and the brisk rush of government officials, the stately calm of the White House is shattered in a hail of gunfire. A group of terrorists has descended on the Executive Mansion, gaining access by means of a violent massacre that has left dozens of innocent bystanders murdered.


Through the quick actions of the Secret Service, the president is evacuated to his underground bunker, but not before almost one hundred hostages are taken. While the politicians and the military leaders argue over how to negotiate with the terrorists, one man is sent in to break through the barrage of panicked responses and political agendas surrounding the chaotic crisis.


Mitch Rapp, the CIA's top counterterrorism operative, makes his way into the White House and soon discovers that the president is not as safe as Washington's power elite had thought. Moving stealthily among the corridors and secret passageways of the White House, stepping terrifyingly close to the enemy, Rapp scrambles to save the hostages before the terrorists can extract the president from the safety of his bunker.


In a race against time, Rapp makes a chilling discovery that could rock Washington to its core: someone within his own government is maneuvering in hopes that his rescue attempt will fail.

Surfacing

1998

by Margaret Atwood

Surfacing is a compelling novel that intertwines elements of a detective story and a psychological thriller. It follows the journey of a talented woman artist who ventures into the remote wilderness of northern Quebec in search of her missing father. Accompanied by her lover and another young couple, she finds herself immersed in the captivating yet isolating environment where relationships unravel, and hidden dangers lurk beneath the surface.

Violence and death become ever-present threats as sex becomes a catalyst for conflict and perilous decisions. This novel is rich with suspense and complex, layered meanings, offering a profound exploration of contemporary life, nature, family dynamics, and the journey of women seeking to mend their fragmented selves and become whole.

Written in brilliant, diamond-sharp prose, Surfacing is a masterful work that invites readers into a world of introspection and discovery, where the wilderness serves as both a setting and a metaphor for the protagonist's internal journey.

A Noble Radiance

1998

by Donna Leon

Donna Leon has topped European bestseller lists for more than a decade with a series of mysteries featuring clever Commissario Guido Brunetti. Always ready to bend the rules to uncover the threads of a crime, Brunetti manages to maintain his integrity while maneuvering through a city rife with politics, corruption, and intrigue.

In A Noble Radiance, a new landowner is summoned urgently to his house not far from Venice when workmen accidentally unearth a macabre grave. The human corpse is badly decomposed, but a ring found nearby proves to be a first clue that reopens an infamous case of kidnapping involving one of Venice's most aristocratic families. Only Commissario Brunetti can unravel the clues and find his way into both the heart of patrician Venice and that of a family grieving for their abducted son.

Black and Blue

1998

by Anna Quindlen

For eighteen years, Fran Benedetto kept her secret and hid her bruises. She stayed with Bobby because she wanted her son to have a father, and because, in spite of everything, she loved him. Then one night, when she saw the look on her ten-year-old son's face, Fran finally made a choice—and ran for both their lives.

Now she is starting over in a city far from home, far from Bobby. In this place, she uses a name that isn't hers, cradles her son in her arms, and tries to forget. For the woman who now calls herself Beth, every day is a chance to heal, to put together the pieces of her shattered self. And every day she waits for Bobby to catch up to her. Because Bobby always said he would never let her go. Despite the flawlessness of her escape, Fran Benedetto is certain of one thing: It is only a matter of time...

Fear Nothing

1998

by Dean Koontz

Christopher Snow is different from all the other residents of Moonlight Bay, different from anyone you've ever met. For Christopher Snow has made his peace with a very rare genetic disorder shared by only one thousand other Americans, a disorder that leaves him dangerously vulnerable to light. His life is filled with the fascinating rituals of one who must embrace the dark.

He knows the night as no one else ever will, ever can - the mystery, the beauty, the many terrors, and the eerie, silken rhythms of the night - for it is only at night that he is free.

Until the night he witnesses a series of disturbing incidents that sweep him into a violent mystery only he can solve, a mystery that will force him to rise above all fears and confront the many-layered strangeness of Moonlight Bay and its residents.

Harvest

1997

by Tess Gerritsen

Medical resident Dr. Abby Matteo is elated when the elite cardiac transplant team at Boston's Bayside Hospital taps her as a potential recruit. But faced with a tormenting life-and-death decision, Abby helps direct a crash victim's harvested heart to a dying teenager instead of the wealthy older woman who was supposed to receive it. The repercussions leave Abby shaken and plagued with self-doubt.

Suddenly, a new heart appears, and the woman's transplant is completed. Then Abby makes a terrible discovery. The donor records have been falsified — the new heart has not come through the proper channels. Defying the hospital's demands for silence, she begins her own investigation that reveals a murderous, unthinkable conspiracy. Every move Abby makes spawns a vicious backlash...and on a ship anchored in the waters of Boston harbor, the grisly truth lies waiting.

State of Mind

1997

by John Katzenbach

Jeffrey Clayton, a professor of abnormal psychology, struggles with a dark past. Twenty-five years ago, Jeffrey and his mother and sister fled from his tyrannical father—a man who was later suspected in the heinous murder of a young student. Though the father was never charged, he committed suicide. Or so it seemed.

Since then, Jeffrey's mother and his sister, Susan, have concealed themselves in the remote, tangled swamps of the Upper Keys, where Susan creates word games for Miami Magazine. But someone has sent her a cryptic note. Once deciphered, it carries a terrifying message: I have found you.

At the same time, a serial killer has invaded a community whose citizens seek a haven of old-fashioned values. And one new-fashioned guarantee: unconditional safety. But no one is safe from this intruder—who murders young girls in unspeakable ways.

Is Jeffrey Clayton's father the source of this latest killing spree? The authorities think so, and they present Jeffrey with an ultimatum: Find the butcher responsible for the newborn spate of carnage. Find your father.

As this race-against-time scenario unfolds, each player—brother, sister, mother—becomes a pawn in a cunning killer's elaborate maze. "He plays at death," Jeffrey says. "That's the game. And now, we're the pieces..."

The Bone Collector

1997

by Jeffery Deaver

Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics -- until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging Rhyme to a terrifying and ingenious duel of wits. With police detective Amelia Sachs by his side, Rhyme must follow a labyrinth of clues that reaches back to a dark chapter in New York City's past -- and reach further into the darkness of the mind of a madman who won't stop until he has stripped life down to the bone.

Airframe

The twin jet plane en route to Denver from Hong Kong is merely a green radar blip half an hour off the California coast when the call comes through to air traffic control: 'Socal Approach, this is TransPacific 545. We have an emergency.' The pilot requests priority clearance to land - then comes the bombshell - he needs forty ambulances on the runway.

But nothing prepares the rescue workers for the carnage they witness when they enter the plane. Ninety-four passengers are injured. Three dead. The interior cabin is virtually destroyed. What happened on board Flight TPA 545?

Join Casey Singleton, a quality assurance vice president at the fictional aerospace manufacturer Norton Aircraft, as she investigates this in-flight accident. Her journey is filled with intrigue, danger, and unexpected revelations as she attempts to uncover the truth behind the disaster.

Jack & Jill

1996

by James Patterson

In the middle of the night, a controversial U.S. senator is found murdered in bed in his Georgetown pied-a-terre. The police turn up only one clue: a mysterious rhyme signed "Jack and Jill" promising that this is just the beginning. Jack and Jill are out to get the rich and famous, and they will stop at nothing until their fiendish plan is carried out.

Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., homicide detective Alex Cross is called to a murder scene only blocks from his house, far from the corridors of power where he spends his days. The victim: a beautiful little girl, savagely beaten—and deposited in front of the elementary school Cross's son, Damon, attends.

Could there be a connection between the two murders? As Cross tries to put the pieces together, the killer—or killers—strike again. And again. No one in Washington is safe—not children, not politicians, not even the President of the United States. Only Alex Cross has the skills and the courage to crack the case—but will he discover the truth in time?

A relentless roller coaster of heart-pounding suspense and jolting plot twists, Jack and Jill proves that no one can write a more compelling thriller than James Patterson, the master of the nonstop nightmare.

The House of Thunder

1996

by Leigh Nichols

Susan Thorton awakens in a hospital, after a near-fatal car crash, to see four men lurking outside her door—men who exactly resemble those who killed her boyfriend years before. Can these be the same men?

As she tries to uncover the identities of those stalking her, Susan enters a terrifying nightmare—one from which she may never escape.

The Deep End of the Ocean

The Deep End of the Ocean is a powerful story that imagines every mother's worst nightmare—the disappearance of a child. This nationwide bestseller and critical success was the first title chosen for Oprah's Book Club.

The novel is both highly suspenseful and deeply moving, exploring a family's struggle to endure even against extraordinary odds. It is filled with compassion, humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life.

Here is a story of rare power, one that will touch readers' hearts and make them celebrate the emotions that make us all one.

The Face on the Milk Carton

The face on the milk carton looks like an ordinary little girl: hair in tight pigtails, a dress with a narrow white collar, a three-year-old who was kidnapped more than twelve years ago from a shopping mall in New Jersey.

As fifteen-year-old Janie Johnson stares at the milk carton, she feels overcome with shock. She knows that little girl is she. But how could it be true?

Janie can't believe that her loving parents kidnapped her, until she begins to piece together clues that don't make sense. Why are there no pictures of Janie before she was four? Her parents have always said they didn't have a camera. Now that explanation sounds feeble.

Something is terribly wrong, and Janie is afraid to find out what happened more than twelve years ago. In this gripping page-turner, the reader will unravel—as Janie does—the twisted events that changed the lives of two families forever.

The Green Mile, Part 1: The Two Dead Girls

1996

by Stephen King

They were sisters, and the picture-perfect image of innocence. No one understood their brutal deaths, not even the man who killed them. But John Coffey is about to gain a new insight about his life in prison, and about the one man who will walk him down that green mile... toward destiny.

Prepare yourself for Stephen King's boldest exercise in nerve-twisting suspense. A multi-part serial novel that begins on death row and goes on from there to realms of revelation that make death seem sweet. This is Stephen King's most irresistible journey ever.

Absolute Power

1996

by David Baldacci

Absolute Power plunges readers into a world of political intrigue and suspense. When professional burglar Luther Whitney breaks into a Virginia mansion, he becomes an unwitting witness to a crime of unimaginable proportions.

Trapped behind a two-way mirror, Luther witnesses a brutal crime involving the President of the United States — a man who believes he can get away with anything. The shocking events he observes shatter his faith in justice and everything he holds dear.

The story unfolds into an unthinkable abuse of power and a criminal conspiracy, as a breathtaking cover-up is set in motion by those appointed to protect the nation's highest office. As Luther Whitney becomes the target of a relentless manhunt, he must navigate a dangerous world of deceit and corruption to bring the truth to light.

This novel is a high-octane thriller that explores the dark side of power and the lengths to which some will go to protect it. With its intricate plot and compelling characters, Absolute Power is a gripping tale of suspense and moral dilemmas.

Intensity

1996

by Dean Koontz

Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, twenty-six, gazes out a moonlit window, unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley home of her best friend’s family. Instinct proves reliable. A murderous sociopath, Edgler Foreman Vess, has entered the house, intent on killing everyone inside. A self-proclaimed “homicidal adventurer,” Vess lives only to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in sensation, to live without fear, remorse, or limits, to live with intensity. Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit.

Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first her sole aim is to get out alive—until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess’s next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an endangered girl... as moment by moment, the terrifying threat of Edgler Foreman Vess intensifies.

Blood Crazy

1995

by Simon Clark

Saturday is a normal day. People go shopping. To the movies. Everything is just as it should be. But not for long.

By Sunday, civilization is in ruins. Adults have become murderously insane. One by one they become infected with a crazed, uncontrollable urge to slaughter the young—even their own children. Especially their own children.

Will this be the way the world ends, in waves of madness and carnage? What will be left of our world as we know it? And who, if anyone, will survive?

Terror follows terror in this apocalyptic nightmare vision by one of the most powerful talents in modern horror fiction. Prepare yourself for mankind’s final days of fear.

She Walks These Hills

1995

by Sharyn McCrumb

In the Appalachian community of Dark Hollow, Tennessee, some believe that the ghost of Katie Wyler, kidnapped by the Shawnee two hundred years ago, is once again roaming the hills. Only an old woman gifted with "the Sight" and policewoman Martha Ayers can put the superstitions to rest—and stop a flesh-and-blood predator as elusive as the whistling wind...

The ghost of a murdered pioneer woman wanders the Appalachian hills, searching for a way home. But others, including a city-bred scholar and an escaped killer, also roam these hills, each undertaking a very personal journey. When their paths cross, a long-hidden mystery is revealed, and with it a secret that will rock the Appalachians to their very core.

Historian Jeremy Cobb is backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, attempting to retrace the tragic journey of 18-year-old Katie Wyler, who was captured by the Shawnee after the massacre of her pioneer family.

The Odessa File

The suicide of an elderly German Jew explodes into revelation after revelation: a Mafia-like organization called Odessa, a real-life fugitive known as the "Butcher of Riga", and a young German journalist turned obsessed avenger. Ultimately, this leads to a brilliant, ruthless plot to reestablish the worldwide power of SS mass murderers and to carry out Hitler's chilling "Final Solution".

Set in 1963, this gripping thriller unfolds against a background of international arms deals and Nazi war crimes. As the story leads to its final dramatic confrontation on a bleak winter's hilltop, readers are left questioning: Can this be fiction?

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