Books like 'A Gift Before Dying'
Readers who enjoyed A Gift Before Dying by Malcolm Kempt also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
supernatural crime thriller literary-fiction law-enforcement police-procedural ghosts
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Careful little eyes: An addictive, horrifying serial killer thriller by Willow Rose
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsASIN moved from less recent edition hereIan Marks is terrified of ghosts. Especially of the one that has just moved into his shed in the back yard of his house in New Orleans. Everyone else thinks he is just a drunk, but when his girlfriend is killed at night by a man with an axe, he knows he was right to be afraid... -
St. Benet's by David Blake
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA girl thrown from a church tower, a man sacrificed to Satan, and a priest murdered at the hands of the Devil. When the body of an old man is found lying in the ruins of St Benet’s Abbey, his throat cut, a knife resting in his open hand, DI John Tanner and DC Jenny Evans are given no choice but to accept a ruling of death by misadventure... -
House of Lies by D.S. Butler, Henrietta Meire
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen two teenage girls vanish without a trace from an educational retreat at Chidlow House in Lincolnshire, the students and teachers are put on high alert.Called in to investigate, Detective Karen Hart questions everyone who came into contact with the two girls, Cressida and Natasha, in the days leading up to their disappearance... -
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... -
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The Haunting of Winchester Mansion by Alexandria Clarke
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn the small town of Black Bay, a vacant, forgotten house sits atop an overlooking bluff. When Bailey and Bodhi Taylor move in and begin renovations, the house seems perfect. But things move on their own, screams echo from the basement, and Bailey sees a shadowy figure out of the corner of her eye... -
Lowcountry Boondoggle by Susan M. Boyer
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPrivate investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews thought they’d put Darius Baker’s troubles to rest—then his recently discovered son ropes him into a hemp farm investment with his college buddies. When a beloved Charleston professor—and potential investor—is murdered, Liz and Nate discover Darius keeps the PIs on speed dial... -
What Will Burn by James Oswald
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe eleventh book in the Sunday Times-bestselling Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers.The charred remains of an elderly woman are discovered in a burned-out game-keepers cottage, hidden away in woodland to the west of Edinburgh. Clearly no accidental fire, Detective Inspector Tony McLean suspects that neither is this simply a grim arson attack...Categorized as:
crime law-enforcement police-procedural mystery fiction supernatural fantasy audiobook -
The Gathering Dark: Inspector McLean Book 8 by James Oswald
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe gripping new crime thriller in the highly acclaimed Inspector McLean series A truck driver loses control in central Edinburgh, ploughing into a crowded bus stop and spilling his vehicle's toxic load. The consequences are devastating. DI Tony McLean witnesses the carnage... -
Blood Dahlia by Victor Methos, MacKenzie Leigh Barmen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA COPYCAT OF THE MOST FAMOUS MURDER IN HISTORY... A serial murderer nicknamed the Blood Dahlia has been terrorizing the quiet suburbs of Pennsylvania. Brutally mutilating his victims in the fashion of the most famous murder in Hollywood, the killer leaves no trace behind... -
A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“An epic supernatural suspense that will forever reset your standards for summer thrillers. From secret realms and horrific homicides to hauntings and criminal empires, there isn’t a single dull sentence found in the pages of A Game of Ghosts—and you’ll love it...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction thriller action-adventure adult audiobook -
Deadlock by Catherine Coulter
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThis exhilarating FBI thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter finds Savich and Sherlock confronting two baffling mysteries.A young wife is forced to confront a decades-old deadly secret when a medium connects her to her dead grandfather. A vicious psychopath wants ultimate revenge against Savich, but first, she wants to destroy what he loves most—his family... -
Cold As The Grave: Inspector McLean Book 9 by James Oswald
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe ninth book in the Sunday Times-bestselling phenomenon that is the Inspector McLean series, from one of Scotland's most celebrated crime writers . Her lifeless body is hidden in the dark corner of a basement room, a room which seems to have been left untouched for decades. A room which feels as cold as the grave...Categorized as:
crime law-enforcement police-procedural thriller action-adventure adult assassins audiobook -
Holy Ghost by John Sandford
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWheatfield, Minnesota - a metropolis of seven hundred souls. The word "moribund" might have been invented for Wheatfield. Nothing ever happened there and nothing ever would—until the mayor of sorts (campaign slogan: "I'll Do What I Can") and a buddy come up with a scheme to put the town on the map...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement police-procedural thriller action-adventure adult audiobook -
Black Jack by Willow Rose
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWelcome to the Blackwood House. Enter if you dare.In Savannah lies a house about which is said that all who have ever lived there have gone insane. When Kimberly and Joseph inherit the house from an unknown aunt, they don’t know the house’s murderous history. They move in and soon a series of strange events occurs. It’s like the house doesn’t want them there...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural action-adventure adult audiobook -
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The House that Jack Built by Willow Rose
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsScott Kingston is afraid of monsters. He thinks they’re lurking outside his bedroom window at night when his mother tucks him in. He asks his mother to keep the light on to scare the monsters away. But that light is exactly what lures the kidnapper to his window and the next morning, Scott Kingston is gone...Categorized as:
crime law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural thriller action-adventure adult audiobook -
No Justice: The Complete Series: A Dark Vigilante Thriller Series by Nolon King, David W. Wright
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the bestselling authors of 12, Hidden Justice, and Pretty Killer comes the unforgettable thriller series that blends mystery and suspense into pulse-pounding revenge-seeking, serial-killing action... -
The Haunting of Blackwater Cottage: A Riveting Haunted House Mystery by Clay Wise
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRecently widowed, Alicia Hawkins can no longer live in the New York apartment she shared with her husband. She leaves the city behind for a small fishing village in Duxbridge, Massachusetts, where she purchases a rundown house the locals have dubbed Blackwater Cottage. But the quiet life and beautiful views are disrupted by secret notes and unexplained phenomena... -
The Bone Harvest by Stacy M. Jones
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe trail had gone cold. Det. Luke Morgan had all but given up hope. Then a letter from his sister's killer changes everything Luke thought he knew about her death - and renews his hope for justice."Lily wasn't the first. She won't be the last. Like the fall leaves that turn orange and red, 23 pretty little girls harvested dead."The killer wants to play a game...Categorized as:
crime law-enforcement police-procedural mystery fiction serial-killers investigator murder -
Girl in the Grave by C.J. Cross
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGruesome murders. Missing prostitutes. Underground clubs.When the mob strikes in D.C. no one is safe.Have Gray and Shepard finally met their match?Dana Gray never thought she’d find herself knee deep in bodies–literally. But after visiting yet another strange D.C. crime scene at Jake’s behest that’s exactly where the occult specialist finds herself... -
The Haunting of Saxton Mansion by Roger Hayden
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe complicated history of the Saxton house has been long forgotten. Few in the town of Cypress Creek even remember the house and what had occurred inside its walls decades before. In the present time, author Rob Hooper and his wife, Janet, are looking for a quiet place to live. The grandiose, isolated Victorian-style relic is everything they could want... -
The Missing Brides by Helen Goltz
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom author Helen Goltz comes an exciting new series about love, fate, and putting to rest more than the dead, with a hint of magic, mystery and visions.Miss Phoebe Astin and her brothers, Julius and Ambrose, lead an unconventional life working in the family funeral business – The Economic Undertaker...Categorized as:
ghosts crime law-enforcement police-procedural romance mystery historical historical-fiction -
Whiplash by Catherine Coulter
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsYale professor Dr. Edward Kender’s father is undergoing chemotherapy when the supply of a critical accompanying drug, Culovort, suddenly runs out. Unwilling to accept the drug manufacturer’s disingenuous excuse of production line problems, Dr. Kender hires private investigator Erin Pulaski to prove that something more sinister is going on at Schiffer Hartwin...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement police-procedural thriller action-adventure adult audiobook -
The Secrets of the Shadows by Helen Phifer
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSophie was afraid of the man in the shadows. He terrified her, but he would always disappear when someone else came. But one day in June 1984, she didn't escape. He took her. When a young woman is found draped over a gravestone in a chilling murder, police officer Annie Graham experiences a familiar sense of dread... -
The Forgotten Cottage by Helen Phifer
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Forgotten Cottage, the eagerly-awaited and chillingly terrifying new book in Helen Phifer’s best-selling ‘Annie Graham’ series. Annie Graham has fought her demons, and is ready to leave them behind. Her new cottage seems like the new start she’s craved: quiet and quaint, it’s empty of the memories which have haunted her for so long... -
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Spider's Truth by Christa Yelich-Koth
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA psychological detective thriller.Some people can’t let go of a grudge. Homicide Detective Sean Trann is learning this the hard way. He made the mistake of interrupting the killing spree of Boston’s most notorious serial killer, Spider. Intent on finishing what he started and infuriated at Sean’s previous involvement, Spider has decided to use those closest to Sean as pieces in his twisted game...Categorized as:
law-enforcement crime thriller mystery fiction psychological suspense serial-killers -
The Boy Who Saw by Simon Toyne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSolomon Creed has no recollection of who he is, or where he comes from. The only solid clue to his identity is a label stitched in his jacket saying: “This suit was made to treasure for Mr. Solomon Creed.” The jacket fits perfectly, and so does the name, but there is a second name on the label, the name of the tailor who made the suit and an address in Southern France... -
Prayer for the Dead by James Oswald
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDetective Inspector Tony McLean is on the case when the search for a missing journalist uncovers the scene of a carefully staged murder. In a sealed chamber, deep in the heart of Gilmerton Cove, a mysterious network of caves and passages sprawling beneath Edinburgh, the body is discovered in a seemingly macabre ritual of purification... -
The Smile of a Ghost by Phil Rickman
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe border town of Ludlow has it all—exquisite medieval streets, a parish church the size of a cathedral, and a weight of history and legend. After a young teenage boy dies, his grandmother becomes convinced she's still seeing her dead grandson in the old town...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural adult audiobook book -
A Book of Bones by John Connolly
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe new thrilling installment of John Connolly's popular Charlie Parker series.He is our best hope.He is our last hope.On lonely moor in the northeast of England, the body of a young woman is discovered near the site of a vanished church. In the south, a girl lies buried beneath a Saxon mound. To the southeast, the ruins of a priory hide a human skull.Each is a sacrifice, a summons...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural thriller action-adventure adult -
Deadly Wishes by Rachel McLean
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMeet Zoe Finch, West Midlands Police's newest Detective Inspector. She's outspoken, ambitious, and damaged. And she's working a case that could make her career, or cost her everything...Fresh from the success of the Canary investigation into depravity and corruption at the highest levels, she's attracted attention. Not least from Assistant Chief Constable Bryn Jackson... -
Badlands by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and then died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods... -
The Nameless Ones by John Connolly
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFrom the international and instant New York Times bestselling author of The Dirty South, the white-knuckled Charlie Parker series returns with this heart-pounding race to hunt down the deadliest of war criminals...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction thriller action-adventure adult audiobook -
A Pilgrimage to Death by Alexa Padgett, J.J. Cagney
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCici discovers a body in the forest, and the victim’s wounds are identical to the ones that killed her sister a year ago... Someone murdered her sister. And shot her dog. The killer won't stop until Cici's dead, too. With her identical twin sister hauntingp her dreams, Cici and her dogs must dodge arrows, bullets, and even a demon truck... -
A Winter Grave by Peter May
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt is the year 2051. Warnings of climate catastrophe have been ignored, and vast areas of the planet are under water, or uninhabitably hot. A quarter of the world's population has been displaced by hunger and flooding, and immigration wars are breaking out around the globe as refugees pour into neighboring countries... -
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The Haunting of Bell Mansion by James Hunt
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSarah thought the small town of Bell, Maine was the answer to her troubles.Bell, Maine is a small town with rural roots. While its citizens have fallen on hard times, they've managed to survive decades of harsh, northern winters. But when drifter Sarah Pembrooke rolls into town looking for work, the frigid cold will be the least of their worries...Categorized as:
law-enforcement police-procedural ghosts horror mystery fiction supernatural spirituality -
Ice Cold Murder by Michele Pariza Wacek
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Charlie agrees to accompany her friend Claire to her late grandmother's reading of the will, she assumes she is simply there for moral support.She doesn't expect things to get so ... strange.It’s odd enough that it takes place over a weekend, but that’s just the beginning ...They also need to stay in Claire's grandma's supposedly haunted house with Claire's estranged family... -
Lady of the Shades by Darren Shan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn a hotel room in Chile, an assassin washes blood from his clothes as he receives word of a new job. Miles away in the twisting streets of London, American writer Ed is tormented by the ghosts of his brutal past. And unseen, a plot churns into motion that will blur the boundaries between what's real and what's not... -
The Haunting of Rachel Harroway by J.S. Donovan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn 1983, a family of four was murdered in their nineteenth century Queen Anne manse. There were no witnesses, no real investigation, and no survivors. The discovery of a serial killer's burial ground rocks the peaceful town of Highlands, North Carolina. Rachel Harroway, a tragic detective with the ability to see the dead, and her brilliant atheistic partner, Jenson Peak, are put on the case...Categorized as:
crime ghosts law-enforcement literary-fiction police-procedural action-adventure adult book -
The Lake House Children by Gregg Dunnett, Elise Roth
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings11 hours, 3 minutes Kate’s son Jack insists he used to be someone else. Someone who died, tragically. At first, Kate’s confused about what he’s telling her. Don’t little kids say the weirdest things? But soon she can’t pretend it isn’t something more. No four-year-old should know what Jack does – have memories from before he was born... -
The Unknown by Heather Graham
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSomeone wants to watch the city burn…Sienna Murray was only fourteen when she pulled her neighbors out of a raging house fire... -
The Haunting of Abram Mansion by Alexandria Clarke
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA riveting new haunted house mystery that will keep you guessing until the end!When Peyton and Benjamin Fletcher inherit a dilapidated house in the quiet town of Falconwood, Connecticut from Peyton's grandfather, all they want to do is get rid of it. Unfortunately, the will stipulates that the couple must live in the house for a minimum of six months before they sell it... -
The Damage Done: Inspector McLean 6 by James Oswald
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNo good deed goes unpunished... When a police raid in Edinburgh goes horribly wrong, the only silver lining for Inspector Tony McLean is a discovery that could lead to a long-lost girl from his early days on the beat. Haunted by the mystery of what happened to her, McLean begins to dig into a case he thought long buried... -
Fatal Error by F. Paul Wilson
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"Repairman Jack is one of my favorite characters--I'm full of happy anticipation every time I hold a new RJ novel in my hands."--Charlaine Harris, creator of "True Blood" The End of the World is at hand!Munir Habib's life has become a nightmare. His tormentor has warned Munir not to report the kidnapping of his family, or else they will pay a terrible price... -
Dead Men's Bones by James Oswald
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe murder/suicide of a prominent Scottish politician and his family brings Edinburgh-based Detective Inspector Tony McLean out to the countryside to investigate. The powers that be want a quick report and then to have the whole thing buried, but McLean believes there's more to the case than meets the eye... -
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The Fireballer by Mark Stevens
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA poignant story about hopes, dreams, and how far one man’s talent takes him before he realizes it’s about what you do—and how you do it.Frank Ryder is unstoppable on the baseball field—his pitches arrive faster than a batter can swing, giving his opponents no chance. He’s being heralded as a game-changing pitcher... -
The Runner by Peter May
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA top Chinese swimmer kills himself of the eve of an international event - shattering his country's hopes of victory against the Americans. An Olympic weightlifter dies in the arms of his Beijing mistress - a scandal to be hushed up at the highest level... -
Off the Rails by Christopher Fowler
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsChristopher Fowler’s Peculiar Crimes Unit novels have been hailed for their originality, suspense, and unforgettable characters. Now Arthur Bryant, John May, and their team of proud eccentrics have been given only one week to hunt down a murderer they’ve already caught once and who is now luring them down into the darkest shadows of the London Underground.The young man they seek is an enigma... -
Willing to Die by Lisa Jackson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWHEN A KILLER HAS NOTHING TO LOSE The crime scene is as puzzling as it is brutal. Doctor Paul Latham and his wife, Brindel, are found dead in separate beds in their beautiful San Francisco home, each the victim of a gunshot wound to the head. There are no signs of forced entry, and despite the emptied safe it’s clear this murder isn’t random... -
The River by Noelle W. Ihli
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA short post-script to Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli. Learn what happened to April... -
The Haunting of Meade Mansion by Skylar Finn
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEmily thought she was leaving her money troubles behind when she inherited an old house from her great aunt who went missing the previous year. When she and her husband Jesse arrive at the house, they discover Aunt Matilda was murdered--and the culprit is still at large...
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