77 books like Lethal People

This was Lee Child’s first Jack Reacher novel written after leaving a lengthy career in television. I read it years before I got the writing bug. Along with the rest of the world, I loved Reacher from the outset, a no-nonsense ex-US Army military policeman. A loner who believes in justice, he freewheels around America, walking into trouble and bumping into people with problems that he helps to solve. He’s a big man you can’t forget or miss; Reacher is six feet five.

I knew the theme was familiar, but the character was original, exciting, and tough. Frequently called hardboiled, Reacher hurts people if he has to, sometimes has to kill the ones who want him dead, but he’s a man you want on your side. He doesn’t pussyfoot around. He gets things done. A genuine hero.

I found, like the man, that the writing was sharp, tight, and concise.… show more.

While most people associate Dan Brown with his more famous work, The DaVinci Code, this first novel in his Robert Langdon series really founded the archaeological thriller genre.

I loved how this book transports readers to the milieu so thoroughly that it was a bit of a spoiler when I recognized one key location from my own time in Rome before the secret was revealed—but that's a testament to how well he conveys the scene! Brown invites us behind the scenes of secret societies, sharing insider information to raise the stakes.

I had the great good fortune to take a workshop with Dan just before DaVinci Code came out, and benefit from his enormous skill as a teacher. The man tells a ripping yarn, full of puzzles that blend fact and fancy. 

Stephen Hunter’s crime fiction masterpiece, Dirty White Boys, begins with a sentence lovingly detailing the villain’s genitals. 

I assure you this opening is in no way gratuitous or prurient; it signals that we’re in for a wild ride, informing us that only “…three men at McAlester State Penitentiary had larger penises than Lamar Pye….” 

Pye is one of the great literary villains of all time – racist, crude, violent, and cruel… and smart as a whip. And the tone here is pitch-dark hillbilly noir. If you’re brave enough to read this book it will live in your imagination for the rest of your life. 

This author was one of my own discoveries as a young reader. Predominantly known for his horror novels, he had a sideline in gritty crime thrillers, and Exit Wounds is by far his best one. Set in London, it focuses on a small group of ageing criminals planning a robbery, only to get caught in the middle of a turf war between two gangs of Yardies. It’s violent, and you need a strong stomach at times, but this is one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve ever read. The signed copy I have stands proudly on my bookshelf!

Jen Turano is the queen of quirky characters. This book had me giggling and guffawing with all its crazy shenanigans. Who knew an oversized bustle could double as a floatation device? Daphne Beekman is a successful author who pens thrilling mysteries yet swoons at the first sign of danger in real life. As a consultant for an all-female inquiry agency, she puts her intelligence and creative mind to work solving crimes. But when the reclusive author, and incredibly handsome, Herman Henderson hires the agency, Daphne determines to take a more active role. Outlandish disguises, daring adventure, and bookish banter ensue as Daphne and Herman solve the greatest mystery of all—love.

I've always heard there are two sides to every story. Generally, this means a good side and a bad, or at least one with some sort of a redeeming perspective. But what does a person do when both sides are equally hellish? For Maiya, it means she truly is Daydream's Daughter and Nightmare's Friend. It seems as though the insufferable miseries will never end. This book is deeply emotional and compelling. The author describes the events in vivid detail creating a sense for the reader of being there in the midst of it all. The book immediately captures your attention, and page after page keeps you wondering what will happen next. An excellent story by an excellent author.

This book taught me that ultimately it’s up to you to make yourself happy and that we all have a right to be happy. 

I always say that this was the book that changed my life. It’s about a lady who reads a feature in a magazine about clutter clearing and starts doing it in her house, then realises that it’s her life that needs a huge overhaul, not just her house.

I wrote to the author after reading it and we’ve become firm friends with her being a huge inspiration to me in both my publishing and author journey. I would like to think that my books have similar messages, through a romantic comedy setting and plot. 

Belinda Jones is truly skilled at writing books that pick you up on a grey, damp, miserable day and transports you to the destination of another country where you truly get to experience their culture too. 

This was one of the first books that made me realise how you truly can travel the world through books. I always felt like I’d had a great holiday after reading these books and would recommend them to anyone who can’t physically get away. 

Books really are portable magic. This also made me want to write in a similar way where my readers want to go to my locations. 

Very rarely are we given the voice of a Black woman unraveling the depths of the genre that is horror. Jean Nicole Rivers gives us exactly that with Black Water Tales: To the Moon and Back, a riveting thriller that follows Simone Parker, a protagonist that wants to break generational curses while protecting her family from a haunting town legend. This novel left me wanting more as soon as I put it down, and I was incredibly happy to know that this Jean Nicole Rivers is anything but finished in terms of making sure that Black women can be seen and written into horror stories. The Black Water Tales has become a favorite series of mine, and I look forward to what’s to come… 

This book, bundled as the first three in the series, is one that I’ve reread often over the last twenty years. It may be in the science fiction genre, but it’s really Dr. Vic Hunt connecting the dots that others can’t quite see. The author pours brilliance and humility into Dr. Hunt which creates an almost immediate bond. The characters are written so well that you feel that you’re uncovering the mysteries at the same time Dr. Hunt is. This is rare in third person writing as authors tend to tell you the story instead of taking you on the journey of the character. Throw in the right mix of light and deep plot lines and it will soon become a regular read for you, too.