Books like 'Empires of Sand'
Readers who enjoyed Empires of Sand by David Ball also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure mystery historical-fiction crime
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Murder in the Mews by Irina Shapiro
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen the Earl of Granville is skewered with a pitchfork in his own stables, Inspector Haze and Lord Redmond must unearth decades-old family secrets in order to unravel the motive behind the murder. But just when they think they’re making headway, disturbing new revelations come to light and cast doubt on their findings... -
Ohnivé znamenie by Juraj Červenák
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTretí prípad kapitána Steina a notára Barbariča. Nález ľudských ostatkov v podunajských lesoch privedie Barbariča na stopu bezohľadných lupičov a priekupníkov s otrokmi. Notár si musí zavolať na pomoc Steina a Jaroša. Spolu putujú do Prešporka, ktorý sa po páde Budína stal hlavným mestom Uhorska. Zdanlivo jednoduchý prípad sa rýchlo skomplikuje... -
Becoming the Dark Prince by Kerri Maniscalco
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn this irresistibly-priced short story, catch a glimpse of the inner struggles and triumphs that drive Stalking Jack the Ripper's endearing but troubled hero. Enigmatic, brooding, and darkly handsome, Thomas Cresswell has always been the one mystery Audrey Rose has never been able to fully solve. As brilliant partners in crime investigation, they understand each other perfectly.. -
The Whispers in the Walls by Sophie Cleverly
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen the walls begin to speak, it is unwise to ignore what they have to say...At the bidding of their cold-hearted stepmother, twin sisters Scarlet and Ivy are sentenced to board for a year at Rookwood School. The headmaster is cruel, the hallways are drafty, and there seems to be a thief afoot...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure boarding-school book children children-books family -
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The Traitor's Blade by Kevin Sands
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsChristopher’s homecoming takes a sinister turn when a murderous conspiracy is uncovered in this fifth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series.Christopher, Tom, and Sally are back in London at last. Everyone is relieved at their return—the plague has ended, and the king, pleased with their service, offers a surprising reward. But trouble has followed them home..Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure audiobook book children children-books espionage -
Mission Titanic by Jude Watson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe Outcast was banished from the Cahill family, never mentioned again. For years, he’s been lurking, watching, recruiting, waiting for the chance for revenge. And now he strikes, with a diabolical plan. The Outcast recreates four of history’s most infamous disasters, and gives the Cahill kids just days to stop them...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure audiobook book children children-books family -
An Urchin of Means by April White
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRingo Devereux knows far too much for a man of his times. There’s no simple explanation for it that doesn’t involve improbable conversations about the future, and Ringo’s advanced understanding of three-phase generators and the secret histories of his city are not things he can discuss with the Victorian Londoners around him...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure book fiction historical industrial-era law-enforcement -
The Jubilee Problem by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsQueen Victoria needs help, and only Sherlock Holmes can save her. Sherlock and Lucy receive a royal command. To fulfill their mission, they must solve the murder of a priest, unravel a dark conspiracy, and destroy a treasonous syndicate. If they fail, Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebration will not end happily... -
Die Again, Mr. Holmes by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA young woman begs Sherlock Holmes to help find her missing fiancé, but the great detective makes an uncharacteristic mistake. Then Sherlock’s daughter, Lucy James, takes on a missing person case of her own, but she must also keep a vicious criminal away from Becky, Lucy’s ten-year-old sister-in-law. Little Becky soon becomes dangerously involved in both cases... -
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 8 by Natsu Hyuuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe whole capital seems to have gone Go-crazy when Lakan publishes a book about his games. He’s got even bigger plans, holding a Go tournament that’s open to all—and rumor has it that if anyone can topple the strategist himself, he’ll grant them any single request they might ask. Jinshi sees an opportunity... -
Remember, Remember by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA lovely American actress awakens in London on a cold morning in 1897 - lying face down on the concrete pavement outside the British Museum. She has no memories. She does not even know who she is, although she has a vague recollection of the name Sherlock Holmes. What she believes is that she has may have just killed someone, and that someone is definitely trying to kill her... -
The Raven's Revenge by Kevin Sands
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChristopher finally uncovers the Raven’s identity in this sixth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series.The stakes are higher than ever when the Raven sets Christopher up for a horrible crime, leading him to be locked away in London’s most notorious prison...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime middle-grade mystery fantasy young-adult fiction historical -
A Prince Without a Kingdom by Timothée de Fombelle
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis was the only treasure that Vango was after: the secret of his life.Vango has been in danger for as long as he can remember. He has spent his life running along rooftops, fleeing to mysterious islands, and abandoning those he loves in order to protect them from the demons of his past. But Vango will not run for much longer...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction 20th-century 21st-century action-adventure book children coming-of-age -
The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA captivating story about dark truths and heinous crimes as well as unexpected friendships, with detailed black-and-white illustrations throughout. Perfect for fans of mystery and detective stories. Sally Jones is not only a loyal friend, she s an extraordinary individual. In overalls or in a maharaja s turban, this unique gorilla moves among humans without speaking butunderstanding everything...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction 21st-century action-adventure animals anthropomorphism audiobook book -
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Odin's Wolves by Giles Kristian, Джайлc Кристиан
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThey came from the North and fought their way through France and Spain. Now this fearless band of brothers sets sail for the greatest city in the world... -
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back. Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime fiction mystery historical fantasy action-adventure audiobook -
The Devil's Pawn by Oliver Pötzsch
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA showman’s fate is in the hands of the devil in an enthralling novel inspired by the Faust legend from the bestselling author of the Hangman’s Daughter series.Rome, 1518. The church is tarnished by greed. Peasants are rebelling. Tumultuous times demand drastic recourse—before the devil gets his due... -
The Pillars of Enoch: Templars and the Melungeon Legacy by David S. Brody
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn elderly recluse informs historian Cameron Thorne that he has discovered the secret at the core of Freemasonry. The next day, he is killed. Thorne quickly focuses on a mysterious stone tablet, given to Moses by God along with the Ten Commandments, purportedly passed down to the Freemasons by the medieval Knights Templar...Categorized as:
historical-fiction action-adventure mystery fiction fantasy espionage historical political-intrigue -
Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHere in one binding are both of Jules Verne's Captain Nemo novels. In 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea we meet the enigmatic Captain Nemo and The Nautilus. Even after many adventures and much derring-do Nemo's secrets remain his own, and at the end of the novel we are left with many mysteries concering this mysterious and tragic man. In The Mysterious Island we once again encounter Captain Nemo...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure book children children-books classics fiction -
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 3 by Natsu Hyuuga
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMaomao must help keep Consort Gyokuyou safe during her pregnancy. An imperial consort being with child is supposed to be a matter of the utmost secrecy, but this is the rear palace, where maneuvering and backstabbing are as commonplace as banter and tea parties. Threats seem to lurk around every corner—but it’s not just the rear palace keeping busy...Categorized as:
historical-fiction romance mystery historical fantasy fiction young-adult action-adventure -
The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 4 by Natsu Hyuuga
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThough her main duty is still looking after Consort Gyokuyou, Maomao finds time to help her friends and acquaintances in the rear palace, including Xiaolan, who will need a job after her term of service ends, and Consort Lishu, who’s convinced she’s seen a ghost! When complications arise with Gyokuyou’s pregnancy, however, Maomao knows she’s not skilled enough to handle a situation that could...Categorized as:
historical-fiction romance mystery historical fiction fantasy young-adult action-adventure -
The Last True Templar by Boyd Morrison, Beth Morrison
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.Italy, 1351. English knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards their future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime fiction historical mystery action-adventure suspense romantic-love -
Last of the Zinja by Robert Shea
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeautiful young Taniko struggles under oppression as the mistress of the cruel Kublai Khan, and Jebu, a young monk, is transformed into a fierce warrior, in a saga of the ancient Orient during a time of bloodshed and magic. Reprint...Categorized as:
historical-fiction action-adventure book fiction historical military mystery young-adult -
Unseen by Jordan L. Hawk
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLibrarian Sebastian Rath and his lover Vesper Rune are tasked with seeking and containing the evil Books of the Bound. But one of the Books has been freed from its prison—and is in the hands of a killer.As more bodies turn up, Sebastian finds himself tempted to use forbidden magic to locate the Book and stop the murderer...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure adult book cosmic-horror fiction historical -
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade by Rob MacGregor, George Lucas
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe time is the 1930s.Indiana Jones had always managed to get into enough trouble on his own. But this time, he finds himself in the deadliest situation imaginable -- he must rescue his father, eminent professor Dr. Henry Jones, from the Nazis' clutches to keep them from discovering secret information only Dr. Jones possesses... -
The Alchemist's Illusion by Gigi Pandian
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA perilous painting and an artist who meets his end lead Zoe Faust on an audacious alchemical adventure Centuries-old alchemist Zoe Faust is tired of running from her past. She's finally got her life on track in Portland, Oregon, gardening and cooking in her fixer-upper house with her mischievous best friend, Dorian the gargoyle chef... -
Firstborn: A Progeny Novel by Tosca Lee
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee comes the much-anticipated, high-speed sequel to The Progeny.Face-to-face with her past, Audra Ellison now knows the secret she gave up everything—including her memory—to protect. A secret made vulnerable by her rediscovery, and so powerful neither the Historian nor the traitor Prince Nikola will ever let her live to keep it...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure audiobook book christian dystopia female-author -
The King of Shadows by Robert McCammon
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s January of 1704, and Matthew Corbett continues his mission to Italy, accompanied by Hudson Greathouse and former enemy Professor Fell. They seek Brazio Valeriani and information about the mirror created by his father, the sorcerer Ciro. Legend claims the mirror can be used to summon demons from beyond...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime horror mystery fiction action-adventure historical law-enforcement -
The Curse of Arundel Hall by J. New
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.One ghost, one murder, one hundred years apart. But are they connected? Ella has discovered a secret room in The Yellow Cottage, but with it comes a ghost. Who was she? And how did she die? Ella needs to find the answers before either of them can find peace. But suddenly things take a nasty turn for the worse...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure adult amateur-sleuth animals audiobook book -
The Queen of Thieves by Johan Rundberg
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMika will do what it takes to uncover a string of thefts in the city―and keep her fellow orphans safe. After a merciless winter, spring has sprung in 1880 Stockholm, and the city awaits the arrival of the SS Vega , the first ship to have sailed the Northeast Passage...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime mystery middle-grade fiction children-books young-adult fantasy -
Warriors and Warlocks: Qutuz by Monther Alkabbani, Timothy Gregory
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTrapped outside the stream of reality, Murad seems restricted by one rule: you can look, but you can’t touch. The one person he can reliably talk to, when the man is around, answers questions with riddles that would have made Murad’s head hurt—if he had one. He watches, helpless, as Yasimi and her companions are captured and given a drink that would make them slaves... -
The Headless Horseman by Thomas Mayne Reid
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsTexas in the 19th century. The War with Mexico is still a recent memory, marauding Comanches are a daily threat for new settlers of the Lone Star State. Louise Poindexter, a beautiful newcomer, is courted by two men - the arrogant and vindictive Cassius Calhoun and the dashing but poor mustanger Maurice Gerald... -
Assassin's Creed: Black Flag by Oliver Bowden, Andrew Holmes
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIt’s the Golden Age of Piracy — a time when greed, ambition, and corruption overcome all loyalties — and a brash young captain, Edward Kenway, is making his name known for being one of the greatest pirates of his time...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure alternate-history assassinations assassins audiobook book -
Lady Henterman's Wardrobe by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMixing high fantasy and urban fantasy, the second novel of the Streets of Maradaine series follows the Rynax brothers' crew of outlaws as they attempt their biggest heist yet and restore justice to the common people.The neighborhood of North Seleth has suffered--and not just the Holver Alley Fire... -
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One Night in Boukos by A.J. Demas
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOn a night when the whole city is looking for love, two foreigners find it in the last place they expected.The famous Psobion festival is about to begin in the city of Boukos, and the ambassador from Zash has gone missing. Marzana, captain of the embassy guard, and Bedar, the ambassador’s long-suffering secretary, hunt for him through the streets and taverns and brothels of Boukos... -
The Rise of Robin Hood by Angus Donald
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA legend is born in this short-story prequel to Angus Donald's masterly series The Outlaw Chronicles, perfect for devoted fans and newcomers alike... -
The Lawless by William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Greatest Western Writers Of The 21st CenturyThey survived the perilous thousand-mile journey to the far edges of the Texas frontier. Now the family that tamed the Wild West must fight to defend their home from a ruthless band hell-bent on stealing g it away. A Kerrigan Never Back DownKate Kerrigan has seen the blood-soaked face of war... -
Walkers of the Wind by William Sarabande
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA breathtaking epic of humanity's first courageous struggles . . . for survivalMesmerizing, dramatic, unsurpasses in scope and suthenticity, this is the fourth exciting volume of the magnificent new series THE FIRST AMERICANS, which began with Beyond the Sea of Ice and continued with Corridor of Storms and Forbidden Land...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure adult book fiction historical indigenous-mc -
The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen a letter from her uncle Henrik arrives on Bryn Roth's eighteenth birthday, summoning her back to Bastian, Bryn is eager to prove herself and finally take her place in her long-lost family.Henrik has plans for Bryn, but she must win everyone’s trust if she wants to hold any power in the delicate architecture of the family...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure audiobook book enemies-to-lovers epic family -
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsCharles Carter—a.k.a. Carter the Great—is a young master performer whose skill as an illusionist exceeds even that of the great Houdini. But nothing in his career has prepared Carter for the greatest stunt of all, which stars none other than President Warren G. Harding and which could end up costing Carter the reputation he has worked so hard to create...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction 20th-century 21st-century action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
PRALAY: The Great Deluge by Vineet Bajpai
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGripping sequel to Vineet Bajpai's bestselling title 'HARAPPA - Curse of the Blood River'. “Even death is afraid of the White Mask…”1700 BCE, Harappa – The devta of Harappa has fallen…tortured and condemned to the dungeons of the dead. His murdered wife’s pious blood falls on the sands of the metropolis, sealing the black fate of Harappa…forever... -
Assassin's Creed: Unity by Oliver Bowden
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 26 ratings1789: The magnificent city of Paris sees the dawn of the French Revolution. The cobblestone streets run red with blood as the people rise against the oppressive aristocracy. But revolutionary justice comes at a high price.At a time when the divide between the rich and poor is at its most extreme, and a nation is tearing itself apart, a young man and woman fight to avenge all they have lost... -
The Thief by Claire North, Michel Pagel
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Gameshouse is an unusual institution. Many know it as the place where fortunes can be made and lost through games of chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.But a select few, who are picked to compete in the higher league, know that some games are played for higher stakes - those of politics and empires, of economics and kings . .Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime fantasy fiction audiobook urban-fantasy historical action-adventure -
Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes by Charles Prepolec, Kim Newman
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe fabled tin dispatch box of Dr. John H. Watson opens to reveal eleven all new tales of mystery and dark fantasy. Sherlock Holmes, master of deductive reasoning, confronts the irrational, the unexpected and the fantastic in the weird worlds of the Gaslight Grimoire...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure adult anthologies fiction historical horror -
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Polostan by Neal Stephenson
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first installment in Neal Stephenson’s three-part Bomb Light cycle, Polostan follows the early life of the enigmatic Dawn Rae Bjornberg. Born in the American West to a clan of cowboy anarchists, Dawn is raised in Leningrad after the Russian Revolution by her Russian father, a party line Leninist who re-christens her Aurora... -
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Napoleon: A Novel by Gideon Defoe
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Pirate Captain and his merry band of ne’er-do-wells face off against their toughest—but by no means their tallest—challenge yet. Crushed with disappointment at the Pirate of the Year Awards, our Pirate Captain decides that it’s time for a career change. And so with his loyal (if soon-to-be-dismayed) crew, he sets off for St... -
Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMurder mystery meets carnival flair in a rollicking Victorian adventure centered on a boy with a unique appearance — and unique gifts. In the seedy underworld of Victorian London, a boy is born and abandoned. Snatched up by an unscrupulous and abusive showman, Wild Boy, covered in hair from head to toe, becomes a sideshow freak...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction action-adventure audiobook book bullying children children-books -
The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot by Colin Cotterill
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLaos, 1981: When an unofficial mailman drops off a strange bilingual diary, Dr. Siri is intrigued. Half is in Lao, but the other half is in Japanese, which no one Siri knows can read; it appears to have been written during the Second World War. Most mysterious of all, it comes with a note stapled to it: Dr. Siri, we need your help most urgently...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime mystery fiction audiobook suspense historical magical-realism -
A Tangle of Time by Josiah Bancroft
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom one of the most exciting and original voices in fantasy comes the second book following the adventures of the Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, as they tackle a case that could redefine the nature of magic itself.As the nation’s foremost investigators of the paranormal, Isolde and Warren Wilby are accustomed to bumping up against things that go bump in the night... -
Black Cats and Butlers by Janine Beacham
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Clockwork Sparrow meets Downton AbbeyRose Raventhorpe loves nothing more than wandering around Yorke with her beloved butler, Argyle, listening to the stories he tells about the city. So when Argyle is murdered - the third butler to be stabbed in a week - Rose knows she must find out what really happened...
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