91 books like Maddox Files

By R. J. Davies,

Here are 91 books that Maddox Files fans have personally recommended if you like Maddox Files. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of We're All a Little Broken

Céline Perron Author Of The Next Right Thing

From my list on women in fiction taking center stage.

Why am I passionate about this?

I personally love to draw attention to not only books in women’s literature but also to encourage and support my fellow female authors whom I see as the best company a girl can ask for. Knowing that these strong individuals are living out their dreams while also filling page after page of stories varying anywhere from mystery, intrigue, love, loss, grief, etc. fills me with such gratitude and hope for the future. Because their stories are just the beginning. I'm a proud indie author and female author who enjoys writing mysteries and thrillers. I'm forever encouraging my fellow author colleagues to embrace their dreams and unique skillsets as it’s one no one else has. 

Céline's book list on women in fiction taking center stage

Céline Perron Why did Céline love this book?

I am recommending this book as it was written by a dear friend and colleague of mine who is also an incredibly talented author who doesn’t shy away from writing about matters such as mental illness, family dynamics, and what makes us human. Her book is the first in a beautifully written series.

By Tiffany Andrea,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We're All a Little Broken as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This women's fiction novel can be read as a standalone or as book 1 of the You Are Enough series.

Zara Levy is an introvert with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, who lives according to what her mental health dictates. At twenty-nine years old, she has dedicated the last decade of her life to helping other young people who are battling their own disorders and attempting to make a difference where she can. Her kind heart and generous nature make her well-loved amongst those who know her, but her brain continues to convince her she's not worthy. She has certain dreams and…


Book cover of The Field Agent

Céline Perron Author Of The Next Right Thing

From my list on women in fiction taking center stage.

Why am I passionate about this?

I personally love to draw attention to not only books in women’s literature but also to encourage and support my fellow female authors whom I see as the best company a girl can ask for. Knowing that these strong individuals are living out their dreams while also filling page after page of stories varying anywhere from mystery, intrigue, love, loss, grief, etc. fills me with such gratitude and hope for the future. Because their stories are just the beginning. I'm a proud indie author and female author who enjoys writing mysteries and thrillers. I'm forever encouraging my fellow author colleagues to embrace their dreams and unique skillsets as it’s one no one else has. 

Céline's book list on women in fiction taking center stage

Céline Perron Why did Céline love this book?

R. S. Twells is a phenomenal new writer and has already taken great leaps and bounds not only when it comes to her writing but also with her author platforms where she aids other writers and aspiring authors learn the tools of the trade. Her book is the first in a series. 

By R. S. Twells,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Field Agent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Recruited as babies by a mysterious organization known as the Orphanage, sixteen-year-old twin brothers Bennet and Collin mean the world to each other, even though they’re complete opposites. Collin is training to be a field agent while Bennet is an earpiece, in constant communication with his brother, monitoring his activities and providing computer support from a safe distance.

When a mission goes horribly wrong, Bennet is left bereft, missing his other half. Already introverted, he retreats into himself. In his final statement, Collin urged him to leave the Orphanage, but it’s the only home he’s ever known. Instead, he makes…


Book cover of The Arrangement

Jack Heath Author Of The Wife Swap

From my list on books that make you suspicious of your husband.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been writing for 20 years, and the more I learn about the craft, the less interested I am in big, bombastic thrillers about the end of the world. Now I'm more impressed by books that do a lot with a little. Some talented writers can spin a gripping story out of nothing more than two people in a room (Stephen King's Misery is one of my all-time faves). The domestic noir genre lends itself to this kind of minimalism. Sure, serial killers are scary, but not as scary as the thought that your spouse might not be who they seem.

Jack's book list on books that make you suspicious of your husband

Jack Heath Why did Jack love this book?

Ainsley and Peter are struggling, and they decide to try an open marriage. A risky proposition, given that neither trusts the other—and rightly so, the reader soon discovers. But when one of Ainsley's dates follows her home and Peter kills him, they are forced to co-operate so they can get away with the crime. Nothing like a joint project to rekindle the flames of passion!

This book is nearly perfect. Yes, there are a few twists which could have been foreshadowed better, but the wicked glee with which the author tells her story is contagious. I could practically hear her palms rubbing together as I read.

By Kiersten Modglin,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Arrangement as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A #1 bestselling novel from award-winning author Kiersten Modglin...
Fans of Gone Girl, The Swap, and My Lovely Wife are sure to be gripped by this fast-paced, scandalous, and completely twisted story.

Domestic thriller readers are raving:
"...my new obsession!"
"...that ending shook me to my core."
"I was sure I knew where it was going. I couldn't have been more wrong."
"Hands down, my favorite read this year!"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The arrangement was just meant to fix their marriage.
No one was supposed to get hurt.
But when the rules of this open marriage are broken, the consequences are sinister.…


Book cover of Renegade Hearts

Céline Perron Author Of The Next Right Thing

From my list on women in fiction taking center stage.

Why am I passionate about this?

I personally love to draw attention to not only books in women’s literature but also to encourage and support my fellow female authors whom I see as the best company a girl can ask for. Knowing that these strong individuals are living out their dreams while also filling page after page of stories varying anywhere from mystery, intrigue, love, loss, grief, etc. fills me with such gratitude and hope for the future. Because their stories are just the beginning. I'm a proud indie author and female author who enjoys writing mysteries and thrillers. I'm forever encouraging my fellow author colleagues to embrace their dreams and unique skillsets as it’s one no one else has. 

Céline's book list on women in fiction taking center stage

Céline Perron Why did Céline love this book?

Nikki is a talented writer. Her characters leap off the page as you learn more and more about them. Their quirks and pasts giving you small glimpses of what lies underneath. Mysterious and fast past, I am one of many who’ve read one of her books only to go out and purchase the rest. 

By Nikki J Summers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Renegade Hearts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

They are the boys your mother always warned you about. They’re every parent’s worst nightmare.Arrogant, cocky and self-assured.They used the town of Sandland like it was their own personal playground. They didn’t follow the rules. They made their own.Most girls were drawn to them like a moth to a flame, but Emily Winters wasn’t like most girls.A politician’s daughter.A good girl with morals and principles.She represented everything they despised. The only problem was she lived her life in a perfectly orchestrated smokescreen; and where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. They wanted to expose her for what she was; a pretty…


Book cover of A Dark and Hollow Star

Erin Grammar Author Of Magic Mutant Nightmare Girl

From my list on YA fantasy with “unlikeable” heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I firmly believe that everyone, especially teenage girls, should own their right to pick and choose. Life guarantees you’ll run across the opportunity to make “bad” decisions, but these are so much more fun to read about than a path that’s straight and narrow. Cultivating radical empathy for my fellow humans, even those I don’t agree with, is a passion that makes me a kinder person and a more nuanced writer. Plus, I like shouting at books as much as the next reader. It makes my cats come running, which makes them tired, which makes them sit and cuddle. Diabolical, indeed.  

Erin's book list on YA fantasy with “unlikeable” heroines

Erin Grammar Why did Erin love this book?

This Final Fantasy and DnD-inspired contemporary fantasy has 5 POVs, but we’re really here for prickly leather queen Nausicaä. Nos is a sarcastic ex-Fury with a short temper, a sword, and a serious grudge against the Deities who exiled her to the mortal realm. She’s old, she’s cranky, and she’s totally soft for Arlo, an adorable half-fae girl on a mission to uncover the mystery behind unsolved magic murders in Toronto. I seriously can’t resist a grump and sunshine team-up. 

By Ashley Shuttleworth,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Dark and Hollow Star as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Beautifully written and deliciously complex…I couldn’t get enough.” —Nicki Pau Preto, author of the Crown of Feathers series

The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones in this thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto that follows a queer cast of characters racing to stop a serial killer whose crimes could expose the hidden world of faeries to humans.

Choose your player.

The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family.
A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge.
A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne.
The…


Book cover of Leaving Earth

Pamela Mulloy Author Of As Little As Nothing

From my list on women in history challenging the limitations of gender.

Why am I passionate about this?

I became fascinated with the lives of women around the period of World War Two when I discovered the female aviators of the Air Transport Auxiliary based in England. It wasn’t until I researched the history of reproductive rights after attending the Women’s March in 2017 in Toronto, Canada that I realized the period of the 1930s was a particularly progressive time for women, a time of early feminism. As a novelist I am drawn to the social history and the impact of wars. My first novel explored PTSD, and in this one I’m exploring the lives of women who fought against the gender norms at the time.

Pamela's book list on women in history challenging the limitations of gender

Pamela Mulloy Why did Pamela love this book?

This is the first novel I read of Helen Humphreys and ever since then I’ve been a huge fan of her work, which often focuses on an overlooked period of history. Written with a strong poetic voice, her writing has a deeply humane undercurrent and frequently contains strong female characters. This one especially came to mind, as it features two women aviators in the 1930s striving to break an endurance record by flying around Toronto for 25 days. Humphreys has a special talent for focusing on the details that draw us into the story, while also establishing characters and relationships that make us care deeply about what they are doing. Smart, complex women doing daring things—what’s not to like!

By Helen Humphreys,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leaving Earth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Leaving Earth was Helen Humphreys's debut, and it brought the beauty of her poetry into the story of two women's love of flight and dream to excel, even if it took all their courage and strength and even their lives. Novice flyer Willa joins Grace, heroine of the skies, in what becomes an intimate journey of friendship. Yet the clouds that gather above are echoed by lurking dangers below for Maddy, a young fan of Grace's, and her Jewish mother and uncle. Anti-Semitism is spreading. Maddy's mother, a true fortune-teller, is beat up by thugs, and the swirl of events…


Book cover of Toronto in 1810

Ann Birch Author Of A Daughter Rebels

From my list on brave women who dared to challenge the norms.

Why am I passionate about this?

For a number of years, I was a historical interpreter at two of Toronto’s oldest and finest houses. While looking at the furniture, paintings, and below-stairs bells and open-hearth cooking in these upper-class mansions, I became immersed in the lives of the people who once lived in these places. I have always been interested in history, and I have a post-graduate degree in Canadian literature, but my schooling in history seemed confined to the Tudor period and Greek and Roman times. Working in Toronto’s fine homes led me to a deep understanding of the fascinating history we have right here on our doorstep!

Ann's book list on brave women who dared to challenge the norms

Ann Birch Why did Ann love this book?

When you write historical novels, you have to place your characters in a certain real setting. Hounsom’s book let me step right onto the streets and into the houses of Toronto in 1810. As well as wonderful information on the way people lived at the time, Hounsom includes maps and drawings of Toronto and its important buildings. For example, I actually found a drawing of the house that my novel’s main character lived in.

By Eric Wilfrid Hounsom,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Toronto in 1810 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Bellevue Square

Jeff Beamish Author Of No, You're Crazy

From my list on questioning the nature of reality.

Why am I passionate about this?

As someone who spent his days working as a journalist and his nights writing novels and short stories, I've always been fascinated by the fine line separating fact and fiction. We live our lives conforming to the rules of our universe, yet sometimes feel brave enough to ask what’s that? and watch with delight as reality transforms into fantasy. What, exactly, is that brilliant sunset? Billions of bits of light being processed by our survival-evolved brain as a reminder to seek shelter before the perilous darkness descends? The wondrous work of God’s hand? A pleasing distraction from the brutality of our brief existence? Something else we may never comprehend? Great stories help us decide.

Jeff's book list on questioning the nature of reality

Jeff Beamish Why did Jeff love this book?

When Toronto bookstore owner Jean Mason hears she may have a doppelganger, it sets off a strange series of events that show how fragile our grip on reality really is. Equal parts psychological horror, ghost story, warm family drama, and literary look at mental illness, this dizzying and at times difficult novel asks if we genuinely know ourselves and the nature of our existence. It may leave you like its bewildered main character: full of questions about identity and struggling to distinguish between what’s real and what isn’t.

By Michael Redhill,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bellevue Square as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*Winner of the 2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize*

A darkly comic literary thriller about a woman who fears for her sanity—and then her life—when she learns that her doppelganger has appeared in a local park.

Jean Mason has a doppelganger. She's never seen her, but others swear they have. Apparently, her identical twin hangs out in Kensington Market, where she sometimes buys churros and drags an empty shopping cart down the streets, like she's looking for something to put in it. Jean's a grown woman with a husband and two kids, as well as a thriving bookstore in downtown Toronto, and…


Book cover of Starting Out In the Afternoon

Jane Christmas Author Of What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim: A Midlife Misadventure on Spain's Camino de Santiago de Compostela

From my list on memoirs that combine the inward and outward journey.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a kid, I hated the outdoors, hated change, hated discomfort. Imagine my surprise when, in 2004, without an iota of expertise, I decided to hike Spain’s Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It was life-changing and world-opening on so many levels. Since then, I’ve written five best-selling journey memoirs, two of which have been nominated for awards. I read just about anything but I am particularly drawn to stories about those who leave the comfort of their homes to go and live another life. We all think of doing it; few of us actually do.

Jane's book list on memoirs that combine the inward and outward journey

Jane Christmas Why did Jane love this book?

Your marriage is over and your child is heading off to university. What to do? Why, you get in your car and drive nearly 6,000 km from Toronto to the Yukon. This lyrical, enchanting memoir of a mid-life journey tugs at the soul. What strikes me the most about it is the courage of its author to go it alone.

By Jill Frayne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Starting Out In the Afternoon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Jill Frayne’s long-term relationship was ending and her daughter was about to graduate and leave home. She decided to pack up her life and head for the Yukon.

Driving alone across the country from her home just north of Toronto, describing the land as it changes from Precambrian Shield to open prairie, Jill finds that solitude in the wilds is not what she expected. She is actively engaged by nature, her moods reflected in the changing landscape and weather. Camping in her tent as she travels, she begins to let go of the world she’s leaving and to enter the…


Book cover of A Life of Propriety: Anne Murray Powell and Her Family, 1755-1849

Ann Birch Author Of A Daughter Rebels

From my list on brave women who dared to challenge the norms.

Why am I passionate about this?

For a number of years, I was a historical interpreter at two of Toronto’s oldest and finest houses. While looking at the furniture, paintings, and below-stairs bells and open-hearth cooking in these upper-class mansions, I became immersed in the lives of the people who once lived in these places. I have always been interested in history, and I have a post-graduate degree in Canadian literature, but my schooling in history seemed confined to the Tudor period and Greek and Roman times. Working in Toronto’s fine homes led me to a deep understanding of the fascinating history we have right here on our doorstep!

Ann's book list on brave women who dared to challenge the norms

Ann Birch Why did Ann love this book?

Most of the information on Anne Powell’s life is written by men. They invariably find her to be eccentric, bizarre, or crazy. That’s why I was pleased to discover this book by a female professor. It contains detailed, well-researched information on the Powell family and the world they lived in. The book also directed me to useful letters written by the Powell family that I was able to research in the local archives. From this book and those letters, I was able to discover a new Anne Powell.

By Katherine Mary Jean McKenna,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Life of Propriety as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

During this period the realms of the public and the private became increasingly separated, with increasingly separate roles for men and women. Changes in cultural values concerning gender, ideals about family relationships, and ideas of the appropriate role women brought uncertainty, confusion, and contradiction. Anne Powell's life embodied this shift in values and provides an example of how they were carried from the old world to the new. A Life of Propriety makes an innovative contribution to the literature on women in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and will also be of interest to scholars in women's studies,…


Book cover of We're All a Little Broken
Book cover of The Field Agent
Book cover of The Arrangement

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,206

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Toronto, serial killers, and rabbits?

Toronto 64 books
Serial Killers 327 books
Rabbits 75 books