Books like 'Black As He's Painted'
Readers who enjoyed Black As He's Painted by Ngaio Marsh also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery crime law-enforcement cozy golden-age-mystery classics whodunit literary-fiction humor
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An Isolated Incident by J.D. Kirk
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDo you know who's knocking at your door?After a violent home invasion in the remote wilds of Glen Coe leaves a family of four dead, DCI Jack Logan and his team are brought in to lead the manhunt... -
![Ahead of the Game by J.D. Kirk]()
Ahead of the Game by J.D. Kirk
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen a body is discovered at a popular Highland landmark, it seems like just another day on the job for DCI Jack Logan and his team.Except this body is missing a very vital component, and given its location - The Well of Seven Heads - it seems like someone is trying to send a message... -
![Bamburgh by L.J. Ross]()
Bamburgh by L.J. Ross
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen a cantankerous old woman dies at her home in the sleepy, picturesque village of Bamburgh, DCI Ryan doesn’t think much of it—except, that is, for the small matter of it having been his wife who happened to find her body...Categorized as:
cozy crime humor law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural action-adventure adult -
![Above the Fold & Below the Belt by Amanda M. Lee]()
Above the Fold & Below the Belt by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAvery Shaw has taken on her fair share of jerks. Often, she’s considered the jerk when she takes them down … a role she gladly relishes. Now, though, she’s taking on a whole faction of jerks. It seems a battle of the sexes is brewing in Macomb County... -
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![Death Rocks by L.J. Ross]()
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![A Private Investigation by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson]()
A Private Investigation by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen fourteen-year-old Zoe Johnson doesn’t come home on a Monday night in early December, the alarm bells in Kings Lake Central police station do not ring straight away – after all, she’s from the Dockmills, one of the toughest estates in the town... -
![Firewater Blues by Caimh McDonnell]()
Firewater Blues by Caimh McDonnell
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBe careful who you love …It’s the year 2000 and while Bunny McGarry is theoretically on sabbatical from the police, he just can’t help sticking his nose in where it doesn’t belong.Rosie Flint is an old acquaintance of Bunny’s whose boyfriend mysteriously disappears off the face of the Earth... -
![Last Orders by Caimh McDonnell]()
Last Orders by Caimh McDonnell
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAs a wise man once said, just because you're done with the past, doesn't mean the past is done with you. Paul can't let an incident from his past go. When he finds out a rival detective agency played a key role in it, he drags MCM Investigations into a blood feud that they can't hope to win... -
![Poison Garden by L.J. Ross]()
Poison Garden by L.J. Ross
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe clock is ticking…For Detective Chief Inspector Ryan, the stakes have never been higher. Most of the world thinks he’s dead, killed by an assasin's rifle in his own home. But another man took the bullet intended for him, and now Ryan’s living on borrowed time... -
![Angels in the Moonlight by Caimh McDonnell]()
Angels in the Moonlight by Caimh McDonnell
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFor Detective Bunny McGarry, life is complicated, and it is about to get more so.It’s 1999 and his hard won reputation amongst Dublin’s criminal fraternity, for being a massive pain the backside, is unfortunately shared by his bosses. His partner has a career-threatening gambling problem and, oh yeah, Bunny's finally been given a crack at the big time... -
![Extra! Extra! Dead All About It by Amanda M. Lee]()
Extra! Extra! Dead All About It by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe primary election is almost here and Avery Shaw is in her glory. Her boss has unleashed her on the leading candidates - including two of whom she downright loathes - and Macomb County's leading reporter (and pot-stirrer extraordinaire) is about to turn the election on its ear.She just needs to find a story first... -
![Cover Shot by LynDee Walker]()
Cover Shot by LynDee Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s been a slow news month in Richmond, and crime reporter Nichelle Clarke is enjoying the downtime when ominous messages and a dead body kick things into high gear. And that’s before the guy with the rifle takes a hospital full of people hostage... -
![Mania: An Alexander Gregory Thriller by LJ Ross]()
Mania: An Alexander Gregory Thriller by LJ Ross
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DCI RYAN MYSTERIESYou can’t run from the past…Back in London after a dramatic trip to North America, Doctor Alexander Gregory finds himself without an occupation while he awaits the all-important decision of the disciplinary panel at Southmoor Hospital...Categorized as:
cozy crime law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural whodunit action-adventure adult -
![The Rags of Time by Peter Grainger]()
The Rags of Time by Peter Grainger
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMark Randall lay dead in a field near Lowacre long before Smith had done what he had to do in Belfast. By the time he went back to work, the investigation was well underway. “It’s not my case” he says more than once, and he really doesn’t need it to be; he has enough to think about as it is... -
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![Horsey Mere: A chilling Norfolk Broads crime thriller by David Blake]()
Horsey Mere: A chilling Norfolk Broads crime thriller by David Blake
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTHE DEBUT CRIME THRILLER SERIES OF THE YEAR!The remains of a 17th Century witch, an MP found hanging above a five-pointed star, and three girls with powers they struggle to control... -
![COMEBACK GIRL: part 3 of 6 (Kindle Single) by Stephanie Bond]()
COMEBACK GIRL: part 3 of 6 (Kindle Single) by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive! From the international bestselling author of STOP THE WEDDING! (now a Hallmark Channel movie) and the BODY MOVERS mystery series comes a new story of comedy, suspense, and romance. Home is where the hurt is... -
![Shoot the Breeze by Gina LaManna]()
Shoot the Breeze by Gina LaManna
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome to St. Paul, Minnesota—home to strong coffee, deadly winters, and Detective Kate Rosetti—a rising star in the local homicide department. When a young woman turns up dead along the Mississippi River in her latest assignment, Detective Rosetti quickly realizes it’s the work of a notorious cross-country serial killer... -
![Caught Off Guard by Kristi Rose]()
Caught Off Guard by Kristi Rose
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThere’s no rule book for this deadly gameWhen Samantha’s friend and sometimes boss AJ Gunn is accused of murdering the star quarterback for the Oregon pro-team she knows three things:No way is AJ guilty even if he doesn’t have a solid alibiThis is not a one gal PI gig, she’s going to need helpRich people are crazyIf Samantha thought she was out of her element in Wind River, investigating in a...Categorized as:
cozy humor law-enforcement police-procedural mystery audiobook romantic-love womens-fiction -
![15 Minutes by Larissa Reinhart]()
15 Minutes by Larissa Reinhart
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratings#10days #findthewoman #getthejob #doNOTfallinlove When ex-teen star Maizie Albright returns to her Southern hometown of Black Pine, Georgia, she hoped to rid herself of Hollywood tabloid and reality show hell for a new career as a private investigator. Instead, Hollyweird follows her home. Maizie’s costar crushing, but now for her gumshoe boss. Her stage-monster mother still demands screen time... -
![Buried Leads by LynDee Walker]()
Buried Leads by LynDee Walker
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen an Armani-clad corpse turns up in the woods, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke smells a scoop. A little digging, and Nichelle uncovers a web of corruption that stretches all the way to Washington, D.C. Politics. Murder. And a dead lobbyist. It's everything Nichelle's ever dreamed of... -
![Persons of Interest by Peter Grainger]()
Persons of Interest by Peter Grainger
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn the peace and tranquillity of the woods at Pinehills on a Saturday afternoon, a mobile phone begins to ring. The phone belongs to DC Smith and it isn’t unusual that the call is from Kings Lake Central police station; what is unusual is the fact that he seems to be the subject of an investigation rather than taking part in one... -
![The Reluctant Coroner: A Fenway Stevenson Mystery by Paul Austin Ardoin]()
The Reluctant Coroner: A Fenway Stevenson Mystery by Paul Austin Ardoin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBlood is thicker than oil—until murder is involved.Fenway Stevenson doesn't want to return to the coastal town where her estranged father is practically king. But the death of her mother draws her back home—and the murder of the county coroner draws her into a deepening conspiracy... -
![Luck and Judgement by Peter Grainger]()
Luck and Judgement by Peter Grainger
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen a worker goes missing from a North Sea gas platform, there seem to be just two possible explanations – it was a tragic accident or a suicide. It does not take Smith and his detectives long, however, to discover that James Bell led a double life back onshore in Kings Lake, a life complicated enough to make him at least one dangerous enemy... -
![The Joy and Light Bus Company by Alexander McCall Smith]()
The Joy and Light Bus Company by Alexander McCall Smith
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn this latest installment in the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe is tempted to put the brakes on a business venture before it even gets rolling.Mr. J.L.B... -
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![The Railway Murders by J.R. Ellis]()
The Railway Murders by J.R. Ellis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA puzzling locked-room mystery that puts someone Oldroyd loves in terrible danger…When a film shoot on Wharfedale’s vintage railway turns into a grisly crime scene, DCI Oldroyd’s idyllic visit to the countryside with his partner Deborah is well and truly stopped in its tracks. One of the film’s stars has been shot dead in a train carriage while the cameras rolled outside... -
![Poison Ivy by Helena Marchmont]()
Poison Ivy by Helena Marchmont
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt's party time in Bunburry! The deluxe Magnolia Inn is hosting surprise birthday celebrations for Bunburry's favourite senior citizens, Liz and Marge. But the party is not the only surprise. A glamorous widow, Francesca Fairfax Adams, is staying in the Magnolia Inn, and catches the eye of self-made man and amateur sleuth Alfie McAlister... -
![COMEBACK GIRL: part 4 of 6 by Stephanie Bond]()
COMEBACK GIRL: part 4 of 6 by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive! From the international bestselling author of STOP THE WEDDING! (now a Hallmark Channel movie) and the BODY MOVERS mystery series comes a new story of comedy, suspense, and romance. Home is where the hurt is... -
![Aspire to Die by M.S. Morris]()
Aspire to Die by M.S. Morris
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen a beautiful, wealthy student is found dead in her room in Oxford's most prestigious college, Detective Inspector Bridget Hart is called to investigate. The murdered girl appeared to have no enemies, yet was killed in a brutal and bloody assault.Haunted and driven by her own personal tragedy, newly promoted DI Bridget Hart has a lot to prove as she leads her first murder case... -
![If It Bleeds, It Leads by Amanda M. Lee]()
If It Bleeds, It Leads by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLocal news reporter Avery Shaw’s week is going from bad to worse.It’s bad enough there’s a dead body in the parking lot of the paper, but when the investigation into the death leads to drugs – and a tie to her own family – things continue to spiral downward.If she could focus on that, though, it would just be another normal week... -
![Two Weddings and a Fugitive by Donna Joy Usher]()
Two Weddings and a Fugitive by Donna Joy Usher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother Novel by the Multi-Award-Winning Author, Donna Joy Usher. It’s been three months since Chanel returned from Las Vegas and she’s done everything in her power to forget about Billy. All that changes the day he shows up asking for her help. Boris Tolokonsky, head of the Las Vegas-Russian Mafia, has escaped, and Intel says he is heading for Australia…and for Matt King... -
![ESCORT GIRL: part 3 of 6 by Stephanie Bond]()
ESCORT GIRL: part 3 of 6 by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive!In this romantic mystery, a young woman who works for a PR firm is chaperone, babysitter, and therapist to VIPS who come to Atlanta to promote their movies, music, books, TV shows, politics, and products.. -
![Building Blocks of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal]()
Building Blocks of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSomehow Lacy Steele has bought a building. And not just any building, but the historic Stakely Building, the pinnacle of her small downtown. In an effort to save the behemoth, she must now confront not only the displeasure of the mayor and the developers who wanted to tear it down, but her own uncertainty over how to deal with such a vast project... -
![Family Case of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal, Rebecca Tocheff]()
Family Case of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal, Rebecca Tocheff
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLacy Steele has been dispatched to the Hamptons with the tall order to make amends with her estranged sister, Riley, and her ex-fiancé, Robert. The time has come to decide which of her friends to take as her date: Tosh or Jason. As if to add to her already high stress level, she'll be spending the weekend with Robert's certifiable family, and his aunt has declared a ban on dessert... -
![The Center Cannot Hold: A Ray Elkins Thriller by Aaron Stander]()
The Center Cannot Hold: A Ray Elkins Thriller by Aaron Stander
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIn the depths of winter, Cedar County is on occasion literally frozen in place. Roads are impassable; the area schools are closed for days at a time. And the bad guys and gals, they’re hunkered down like everyone else until the weather breaks. But this winter isn’t the usual. There’s arson and murder...Categorized as:
literary-fiction law-enforcement police-procedural crime mystery fiction contemporary suspense -
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![Oranges and Lemons by Christopher Fowler]()
Oranges and Lemons by Christopher Fowler
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"The most delightfully, wickedly entertaining duo in crime fiction." The Plain Dealer When a prominent politician is crushed by a fruit van making a delivery, the singular team of Arthur Bryant and John May overcome insurmountable odds to reunite the PCU and solve the case in the brainy new mystery from acclaimed author Christopher Fowler... -
![The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins]()
The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe first book in the Poppy McGuire Mystery Series! Poppy McGuire has always been a curious soul, but it's her life that's usually the topic of conversation in the small town of Sunset Ridge. But now one of the town's most important citizens has been found murdered, and everyone's life is suspect... -
![Dark Suits and Sad Songs by Denzil Meyrick]()
Dark Suits and Sad Songs by Denzil Meyrick
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe third installment in the bestselling DCI Daley series, packed with accurate police procedure and gritty, dark humour. The best of Scottish crime.When a senior Edinburgh civil servant spectacularly takes his own life in Kinloch harbour, DCI Jim Daley comes face to face with the murky world of politics. To add to his woes, two local drug dealers lie dead, ritually assassinated... -
![The Killing Habit by Mark Billingham]()
The Killing Habit by Mark Billingham
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom “one of the most consistently entertaining, insightful crime writers working today” (Gillian Flynn), The Killing Habit again brings together favorite wild-card detective Tom Thorne and straight-laced DI Nicola Tanner on a pair of lethally high-stakes cases... -
![The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood]()
The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratings‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter JamesAn original story from the creator and writer of the hit BBC One TV series, Death in Paradise, featuring on-screen favourite detective, DI Richard Poole.Supermodel Polly Carter was famed for her looks and party-girl lifestyle. Now she's dead, apparently having thrown herself from the clifftop near her home on the island of Saint-Marie... -
![The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz]()
The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratings'Our deal is over.' That's what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind.His new play, Mindgame, is about to open in London's Vaudeville theatre. Not surprisingly Hawthorne declines a ticket... -
![Murder on Ivywick Island by Peter Jay Black]()
Murder on Ivywick Island by Peter Jay Black
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA remote island, an impossible riddle, a determined killer . . .Ready for some family catch-up time before her next food consulting job, Ruth Morgan arrives at Ivywick Island. But no sooner does she step foot off the boat, than her sister asks for help locating a missing will. Without it, Margaret and her husband are about to lose their home and everything they’ve worked for... -
![Death of a Temptress by P.F. Ford]()
Death of a Temptress by P.F. Ford
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen DS Dave Slater is the victim of a botched investigation, he quickly gets bored of sitting at home twiddling his thumbs, but when his boss hands him a case to be investigated ‘discreetly’, Slater sees a chance to redeem himself... -
![Tess's Tale by Donna Joy Usher]()
Tess's Tale by Donna Joy Usher
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother book by the multi-award-winning author Donna Joy Usher. Please note - this is a light-hearted, humorous, chicklit, female sleuth novel. If you are looking for a literary masterpiece with a deep meaning this is probably not the book for you... -
![Too Far to Fall by Shane Sawyer]()
Too Far to Fall by Shane Sawyer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA pretty little townAn inheritanceA break-inA bodyEdie Doyle may be new in town, but she’s about to uncover long-held secrets. Secrets someone will do anything to protect.When her Great Aunt Jane dies, Edie inherits her house—and a load of trouble. The frozen corpse is just the beginning...Categorized as:
cozy crime law-enforcement literary-fiction mystery fiction contemporary amateur-sleuth -
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![The Hunter by Tana French]()
The Hunter by Tana French
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die.Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace...Categorized as:
crime literary-fiction law-enforcement police-procedural mystery fiction contemporary thriller -
![All Hat by Brad Smith]()
All Hat by Brad Smith
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratings“All Hat is a winner all the way.” — The Globe and Mail Ray Dokes is fresh out of prison and fresh out of options… He’s determined to turn his life around and stay out of trouble, but that means avoiding Sonny Stanton – the rich and violent heir of a thoroughbred dynasty Two horses – one an arrogant creature that’ll bite you as soon as you look away, the other gentle and friendly... -
![Dead on Ice by Lauren Carr]()
Dead on Ice by Lauren Carr
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDead on Ice is the first installment of Lauren Carr’s new series (Lovers in Crime) featuring Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Thornton and Pennsylvania State Police homicide detective Cameron Gates.Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer... -
![Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong by Gina Kirkham]()
Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong by Gina Kirkham
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMeet Mavis Upton. As mummy to 7-year old Ella, surrogate to far too many pets and with a failed marriage under her belt, Mavis knows she needs to make some life-changing decisions. It's time to strike out into the world, to stand on her own two feet … to pursue a lifelong ambition to become a Police Officer... -
![Mr. Monk Gets Even by Lee Goldberg]()
Mr. Monk Gets Even by Lee Goldberg
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn all-new original mystery starring Adrian Monk, the brilliant investigator who always knows when something’s out of place.... It may be a foggy San Francisco summer, but for Adrian Monk the future is looking bright... -
![Nailed by Joseph Flynn]()
Nailed by Joseph Flynn
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRon Ketchum saw his share of the dark side of life as a cop in Los Angeles. Then he left L.A. to become the chief of police in the Sierra Nevada resort town of Goldstrike. One sunny morning in the mountains, though, he comes upon a crime unlike anything he’s ever seen before. He finds the body of an African American man nailed to a tree...
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