Fans pick 100 books like Miranda Warning

By Heather Day Gilbert,

Here are 100 books that Miranda Warning fans have personally recommended if you like Miranda Warning. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Fool and His Monet

Janet Sketchley Author Of Unknown Enemy: A Green Dory Inn Mystery

From my list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love a good, clean mystery/suspense story that's light enough to be escape fiction but has enough heart that I engage with the characters. Let me root for them and watch them grow. Give me hope and a happy ending. Bonus if there are some quirky ones who make me smile or some snappy dialogue. Double bonus if it's Christian fiction with an organic, non-preachy faith element and characters who grow spiritually. Why leave faith out of our fiction if it's part of our lives? I hope you'll make some new imaginary friends in the books I've listed!

Janet's book list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction

Janet Sketchley Why did Janet love this book?

I can't resist a good pun, so this book had me with the title. I found plenty to make me grin in the middle of the action, and I couldn't help rooting for Serena as she tried to prove herself on the job as a new FBI field agent and resist her mother's matchmaking.

I love a story where a quirky support character adds complications, and Serena's Aunt Martha is a hoot. And I like the hint of a coming romance, although I like both men in Serena's life and don't want to see either of them hurt.

By Sandra Orchard,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about the art thief who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's learning how to go undercover to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Jones leaps into action. The clues point in different directions, and her boss orders her to cease investigating…


Book cover of Invisible

Janet Sketchley Author Of Unknown Enemy: A Green Dory Inn Mystery

From my list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love a good, clean mystery/suspense story that's light enough to be escape fiction but has enough heart that I engage with the characters. Let me root for them and watch them grow. Give me hope and a happy ending. Bonus if there are some quirky ones who make me smile or some snappy dialogue. Double bonus if it's Christian fiction with an organic, non-preachy faith element and characters who grow spiritually. Why leave faith out of our fiction if it's part of our lives? I hope you'll make some new imaginary friends in the books I've listed!

Janet's book list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction

Janet Sketchley Why did Janet love this book?

How could I not love this spry elderly widow who self-describes as an "LOL" ("Little Old Lady")? Especially when she pulls a solo midnight stakeout after the police won't follow her advice? I love how Ivy turns a senior's apparent "invisibility" to society into a strength—and a crime-fighting attribute.

Ivy's struggle to find her place in the aging process, her strong friendships, and her "mutant curiosity gene" appeal to my heart.

By Lorena McCourtney,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

She's not your average crime fighter! Ivy Malone has a curiosity that sometimes gets her into trouble, and it's only aggravated by her discovery that she can easily escape the public eye. So when vandals romp through the local cemetery, she takes advantage of her newfound anonymity and its unforeseen advantages as she launches her own unofficial investigation. Despite her oddball humor and unconventional snooping, Ivy soon becomes discouraged by her failure to turn up any solid clues. And after Ivy witnesses something ominous and unexplained, she can't resist putting her investigative powers to work again. Even the authorities' attempts…


Book cover of Reluctant Burglar

Janet Sketchley Author Of Unknown Enemy: A Green Dory Inn Mystery

From my list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love a good, clean mystery/suspense story that's light enough to be escape fiction but has enough heart that I engage with the characters. Let me root for them and watch them grow. Give me hope and a happy ending. Bonus if there are some quirky ones who make me smile or some snappy dialogue. Double bonus if it's Christian fiction with an organic, non-preachy faith element and characters who grow spiritually. Why leave faith out of our fiction if it's part of our lives? I hope you'll make some new imaginary friends in the books I've listed!

Janet's book list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction

Janet Sketchley Why did Janet love this book?

I held my breath for some of Desiree's daring cat-burglar-type acts. I found this one a fun, fast ride, but again, the character makes it work for me. I love how, in the middle of her drive to do the right thing, Desiree is real enough to have self-doubts and struggle with applying faith to life.

Her sense of humor adds that little extra to satisfy me, and I like the attraction that grows between her and the FBI agent who appears at the most inconvenient times.

By Jill Elizabeth Nelson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Surrounded by no good options, much less safe ones, Desiree Jacobs knows that no matter what she must protect her father's reputation and his legacy. 

If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, it’s art. Her father, whose security company is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor. Integrity. Faith. So surely God will forgive her for despising the one man--Special Agent Tony Lucano, who's determined to destroy her father’s good name?

Agent Lucano knows that Hiram Jacobs is an art thief. But what he can’t figure out is Desiree. Is she an innocent victim…or…


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Book cover of Death on a Shetland Longship: The Shetland Sailing Mysteries

Death on a Shetland Longship By Marsali Taylor,

Liveaboard sailor Cass Lynch thinks her big break has finally arrived when she blags her way into skippering a Viking longship for a Hollywood film. However, this means returning to the Shetland Islands, the place she fled as a teenager. When a corpse unexpectedly appears onboard the longship, she can…

Book cover of A Sticky Inheritance

Janet Sketchley Author Of Unknown Enemy: A Green Dory Inn Mystery

From my list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love a good, clean mystery/suspense story that's light enough to be escape fiction but has enough heart that I engage with the characters. Let me root for them and watch them grow. Give me hope and a happy ending. Bonus if there are some quirky ones who make me smile or some snappy dialogue. Double bonus if it's Christian fiction with an organic, non-preachy faith element and characters who grow spiritually. Why leave faith out of our fiction if it's part of our lives? I hope you'll make some new imaginary friends in the books I've listed!

Janet's book list on Christian books with mystery and women's fiction

Janet Sketchley Why did Janet love this book?

I love how nothing fazes Nicole, even when she gets into awkward situations. Her novelty socks (so not lawyerly) and occasional geeky lines make me smile, and I like the friends she finds in the middle of trying to prove—and solve—her uncle's murder.

I always take sides with characters whose parents have manipulated their life's path, so I feel Nicole's conflict over her profession and the distance it causes within her family. She comes into this story feeling like a failure, and I want to see her succeed. Plus, I like the potential for romance with the county medical examiner.

By Emily James,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

**Mystery/Cozy Gold Medalist in the 2018 IPPY Awards**

**Grand Prize Winner of the 2018 Writer's Digest Ebook Awards**

Sometimes the truth can be a sticky thing…

Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes feels like she’s the only failure amid a family of high achievers. Her last serious boyfriend turned out to be married and her career as a criminal defense attorney is in tatters. When her uncle passes away and leaves her his maple syrup farm in Michigan, she thinks it might be time for a career change—hopefully one that allows her to stay as far away from murderers and liars as possible.

For…


Book cover of The Resurrectionist

L. Andrew Cooper Author Of Descending Lines

From my list on horror for stretching your mind to extremes.

Why am I passionate about this?

My PhD work focused on horror fiction and film, and I spent ten years teaching about horror (I even included two of my recommended books in courses). The academic stuff is more a symptom than a cause of my passion for the scary. I’ve been a horror freak forever, becoming interested in vampires by age four, reading Stephen King and writing stories to frighten classmates by age nine, and putting a poster of Freddy Krueger on my wall at age ten. Extremes of fiction take me away from extremes of real life, which are much harder to handle.

L.'s book list on horror for stretching your mind to extremes

L. Andrew Cooper Why did L. love this book?

I’ve been blown away by the high quality in a lot of 21st-century splatterpunk/hardcore/extreme horror, but nobody’s extremes have impressed me quite like Wrath James White’s.

I love the insane magic he works with a deceptively simple premise: a young man can resurrect people who forget the circumstances of the deaths and return, but he’s a bad young man. The result is a blend of classic Gothic tropes related to a woman terrorized by a powerful man combined with just about every kind of physical violation imaginable.

I respect White’s gross-outs, but more than that, I respect the bleakness, the deep, deep horror of the premise taken so far in such a bad way.

By Wrath James White,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Featuring the never-before-published epilogue!

Dale McCarthy has a unique and miraculous ability.
He can bring the dead back to life, though the resurrected have no memory of their deaths. But not every miracle comes from God, and not every healer is a saint.

Ever since her new neighbor moved in, Sarah Lincoln has been having terrible nightmares.
Last night she dreamed she and her husband were brutally murdered in their beds. This morning she found bloody sheets in the laundry and bloodstains on her mattress. And the nightmare is the same, night after night after night.
With no one prepared…


Book cover of In the Blood

Jenna Kernan Author Of The Nurse

From my list on psychological thrillers with a jaw-dropping twist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a certified crime junkie beginning with Helter Skelter and, more recently, FBI profiler Jack Douglas’ Mindhunter. This genre is a passion, but here’s the kicker, I started my writing journey in Western historical romance. I know, right? Then I had this wild idea: a psychologist who’s got a secret – her mother is a notorious serial killer on death row, and someone is imitating her crimes. Just like that A Killer’s Daughter was born! Now I’m always reading and listening to thrillers and true crime podcasts. Check out my newsletter to see what’s grabbing me. 

Jenna's book list on psychological thrillers with a jaw-dropping twist

Jenna Kernan Why did Jenna love this book?

I attended an author event at the coolest bookstore in Tampa in The Exchange building, and Lisa Unger was being interviewed by Colette Bancroft, the book editor for the Tampa Times.

Well, the book sounded wonderful, and it really is. The heroine in this story is smart, clever, and managed to keep one step ahead of the unusual, troubled boy she is hired to babysit. I loved this story and now have a signed copy on my keeper shelf.

By Lisa Unger,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A Best Mystery Novel of the Year (Sun-Sentinel)

A Best Book of the Year (Suspense Magazine)

A Silver Falchion Award Winner for Best Novel

A Best Book Nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards

A CBC Morning Show Top Book Pick

An Amazon Best Book of the Month 

An Indie Next Best Books of the Month Pick

"A brisk, crafty and fascinating psychological thriller... In The Blood is a complex mosaic as well, one that's tricky, arresting and meaningful." (The Washington Post)

Liar, liar, pants on fire . . . 

College senior Lana Granger has told so many lies about her…


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Book cover of Bottled Secrets of Rosewood

Bottled Secrets of Rosewood By Mary Kendall,

Miranda falls in love with her dream house but soon discovers it's an affair with complications. A lot of them. Rosewood is a centuries old, tumble-down, gambrel roofed charmer located in an isolated, coastal corner of Virginia referred to as "strange". Known for long-standing and antiquated customs, an almost indecipherable…

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 Devil in Silver

Michele W. Miller Author Of The Lower Power

From my list on supernatural terror with real-world adversity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write horror and crime thrillers grounded in my unusual lived experience as an author and attorney who has also overcome poverty, incarceration, and violent crime. I feel most fulfilled when I read a book that both entertains and expands me in meaningful ways, immersing me in lives, cultures, and history I might not otherwise know. So I love Social Horror novels, which feature characters who face significant human adversity beyond my own experience and leave me questioning what was worse, the human or the supernatural.

Michele's book list on supernatural terror with real-world adversity

Michele W. Miller Why did Michele love this book?

A man called “Pepper,” who may or may not suffer from mental illness, ends up in a locked mental ward in Queens, New York, where the entire novel takes place.

A beast, who the patients believe is the devil, comes out at night, assaulting and sometimes killing patients. Patient deaths are chalked up to suicide. The engaging, quirky characters—drugged to the gills while warehoused and essentially untreated in a public hospital—share the defining feature of being low-income and unprotected from both the supernatural and human forces that would destroy them. They must take matters into their own hands to protect themselves.

I appreciated the theme of how marginalization and isolation presented as much terror here as the supernatural. Yet, the hope and humor of the characters also kept me engaged and frequently smiling.

By Victor LaValle,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Devil in Silver as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The New York Times Book Review • The Washington Post • Publishers Weekly

New Hyde Hospital’s psychiatric ward has a new resident. It also has a very, very old one.
 
Pepper is a rambunctious big man, minor-league troublemaker, working-class hero (in his own mind), and, suddenly, the surprised inmate of a budget-strapped mental institution in Queens, New York. He’s not mentally ill, but that doesn’t seem to matter. He is accused of a crime he can’t quite square with his memory. In the darkness of his room on his first…


Book cover of Lisa, Bright and Dark

Anna Esaki-Smith Author Of Make College Your Superpower: It's Not Where You Go, It's What You Know

From my list on books for teenagers about stuff parents don’t—or can’t—discuss.

Why am I passionate about this?

I understand how stressful it is to be a teenager today. And we’re talking stress across a variety of fronts, from academics to personal matters and everything in between. In my book on college admissions, I advise high schoolers to use data so they can get the most value from their university education as well as reduce the anxiety of what can be an overwhelming process. In my book recommendations, I’ve chosen novels the teenaged me thought honestly depicted the emotional challenges teenagers face and how those challenges are resolved. Whether it be applying to college or developing relationships, the key is to be authentic in who you are!

Anna's book list on books for teenagers about stuff parents don’t—or can’t—discuss

Anna Esaki-Smith Why did Anna love this book?

I would say this book, which delves into the complexities of mental illness, was way ahead of its time. Even as a teenager, I understood the deftness of using two simple words in the title to clearly illustrate the complexities of extreme moods.

The author sets this story in a suburban high school, which I could relate to, as a group of friends witness the increasingly erratic behavior of one of their classmates, Lisa. In deciding how to help, each friend must confront her own fears and prejudices.

Even though the girls often don’t know what to do, I loved how steadfastly supportive and loyal they remained. As a result, the book ends up being less about mental illness and more about how empathy and compassion can overcome the stigma surrounding it.

By John Neufeld,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lisa, Bright and Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Hailed as a "work of art" by the New York Times, this bestselling classic brings a deft touch and understanding spirit to the story of a teenage girl's descent into madness-and the three friends who are determined to walk with her where adults fear to tread.


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Book cover of Lethal Legacy

Lethal Legacy By H.R. Kemp,

Buried Secrets. A web of deceit, betrayal, and danger. Can she survive her fight for justice and truth? Laura thought she knew everything about her late husband before he died. Now, her life and the lives of those she loves are in danger. As Laura delves into his previous role…

Book cover of Mary Lincoln's Insanity Case: A Documentary History

Susan Higginbotham Author Of The First Lady and the Rebel

From my list on First Lady Mary Lincoln.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write historical fiction about real-life characters, some relatively obscure, some very well known. One of my main goals is to avoid the stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions that have gathered around historical figures. At the same time, I strive to remain true to known historical facts and to the mores of the times in which my characters lived. I use both primary sources—letters, newspapers, diaries, wills, and so forth—and modern historical research to bring my characters to life.

Susan's book list on First Lady Mary Lincoln

Susan Higginbotham Why did Susan love this book?

In 1875, the nation was shocked when Robert Lincoln, by then the only surviving son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, began proceedings to have his mother declared insane by an Illinois jury. As a result, Mary spent several months in a private asylum before she managed to regain her freedom. In this book, Jason Emerson collects family correspondence, newspaper accounts, asylum progress reports, and other documents, allowing us to review the evidence for this tragic, often luridly misrepresented period of Mary Lincoln's life. As someone who likes to consult primary sources whenever possible, I found it invaluable.

By Jason Emerson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mary Lincoln's Insanity Case as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In 1875 Mary Lincoln, the widow of a revered president, was committed to an insane asylum by her son, Robert. The trial that preceded her internment was a subject of keen national interest. The focus of public attention since Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860, Mary Lincoln had attracted plentiful criticism and visible scorn from much of the public, who perceived her as spoiled, a spendthrift, and even too much of a Southern sympathizer. Widespread scrutiny only increased following her husband's assassination in 1865 and her son Tad's death six years later, after which her overwhelming grief led to the increasingly…


Book cover of A Fool and His Monet
Book cover of Invisible
Book cover of Reluctant Burglar

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