Books like 'Playing the Ace'
Readers who enjoyed Playing the Ace by Tamara Allen also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical romance mystery mlm historical-fiction lgbtq suspense law-enforcement working-class outlaws
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Taken to the Grave by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Bow Street Duchess Mystery series comes to a thrilling conclusion in the seventh and final book, Taken to the Grave.As Audrey Sinclair reaches the end of her mourning period, she and Hugh Marsden, the Viscount Neatham, are at long last looking toward their future together — and hoping for a respite from the dangerous criminal investigations they’ve found themselves entrenched in...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime suspense law-enforcement romance mystery historical industrial-era -
![This Was a Man by Jeffrey Archer, Susanna Tuomi-Giddings]()
This Was a Man by Jeffrey Archer, Susanna Tuomi-Giddings
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIn Whitehall, Giles Barrington discovers the truth about his wife Karin from the Cabinet Secretary. Is she a spy or a pawn in a larger game? Harry Clifton sets out to write his magnum opus, while his wife Emma completes her ten years as Chairman of the Bristol Royal Infirmary, and receives an unexpected call from Margaret Thatcher offering her a job... -
![Murder Book by Marshall Thornton]()
Murder Book by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the second of the Boystown mysteries to be a finalist for the Lambda Award, it’s fall 1982 and Chicago is gripped by panic after five people die from poisoned Tylenol capsules. Amid the chaos, the Bughouse Slasher takes his eighth victim, this time striking close to private investigator Nick Nowak. With the Chicago Police Department stretched to its limit, Nick takes matters into his own hands... -
![If the Dark Wins by Calle J. Brookes]()
If the Dark Wins by Calle J. Brookes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe didn't need a lover... He wanted to be more than a friend... Travis Worthington-Deane appreciated the good life--he'd worked his butt off to build his ranch into one of the finest in Texas. But that didn't mean he was all work and no play.He was more than willing to play with Dr. Lacy McGareth. His pretty neighbor took everything far too seriously... -
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![A Seditious Affair by K.J. Charles]()
A Seditious Affair by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsK. J. Charles turns up the heat in her new Society of Gentlemen novel, as two lovers face off in a sensual duel that challenges their deepest beliefs. Silas Mason has no illusions about himself. He’s not lovable, or even likable. He’s an overbearing idealist, a Radical bookseller and pamphleteer who lives for revolution . . . and for Wednesday nights... -
![Gilded Cage by K.J. Charles]()
Gilded Cage by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOnce upon a time a boy from a noble family fell in love with a girl from the gutter. It went as badly as you’d expect. Seventeen years later, Susan Lazarus is a renowned detective, and Templeton Lane is a jewel thief. She’s tried to arrest him, and she’s tried to shoot him. They’ve never tried to talk. Then Templeton is accused of a vicious double murder... -
![From the Ashes by Marshall Thornton]()
From the Ashes by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s winter 1984. Private Investigator Nick Nowak has allowed his life to fall to pieces: He’s stopped taking cases, given up his apartment and taken a job as a bartender at a sleazy joint tucked under the El. All he wants to do is stay hidden and lick his wounds after the death of his lover, Detective Bert Harker... -
![Precious Jules by C.J. Bishop]()
Precious Jules by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Gangster Cowboy Novella They will bring him home...by any means necessary. When Adrian's 4 y/o nephew, Jules, is abducted by Adrian's brother Tazz - leader of a motorcycle gang - it is up to Clint and the boys to get him back, by any means necessary... -
![The Gilded Lily by Irina Shapiro]()
The Gilded Lily by Irina Shapiro
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEvery old house has its secrets, so it comes as no surprise when a relic of a noble Victorian family is discovered in the new home of historical author Nicole Rayburn and her husband Kyle. Curious about the lovely young woman in the sepia photograph, Nicole delves into the history of the family and stumbles on a long-forgotten mystery... -
![So True a Love by Joanna Barker]()
So True a Love by Joanna Barker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDanger and passion collide when a plucky young woman becomes embroiled in a Bow Street investigation alongside a handsome officer. London, 1803As the daughter of a renowned actress, Verity Travers is a privileged lady of high society —and the last woman one would suspect of working as a private investigator...Categorized as:
historical-fiction suspense law-enforcement working-class romance industrial-era regency mystery -
![A Gentleman's Position by K.J. Charles]()
A Gentleman's Position by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsPower, privilege, and the rigid rules of class leave two hearts yearning for connection in the sizzling new Society of Gentlemen novel from K. J. Charles.Among his eccentric though strictly principled group of friends, Lord Richard Vane is the confidant on whom everyone depends for advice, moral rectitude, and discreet assistance... -
![The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles]()
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBridgerton meets Poldark in this sweeping LGBTQIA+ Regency romance from award-winning author KJ CharlesAbandoned by his father as a small child, Sir Gareth Inglis has grown up prickly, cold, and well-used to disappointment. Even so, he longs for a connection, falling headfirst into a passionate anonymous affair that's over almost as quickly as it began... -
![A Mystery at Carlton House by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley]()
A Mystery at Carlton House by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratings1818: Captain Lacey is drawn into affairs of the highest in the land when his friend Grenville is asked by the Prince Regent to look into odd happenings in his lavish abode of Carlton House. Objects of value have gone missing, paintings and sculpture have been moved, and some of the staff have reported strange sounds and movements in the shadows...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction law-enforcement adult book female-author fiction historical -
![A Deadly Affair by Carla Simpson]()
A Deadly Affair by Carla Simpson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLondon 1889 — Murder, mystery, and two people in a most unlikely partnership.She's an unconventional lady who has traveled the world, practices the art of self defense most excellently, and has an interesting tattoo in, ahem... a very unusual place...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime law-enforcement suspense romance mystery historical fiction -
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![Murder in St. Giles by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley]()
Murder in St. Giles by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLondon, 1819: When Brewster, my bodyguard, comes to me about a murder of a pugilist—and what’s more, says his wife has summoned me—I must hasten to St. Giles to find a killer before Brewster is arrested for the crime. This is made difficult because Donata's late husband’s odious cousin has materialized to try to wrest her son into his care...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime law-enforcement romance mystery historical industrial-era regency -
![Ármány és kézfogó by Gyula Böszörményi]()
Ármány és kézfogó by Gyula Böszörményi
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA naptár 1900-ról lassanként 1901-re vált, miként a négy esztendővel korábban elrabolt Hangay Emma ügye is hátborzongató fordulatot vesz. Ambrózy báró, az Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia első magándetektívje és hű segítőtársa, Mili kisasszony új nyomra lel, ám az ösvény, melyre ezáltal lépnek, sokkal tüskésebb, nyaktörőbb és veszélyesebb, mint azt bármelyikük is sejtené...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime law-enforcement romance historical young-adult mystery fiction -
![A Rudnay-gyilkosságok by Gyula Böszörményi]()
A Rudnay-gyilkosságok by Gyula Böszörményi
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratings1900 ősze. Budapest székesfőváros a perzsa sah látogatására készül. A titokzatos keleti uralkodó teljes udvarházával egyetemben járja be Európát, mindenhol rendkívüli érdeklődést, sőt rajongást váltva ki. Rudnay Béla rendőrfőkapitányt azonban egészen más nyomasztja: kereken hét olyan gyilkossági ügy aktája hever az asztalán, amit a legkiválóbb detektívjei sem voltak képesek felderíteni...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime law-enforcement romance historical young-adult mystery fiction -
![The Lies That Bind by Marshall Thornton]()
The Lies That Bind by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe eighth book of the best-selling Boystown Mystery Series begins with a phone call in the middle of the night. Private investigator Nick Nowak is pulled into the troubled world of freelance journalist, and all around pain-in-the-ass, Christian Baylor. When Christian can’t stop lying about the corpse in his bathroom things slip slowly out of control... -
![Bloodlines by Marshall Thornton]()
Bloodlines by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the latest book in the Boystown Mystery series, Private Investigator Nick Nowak finds himself simultaneously working two cases for his new client, law firm Cooke, Babcock and Lackerby. A suburban dentist has just been convicted of murdering her adulterous husband, Nick is asked to interview witnesses for the penalty phase of the trial—and possibly find the dead man’s mistress... -
![Josh Lanyon Collected Novellas #1 by Josh Lanyon]()
Josh Lanyon Collected Novellas #1 by Josh Lanyon
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Dangerous Ground a casino robbery finds government agents Taylor and Will playing a game of cat-and-mouse with remorseless killers in the wilderness of California's High Sierras. Snowball in Hell introduces police detective Lt. Matthew Spain and reporter Nathan Doyle, men thrown together by murder. But, in post-WWII Los Angeles consequences of their attraction are serious, even for good guys... -
![Fade Out by Marshall Thornton]()
Fade Out by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Lambda Award-winning Boystown Mystery series comes to a close with Boystown 13: Fade Out. When a box containing a woman’s corpse shows up at his doorstep, Private Investigator Nick Nowak finds himself accused of murder. The police are convinced it’s Rita Lindquist—a woman who once shot Nick. Their case is thin, but they and the state’s attorney are determined to prosecute him... -
![The Favored Son by Sarah Woodbury]()
The Favored Son by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNovember 1147. Gareth and Gwen have again been called to a castle belonging to Robert, Earl of Gloucester, this time by Prince Henry, who insists his uncle was murdered. Allying with Normans doesn't come easily to Gareth and Gwen, but initial doubts are swept aside as more losses come to light... -
![The Gangster by C.S. Poe]()
The Gangster by C.S. Poe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings1881—Special Agent Gillian Hamilton, magic caster for the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam, has recovered from injuries obtained while in Shallow Grave, Arizona. Now back in New York City, Gillian makes an arrest on New Year’s Eve that leads to information on a gangster, known only as Tick Tock, who’s perfected utilizing elemental magic ammunition... -
![A Time For Secrets by Marshall Thornton]()
A Time For Secrets by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the first full-length novel of the Boystown series, it’s late summer 1982 and private detective Nick Nowak is asked to find a retired gentleman’s long lost lover. Instead, he finds himself embroiled in a decades old murder connected to the man who wants tobe Chicago’s next mayor... -
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![Rag and Bone by Michael Nava]()
Rag and Bone by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne of the most highly acclaimed writers in the mystery genre "explores new emotional depths" in this last Henry Rios novel. The gay Mexican-American attorney, after the loss of his lover, must face his own mortality while recovering from a heart attack-and reach out to a family he didn't know he had... -
![The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky]()
The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEngland, 1867- A Game of Chance and a Property Lost Who could have known what the consequences would be? Fifteen years later, Louisa Campbell, living in genteel poverty in Dublin, Ireland, is more than surprised to learn that she is the new owner of Bowes Farm...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime suspense romance historical victorian mystery industrial-era -
![Late Fees by Marshall Thornton]()
Late Fees by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s Thanksgiving, 1992 and Noah Valentine is late picking his mother up from the airport. When he arrives he discovers that she’s made a friend on the flight whose also waiting for her son. When women’s son doesn’t show up, they eventually take the woman home for breakfast with neighbor’s Marc and Louis... -
![Surrender the Dawn by MaryLu Tyndall, M.L. Tyndall]()
Surrender the Dawn by MaryLu Tyndall, M.L. Tyndall
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYou’ll be gasping for air in this seafaring romance by popular author and Christy Award nominee MaryLu Tyndall. Baltimore’s Cassandra Channing will do anything to provide for her family—even if it means hiring the town rogue as a privateer. Luke Heaton is a handsome rake with a tortured past who is blackmailed by the British into selling supplies to their ships just off the coast... -
![Deadly Peril by Lucinda Brant]()
Deadly Peril by Lucinda Brant
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWinter 1763. Alec, Lord Halsey is sent on a diplomatic mission to Midanich, imperial outpost of the Holy Roman Empire, to bargain for the freedom of imprisoned friends. Midanich is a place of great danger and dark secrets; a country at civil war; ruled by a family with madness in its veins. For Alec it is a place of unspeakable memories from which he barely escaped and vowed never to return...Categorized as:
historical-fiction suspense law-enforcement romance mystery historical industrial-era georgian -
![The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman]()
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an 'old maid' to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.Lady Augusta Colebrook, "Gus," is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two... -
![The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King]()
The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLaurie R. King takes readers way back in her bestselling series with this exclusive ebook short story, as Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes embark upon the riskiest adventure of their their wedding. Includes a special preview of the highly anticipated new mystery from Laurie R...Categorized as:
historical-fiction suspense law-enforcement crime romance mystery fiction historical -
![The Apothecary Diaries (Light Novel): Volume 3 by Natsu Hyuuga]()
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 law-enforcement politics romance mystery historical fantasy fiction -
![The Jackal’s House by Anna Butler]()
The Jackal’s House by Anna Butler
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSequel to The Gilded ScarabSomething is stalking the Aegyptian night and endangering the archaeologists excavating the mysterious temple ruins in Abydos. But is it a vengeful ancient spirit or a very modern conspiracy…...Categorized as:
crime historical-fiction lgbtq mlm suspense action-adventure adult alternate-history -
![Fairs' Point by Melissa Scott]()
Fairs' Point by Melissa Scott
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDuring Dog Moon, the chief entertainment in the great city of Astreiant, for nobles and commons alike, is the basket-terrier races at New Fair. This year, with spectacularly bad timing, the massive and suspicious bankruptcy of a young nobleman has convulsed the city, leading to suicides, widespread loss of employment, and inconvenient new laws around the universal practice of betting on the races... -
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![Hidden Treasures by Marshall Thornton]()
Hidden Treasures by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s about a dress. A valuable blue sequined dress worn by a famed actress in a film from the 1940s. For some reason everyone thinks video storeowner Noah Valentine has it. Which might not be a big deal except that it’s connected to the murder of a prominent Hollywood costumer.In the second of the Pinx Video Mysteries, Noah attempts to solve the mystery of the dress... -
![All Lessons Learned: A classic mystery romance by Charlie Cochrane]()
All Lessons Learned: A classic mystery romance by Charlie Cochrane
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“A sparkling, intelligent series, not to be missed” – The Historical Novel Society The Great War is over. Freed from a prisoner of war camp and back at St. Bride’s College, Orlando Coppersmith is discovering what those years have cost.... All he holds dear—including his beloved Jonty Stewart, lost in combat... -
![Sanctuary for a Lady by Naomi Rawlings]()
Sanctuary for a Lady by Naomi Rawlings
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe injured young woman Michel Belanger finds in the woods is certainly an aristocrat. And in the midst of France's bloody revolution, sheltering nobility merits a trip to the guillotine. Yet despite the risk, Michel knows he must bring the wounded girl to his cottage to heal.Attacked by soldiers and left for dead, Isabelle de La Rouchecauld has lost everything... -
![The Anarchists' Club by Alex Reeve]()
The Anarchists' Club by Alex Reeve
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's been a year since Leo Stanhope lost the woman he loved, and came closing to losing his own life. Now, more than ever, he is determined to keep his head down and stay safe, without risking those he holds dear... -
![The Viking Prince by Sarah Woodbury]()
The Viking Prince by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMay 1148. All Dublin is shocked by the murder of a prominent merchant, but only Prince Godfrid knows that the dead man was also a co-conspirator in his brother's plan to take the throne of Dublin. With death stalking his every move, Godfrid must call upon new friends and old to find the killer--and with their help uncover a conspiracy stretching beyond Dublin's walls to every kingdom in Ireland...Categorized as:
historical-fiction crime law-enforcement suspense mystery cozy action-adventure historical -
![Just a Little Seduction by Merry Farmer]()
Just a Little Seduction by Merry Farmer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDavid Wirth has made it his life’s work to fight for the rights of those who cannot defend themselves and to navigate England’s choppy legal waters for fellow members of The Brotherhood. Tracking down the three villainous noblemen, including a powerful duke, who have masterminded a child kidnapping ring promises to be the pinnacle of his career seeking justice for the helpless... -
![Dusk's Devotion by V.L. Locey]()
Dusk's Devotion by V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCan love warm the hearts of two enemies facing the wrath of a Wyoming winter storm?Kyle Abbott is slowly discovering that being midway through his thirties and being married to your job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There has to be more to life than random hookups, horses, and cattle... -
![Any Old Diamonds by K.J. Charles]()
Any Old Diamonds by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLord Alexander Pyne-ffoulkes, the younger son of the Duke of Ilvar, holds a bitter grudge against his wealthy father. The Duke intends to give his Duchess a priceless diamond parure on their wedding anniversary — so Alec hires a pair of jewel thieves to steal it.The Duke's remote castle is a difficult target, and Alec needs a way to get the thieves in... -
![Two Nick Nowak Novellas by Marshall Thornton]()
Two Nick Nowak Novellas by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the two novellas that make up the third book in the popular Boystown Mysteries private Investigator Nick Nowak works two challenging cases and grapples with an even more challenging personal life. In Little Boy Boom, Nick’s car explodes when a thief attempts to steal it... -
![The Burning Plain by Michael Nava]()
The Burning Plain by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGay Mexican American lawyer Henry Rios has fought bigotry and prejudice, battled alcoholism, and watched his lover die from AIDS. In The Burning Plain, he's wrongly accused of murder after a male prostitute he spent an evening with is savagely murdered... -
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![Howtown by Michael Nava]()
Howtown by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWinner of six Lambda Literary awards, the Henry Rios mystery series is iconic and Michael Nava has been hailed by the New York Times as "one of our best" crime writers. Upon its original publication, the Los Angeles Times said of Howtown and its author: "Nava's mysteries are faithful to the conventions of the genre, but they are set apart by their insight, compassion, and sense of social justice. -
![The Hidden Law by Michael Nava]()
The Hidden Law by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWinner of six Lambda Literary awards, the Henry Rios mystery series is iconic. In The Hidden Law, Rios delves deeply into his Latino identity as he defends a young man charged with assassinating a prominent Los Angeles Latino politician... -
![Lessons in Power by Charlie Cochrane]()
Lessons in Power by Charlie Cochrane
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe ghosts of the past will shape your future. Unless you fight them. Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 4 Cambridge, 1907 After settling in their new home, Cambridge dons Orlando Coppersmith and Jonty Stewart are looking forward to nothing more exciting than teaching their students and playing rugby... -
![The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson]()
The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCleveland, Ohio, 1928. Secrets bind the notorious Cardano family together, but Detective Rollin Wells is close to exposing the family’s dark secrets. The Cardanos are working in the hills south of Cleveland, and when Rollin travels to Sugarcreek to investigate, he discovers that the Cardanos want him dead... -
![A Veil Removed by Michelle Cox]()
A Veil Removed by Michelle Cox
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMurder is never far from this sexy couple . . . even during the holidays! Their honeymoon abruptly ended by the untimely death of Alcott Howard, Clive and Henrietta return to Highbury, where Clive discovers all is not as it should be...Categorized as:
suspense historical-fiction crime law-enforcement romance historical mystery fiction -
![How Goes The World? by K.J. Charles]()
How Goes The World? by K.J. Charles
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Positively Final Appearance: a two-part epilogue with Daniel and Archie at a house party and Kim and Will in a gentleman's club, because those are definitely settings that go well for them...
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