Mystery/Thrillers with romantic subplots or sexual tension?

I'm looking for a really gritty, brutal mystery/thriller/crime (because I like overlapping genres) with some sexual tension or a small romantic subplot (preferably between colleagues, since I do enjoy that complication)

I do quite like Karen Rose's novels, but recently got the feeling that they're rather formulaic and I think that the romance can, at times, over shadow the crime. I've also read Kathy Reichs' novels, Val McDermid and Mo Hayder (one of my all-time favourites is her Walking Man series).

Any suggestions?

At the risk of being slated as an indie promoting somewhere where I'm probably not supposed to be promoting, can I suggest my own kindle thriller Hamelin's Child? And any of the thrillers on the Criminal-E blog thread or the How Long is a Piece of Rope thread will give you a good read for your money. They're all dark (mine is certainly brutal with lots of sexual tension) and most are only a few pence so you have nothing to lose. You can even sample for free. If you have a kindle of course.

Deb

You might be better looking under the Romantic Suspense genre, rather than Romance.

A chance meeting with a mysterious elderly man...
Who is Old Tom - a sad and lonely fusspot? Or a forgotten figure whose deductive abilities hint at something more..?
Does he ever leave his armchair?
Why is he only seen or heard by engaging, local newspaper reporter, Trench?
And what surprising secret are the Mayflower Court Flats really hiding?

Come on a challenging, yet comfortable investigation.
Can you solve the mystery without leaving your armchair..?

Also, there's the underlying chemistry between Trench and his fellow reporter, Sally-Anne...
The Armchair Detective

[Deleted by the author on 24 Nov 2011 07:10:30 GMT]

The Company of Fellows: the dark psychological thriller set in Oxford University is perfect if you like the sexual tension in the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill books of Val McDermid.

Oxford. City of learning, culture, and a history that hides the darkest lusts of the human heart.

Tommy West. Brilliant academic, until a breakdown 12 years ago. He has reinvented himself as a successful interior designer. His new life is comfortable, in every way, and safe. But life without the intellectual challenge is slowly suffocating him.

Charles Shaw. Outspoken professor of theology. Sensualist. Unpopular with all his colleagues. Loathed by his ex-wife. And, as of five minutes ago, dead.

As a student, Shaw was Tommy's mentor. Now Tommy must draw on the professor for inspiration one more time in order to find his killer. But all he has to go on are a handful of papers for the controversial research the professor was working on when he died. And the Professor's 18 year-old daughter Becky, for whom Tommy is the last hope to get some closure on the troubled relationship with her father.

The police are convinced the Professor's death was a suicide, which should make Tommy's hunt easier. Only in this case, the police means his ex, Emily Harris, and her sultry sergeant Rosie Lu.

The unspeakable truth about the Professor's death lies buried in the past: somewhere between the night his daughter was born - and her twin sister stillborn - and the day Tommy broke down. But for Tommy the past is a dangerous place, a long way from the safety he has so carefully built for himself. Can he find the answers before time, and his sanity, run out?

[Deleted by Amazon on 5 Dec 2011 18:44:35 GMT]

Hi

Take No More comes close to what you're looking for. It's a thriller. It has strong mystery/crime elements and it's concerned with relationships. The underlying mystery has a sexual basis, though it's not a sexually provocative book. I think you might like it.

Here are some more details:

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'Take No More is an absolutely stunning thriller from a new author, I can't remember the last murder mystery I read that was so good.......'

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A single act turns James Blake's life upside down. He comes home to find his wife, Julia, shot and bleeding. She dies in his arms.

The police are no help. He's sure they're trying to fit him up for the murder.

He checks Julia's messages and finds just one. It says 'help me'. It comes with a strange, old image of a woman being seduced. It's all he has to go on. That and the fact that someone is trying to kill him.

But he will find Julia's killers, no matter what it takes.

-------------------------------------------------------

'Wow! This is action-packed from page one, and the reader is instantly thrust into murder, suspense, and intrigue. James is just a normal guy who thinks he has a normal life. Until the murder of his wife. He's forced on a journey from the UK to Italy to find her killers, and finds himself in the midst of a powerful Italian family, the hunt for precious works of art, and danger at every turn. The writing gives you the feel of actually being in Italy - you can taste and smell it. The plot is action-packed and a real page-turner. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great crime thriller! And fans of Harlan Coben and Simon Kernick will love it!'

'This is an outstanding debut novel by Seb Kirby. He captivates the reader from the first page, and remains gripping and compelling throughout.I could not put this book down. Listed under Murder,Mystery and Thriller but so much more than that. The geography of London and Florence was handled very well to add richness to the novel, alongside the Authors' obvious love and knowledge of the art world .In addition to this,the reader is taken into the Italian underworld weaving a web of corruption,deceit,secrets and murder around the whole plot. If you enjoy a really good Thriller,in the style of Sidney Sheldon with extras, and are prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat throughout, this book is a definite must! I am eagerly awaiting the next novel.'

---------------------------------------------------

Take No More, out now on Kindle at just 86p for a special limited period in June.

Best wishes

Seb

Fancy a detective story set in Thailand?

Bangkok Bob and The Missing Mormon

Long-term Bangkok resident and former New Orleans cop Bob Turtledove has the knack of getting people out of difficult situations.

So when a young man from Utah goes missing in Bangkok, his parents are soon knocking on Bob's door asking for help.

But what starts out as a simple missing person case takes a deadly turn as Bangkok Bob's search for the missing Mormon brings him up against Russian gangsters, hired killers, corrupt cops and kickboxing thugs.

And he learns that even in the Land of Smiles, people can have murder on their minds.

Cave starts with the main character, Marty, trapped down a cave and struggling to survive. But the story of how he came to be there (which he tells as he searches for a way out) is driven by a complex web of friendships and relationships which began at university, twenty years earlier and are renewed when he is reunited with old friends. Marty hopes that he will get back together with his first ever girlfriend, but the arrival of a new alpha male into the group throws everything into confusion.

Exogenesis (Celestial Mists)

When a respectable doctor mysteriously dies and his death is subsequently ruled a homicide, it sends shock-waves through the English village of Helmsley. As the investigation unfolds, few clues are found and only the local priest, Father Montgomery, and the doctor's daughter, Siobhan, seem at all affected by the man's passing. To make matters worse, the newspaper start writing scandalous stories about the murder and to top it all off, the body, not yet cold in the ground, is stolen from its coffin without a trace.

When Siobhan starts suffering from terrifying, prophetic dreams and a collection of Satanic books are found in the doctor's closet, the investigation takes a paranormal turn and demonic forces they never knew existed come into play. As Siobhan tries to familiarize herself with this unknown world, she is thrown off-balance by two completely different men - both of whom strangers from out of town. But can she trust her feelings? Can she trust them? Lies will unravel and secrets are revealed as a showdown with her father's killer creeps closer.

Just when she thinks nothing can surprise her anymore, she is granted a visit from Satan himself (he prefers to be called Lucifer, which has a nicer ring to it), who is not at all as she imagined and makes her a surprising offer. Angels, demons and humans face off in this paranormal fantasy series that proves politics exists not only on Earth. 'Exogenesis' only shows the tip of the ice-berg. War is coming. An apocalyptic celestial war that will forever change the face of the Earth.

The paperback of Black Shadows has just become a bestseller in the Leeds branch of Waterstones. Had a great signing today.

You can still get the kindle of a mere 70p for the duration of June. See if you agree with Debbi Mack and Jake Barton.

Alex Kava's books.
Tami Hoag's books such as Ashes to Ashes & Secrets to the Grave.
Carla Cassidy's books
Tess Gerritson
Karin Slaughter
Harlan Coben
Patricia Cornwall
Lisa Gardner
Erica Spindler
Lisa Scottoline
Nicci French
James Patterson
Sara Paretsky
Lynda La Plante
Sarah Rayne
Beverly Barton
Linda Castillo
Ruth Rendell
Jilliane Hoffman
Jo Nesbo
Tania Carver
Brenda Novak
Allison Brennan
Mariah Stewart (Like Tami Hoag, Stewart writes romances and thrillers/suspense with some romance included).
Kate Brady
Debra Webb
Kylie Brant
Mary Burton
Lisa Jackson
Kay Hooper

A dark secret revealed as James Blake searches for his wife's killers.
Take No More

[Deleted by Amazon on 14 Nov 2011 22:58:59 GMT]

I'm new to Kindle with 'Bushfire' and 'The Legacy of the Ninth' which feature Billy Boyd as the main character. He's a cheeky young detective from the Lake District in Cumbria (UK) who eventually makes the grade in the anti terrorist branch and takes on the baddies here, there and everywhere. But my latest is a murder mystery called 'The Conchenta Conundrum' which features a hardnosed chess playing detective called Davies King. He wonders if he has a couple of run of the mill domestic murders to sort out or does he have a serial killer on his hands. With bombs and bullets flying, he actually gets something of a shock but I can't tell you everything, can I? My first book,'The Fragile Peace' has been adapted into a film script and is sitting on a desk in Santa Monica waiting for a decision from the film company. On of the sub plots revolves around the main male character and his two female works colleagues. Here's hoping, and here's to Kindle. Check my stuff out on the Paul Anthony author's page. Thanks
The Fragile Peace

[Deleted by Amazon on 8 Nov 2011 07:29:29 GMT]

Hi

Top Kindle thriller Take No More has strong mystery/crime elements and it's concerned with relationships. The underlying mystery has a sexual basis, though it's not a sexually provocative book. I think you might like it.

Here are some more details:

-------------------------------------------------------

'Take No More is an absolutely stunning thriller from a new author, I can't remember the last murder mystery I read that was so good.......'

-------------------------------------------------------

A single act turns James Blake's life upside down. He comes home to find his wife, Julia, shot and bleeding. She dies in his arms.

The police are no help. He's sure they're trying to fit him up for the murder.

He checks Julia's messages and finds just one. It says 'help me'. It comes with a strange, old image of a woman being seduced. It's all he has to go on. That and the fact that someone is trying to kill him.

But he will find Julia's killers, no matter what it takes.

-------------------------------------------------------

Take No More out now on Kindle.

As everyone else appears to be promoting their own works here, I may as well join in. My debut novel Great Minds Think a Death is now available to buy. I think it contains everything you're looking for. But hey! I'm only the author. What do I know? I suggest you just read the reviews I've had so far since the novel was published a month ago.

Roy

Roy

Looks interesting. Have you thought about publishing on Kindle?

Best wishes

Seb

Will they or won't they? How patient are you as the reader? Through five books Dagger and Sara have been involved in cases that are more like X-files. Critics call it MacGuyver meets Dark Angel (Sara is a shapeshifter). Book 5 has a ghost hunter theme. I am currently working on Book 6 which will crank the tension up a bit. Fatal Storm (Book 5 in the Chase Dagger Series) "Shapeshifters are the stuff of high fantasy but somehow Driver keeps things firmly in the real world." - Booklist I'm a series reader but the books can be read out of order. I write this series as Lee Driver.

Knockout! A Passionate Police Romance is a fast-paced cross genre book, but maybe too much romance (and sex) for your liking, in relation to crime?

The heroine is an Interpol Detective on a team trying to crack an international gambling and match fixing gang. Her private and professional lives cross after a chance meeting puts her in a unique position to unearth vital information - but her growing attraction to the key suspect results in her taking risks that could lead to her losing her heart, her job or more seriously her life.

The good news is that I reduced the price this weekend - Amazon did not include me in their summer sale so I had my own... the book is just £1.14

I also have a short story called Sub-Prime which is a hard-hitting urban fiction - the e-book is £0.86 and comes with a link to a FREE audiobook that is an MP3 format file - so you can play it on your Kindle!

Check out my MURDER IN WAIKIKI ...

Murder in Waikiki

Murder comes to sun-drenched Waikiki Beach and it arrives with a van filled with tourists from the Mainland. Honolulu Homicide Detective Steve Ke'aloha Shaw is a little too attractive, a little too tall, broad-shouldered and muscular. Half-Hawaiian and an eight year veteran of the force with a file jammed with citations and solid convictions, Steve, along with his Samoan partner, seventeen year veteran Aaron Tusitala, track down a bloody murderer from the cliffs of Pali to the beach at Waikiki and through the hotels and exotic clubs of one of the most beautiful cities of the world. From the author of COCAINE AND BLUE EYES and CINDERELLA AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Aloha and mahalo.

Hi

Just to remind you of the murder mystery thriller, Take No More, out now on Kindle.

The back cover:

A single act turns James Blake's life upside down. He comes home to find his wife, Julia, shot and bleeding. She dies in his arms.

The police are no help. He's sure they're trying to fit him up for the murder.

He checks Julia's messages and finds just one. It says 'help me'. It comes with a strange, old image of a woman being seduced. It's all he has to go on. That and the fact that someone is trying to kill him.

But he will find Julia's killers, no matter what it takes.

5 star reviews:

'A cracking read........'

'Take No More is my favorite kind of thriller.....'

'Take No More has a well crafted plot with a neat ironic twist at the end.....'

'Seb Kirby's Take No More is an excellent read.......'

'Wow! This is action-packed from page one, and the reader is instantly thurst into murder, suspense, and intrigue. James is just a normal guy who thinks he has a normal life. Until the murder of his wife. He's forced on a journey from the UK to Italy to find her killers, and finds himself in the midst of a powerful Italian family, the hunt for precious works of art, and danger at every turn. The writing gives you the feel of actually being in Italy - you can taste and smell it. The plot is action-packed and a real page-turner. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great crime thriller! And fans of Harlan Coben and Simon Kernick will love it!'

'This is an outstanding debut novel by Seb Kirby. He captivates the reader from the first page, and remains gripping and compelling throughout. I could not put this book down. Listed under Murder, Mystery and Thriller but so much more than that. The geography of London and Florence was handled very well to add richness to the novel, alongside the Authors' obvious love and knowledge of the art world .In addition to this, the reader is taken into the Italian underworld weaving a web of corruption, deceit, secrets and murder around the whole plot. If you enjoy a really good Thriller, in the style of Sidney Sheldon with extras, and are prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat throughout, this book is a definite must! I am eagerly awaiting the next novel.'

Take No More. Out now on Kindle.

Best wishes

Seb

Crushed (A Fredrickson Winery Novel)
The second installment in Barbara Ellen Brink's mystery series makes a fine wine from murder, romance, and revenge.

A single mom, newly hired as Fredrickson's chief winemaker, finds her simple world put to the test when her father is unexpectedly released from prison, and the man who got her pregnant at fifteen shows up from Italy wanting to play daddy nine years too late.
It's crush time at Fredrickson's and everyone is working feverishly to get the grapes in and ensure a great vintage. But creating the perfect wine can sometimes be murder...

Barbara Ellen Brink blends mystery, romance and winemaking, infused with a sense of humor and detail that brings Fredrickson Winery boldly to life with only a residual sweetness that hints of things to come. Keeping readers on the edge of their seats with quirky, tenacious heroines and despicable villains is what Brink does best. Crushed follows where Entangled left off, delving further into the lives at Fredrickson's.

Humorist, Molly D. Campbell, says, "Barbara Brink's second mystery, Crushed, has everything: wine, kidnapping, great villains, murder, and more. Barbara has created one of the most heinous villains in Sean Parker, and just when you thought he was gone for good, he shows up to do more dirty work. A great read!"

"Romancing the Book," reviewer, Judy Nickles, says, "Ms. Brink sets up the suspense immediately and continues to up the ante throughout Crushed. Two parallel love stories add unexpected twists. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and the setting in the lush California Napa Valley is described with enough detail to bring the reader into it, but not over-written. The author weaves the details of wine making through the story narrative, providing bonus information to readers unfamiliar with industry."