Murder Book by Thomas Perry

It's too hard for private investigator Harry Duncan to say no to his ex-wife, U.S. Attorney Ellen Leicester, when she asks him to look into criminal activity in some small towns in Indiana. There have been a series of deaths and threats to local businesses in these rural communities. When Harry arrives in Parkman's Elbow, Indiana, he is immediately threatened and shaken down for money. In addition, some businesses are paying protection money and residents are being pressured to leave town and not come back. Harry tries to uncover the reason behind the crimes while attempting to apprehend the bad guys and get enough evidence for Ellen to put them in prison for a long time. Murder Book is the latest novel by Thomas Perry and is a great read-alike for the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.

City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita

Cara Kennedy, a police detective from Anchorage, comes to Point Mettier, Alaska, to investigate some body parts that have washed up on the shore. It's October, the end of the tourist season, and in Point Mettier all 205 residents live in the same high-rise building, nicknamed Dave-Co. In addition, the only way you can get into town is through a tunnel that sometimes has to close because of bad weather. Cara is working with a local detective, Joe Barkowski on the case. Cara keeps it a secret that she has a personal reason for her interested in the crime. Soon, Cara finds herself trapped in Point Mettier, unsettled by the isolation and having to reveal why she's really in town. Will Cara and Joe be able to solve the case? City Under One Roof is the debut mystery by author Yamashita and looks to be the start of series.

The Opportunist by Elyse Friedman

When Alana's brothers, Martin and Teddy, contact her and ask her to help them get rid of their father's much younger girlfriend, Kelly, she ignores their calls. Alana is perfectly happy living with her daughter, Lily, and not having anything to do with her wealthy family. But when Martin offers her $50,000 to approach Kelly and offer her money to leave for good, Alana agrees. Soon, Alana finds herself entwined again with her family, and it's hard to know who to trust--especially with so much money at stake. A great read-alike for Peter Swanson.

Better the Blood by Michael Bennett

Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman and her partner, Stan, find a dead body that turns out to be the first victim of a serial killer who will soon set all of Auckland on edge. Hana soon discovers that the killer is taking revenge on the descendants of English soldiers who brutally executed a Maori chief over 160 years ago. The crime causes Hana, who is Maori herself, to reflect on her early career as a police officer, when she put her job before her culture that caused some close to her to call her a traitor. Hana realizes that she needs to confront her past in order to heal and move on. In addition, Hana must stop the killer before he completes his task. Better the Blood reminded me of the novels of Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson.