If You Like James Patterson...
updated 4/09
Bones by Jan Burke
Vicious serial killer Nicholas Parrish agrees to exchange information about the location of the body of a missing woman, Judith Sayre, for a deal in which authorities will not seek the death penalty for his crimes, an agreement that traps journalist Irene Kelly in the remote wilderness with a murderer. Winner of the Edgar Award.
The Woods by Harlen Coben
Twenty years ago, four teenagers at summer camp walked into the woods at night. Two were found murdered, and the others were never seen again. Four families had their lives changed forever. Now, two decades later, they are about to change again. For county prosecutor Paul Copeland, mourning the loss of his sister has only recently begun to subside. When a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Copeland, the well-buried family secrets are threatened. Is this victim one of the campers who disappeared with his sister?
Peril by Thomas Cook
Tired of living in fear, Sara Labriola, a married woman haunted by a terrible secret, decides to disappear and reinvent herself by establishing a new life, despite the six desperate and dangerous men who are on her trail, unaware that Sara in turn is drawing them down a perilous path of dark sins, revenge, and hidden lies.
Double Take by Catherine Coulter
Violently attacked by a stranger six months after the brutal killing of her beloved husband, Julia Ransom is narrowly rescued by special agent Cheney Stone, who reopens the case of Julia's husband's death when he suspects a connection.
Cold Moon by Jeffrey Deaver
In the aftermath of two brutal New York City murders, quadriplegic detective Lincoln Rhyme and his team work doggedly to prevent additional killings by a time-obsessed serial murderer. First in the series featuring Lincoln Rhyme is The Bone Collector.
Heartstopper by Joy Fielding
The small, close-knit community of Torrance, Florida, is torn asunder by a cold-blooded killer targeting teenage girls, and with gossip and fear gripping its citizens, high school teacher Sandy Crosbie vows to protect her family and find the attacker.
Hide by Lisa Gardner
Opening up a newspaper to discover that she is supposed to be dead, Annabelle Mary Granger finds herself trapped in the middle of a two-decades-old crime that leads her to homicide detective Bobby Dodge and a confrontation with two separate killers.
The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen
The discovery of the skeleton of a woman murdered two centuries earlier sends medical examiner Maura Isles on the trail of a long-dead serial killer who terrorized Boston with crimes in which Norris Marshall, a Harvard Medical School student, had become the prime suspect.
The Abduction by Mark Gimenez
The kidnapping of his 10-year-old granddaughter Gracie, brings Ben Brice, a veteran drowning his memories of Vietnam with alcohol, back from the New Mexico wilderness to help save her, but dark family secrets could threaten the child's survival.
True Evil by Greg Iles
The idyllic life of busy Natchez doctor Chris Shepard is turned upside down when undercover FBI agent Alex Morse recruits him for a case involving a local divorce attorney who is suspected of murdering the spouses of his clients.
The Burnt House by Faye Kellerman (Decker/Lazarus series)
In the aftermath of a suspicious commuter plane crash in Los Angeles, police lieutenant Peter Decker investigates the claims of one family that foul play had been involved, a suspicion that gains credibility when a key victim is discovered to be someone else. Sixteen titles in this great series.
Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware series)
Baffled by a serial killer who uses disguises to claim his victims, LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis teams up with criminal psychologist Alex Delaware to track down one of the most ingenious and ruthless monsters they have ever faced.
Proof Positive by Phillip Margolin
When defense attorney Amanda Jaffe, representing a derelict charged with a brutal killing, takes a close-up look at the case, which involves overwhelming forensic evidence, she discovers that the evidence may not be what it seems.
Storm Runners by T. Jefferson Parker
Hitting rock bottom after losing his family and ability to work after an explosion that was intended to kill him, former police officer Matt Stromsoe takes a job as a bodyguard for a television personality whose private life has rendered her a stalker's target.
Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson
Eight years after saving the life of a U.S. attorney general from an assassination attempt, county sheriff Walt Fleming finds himself once again protecting the high-profile politician, now a presidential hopeful, during a billionaire's communications conference.
Invisible Prey by John Sandford
Lieutenant Lucas Davenport is determined to track down a diabolically clever serial killer who leads a double life, carefully picks out his female victims, and taunts the police with notes signed "Maddog". The first in the series is Rules of Prey.
Snow Blind by P.J. Tracy
A series of murders is being modeled after the gruesome deaths depicted in a popular video game. Things move quickly as law enforcement and the video game's creators--who harbor a few secrets of their own--work together to predict where the killers will strike next.
Shoot Him If He Runs (Stone Barrington series) By Stuart Woods
Sent by the CIA to a beautiful Caribbean island where they are to track down murderous rogue agent Teddy Fay, the team of Stone Barrington, Holly Barker, and Dino Baldachetti finds their mission thwarted by corrupt local politicians and secretive American expatriates.
List updated 04/08