The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane

 In 1883, six-year-old Denny Wallace goes missing during a dust storm. His parents, Mathew and Mary, are sick with worry. The authorities and other members of the community begin searching the vast land to try and find Denny and bring him home. In The Sun Walks Down, we hear from Mathew, Mary, Denny's older sister, Cissy, the vicar Mr. Daniels, Swedish painter Karl Rapp and his wife Bess, policemen, aboriginal trackers, and others who live near the town of Fairly, South Australia. Taking place over a week, the reader gets a great sense of outback life at that time—the isolation, the racism, and the social hierarchy.

The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page

Janice, nearing fifty, lives in Cambridge and works as a housecleaner. She likes her job and over the years has listened to the stories of the people who own the homes she cleans. But Janice has always been reluctant to share anything about her own life--until she meets Mrs. B. Mrs. B is in her nineties, speaks several languages, and used to be a spy. Over time, Mrs. B and Janice develop a bond and Janice finds herself opening up to Mrs. B about her past. Janice also decides to make positive changes in her life that hopefully will make her more content. The Keeper of Stories is a great read-alike for those readers who enjoy contemporary stories with an older protagonist set in Britain.

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Sam is feeling overwhelmed with life right now. Her husband, Phil, is struggling with depression and is out of work, while her boss, Simon, demeans Sam in front of other employees and is just looking for a reason to fire her. When Sam accidentally takes the wrong bag at the gym that contains a pair of red Louboutin heels, she finds herself feeling empowered. The owner of the shoes, Nisha, is furious that someone has taken her bag, which also contained a Chanel jacket. On the day that she lost her bag, Nisha was also dumped by her wealthy husband, Carl. He cuts her loose with no money and nowhere to live. Nisha is desperate to get back her shoes and some semblance of her life. Someone Else's Shoes recounts the lives of Sam and Nisha as they try to find happiness for themselves.

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett

When Steve was a child, a favorite teacher of his named Miss Iles disappeared on a school field trip. Now an adult and just out of prison after a long stretch, Steve decides to delve into his past to find out what happened to her. Steve believes the mystery of  her vanishing is tied to a book he brought to class one day by children's author Edith Twyford. With his estranged son's old i-phone, Steve records his conversations with his classmates from Miss Iles' class, a librarian named Lucy who helps Steve, and other people he encounters on his journey. With a colorful main character and a puzzle that keeps the reader guessing until the end, The Twyford Code is a good read-alike for the Thursday Murder Club series and Exit by Belinda Bauer.

Maame by Jessica George

At twenty-five, Maddie's focus is on taking care of her father, who has Parkinson's disease. Maddie works in an entry level publishing job and still lives at home. She longs to move out, finally date, and have more responsibilities at work, but with her mother spending every other year in her home country of Ghana, all the family's responsibilities (including financial) have fallen on Maddie's shoulders--even though her brother James also lives in London,  It's been a tremendous burden on Maddie's life, but when the chance comes to move out, Maddie takes it. In Maame, debut author George gives the reader a story with a very memorable main character who is trying to find her voice and her place in the world.

Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper

Mae Pruett works as a publicist in Hollywood for a firm that specializes in crises. Every day she sees the dirty underbelly of the business and cleans up the messes of the rich and famous. After giving Mae clues about a secret he's keeping (and that he would like help with), her boss Dan is murdered outside the Beverly Hills Hotel. Mae then decides to delve into the mystery of what Dan was trying to tell her. Helping Mae is former cop, Chris Tamburro, who now works for a private security firm. Kindred spirits, Chris and Mae shared a brief interlude a few years ago, but decided not to pursue a relationship. Now they are united, using the resources they've honed in their jobs, but the information they uncover could get them killed. Everybody Knows is fast-paced slice of L.A. Noir. Perfect for readers who enjoy the Kenzie/Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane.

Exiles by Jane Harper

 Aaron Falk travels to Marralee in South Australia for the baptism of his godson, Henry Raco. The event was supposed to occur a year ago, but was postponed when a woman named Kim Gillespie disappeared after a local festival. Kim was a part of the Raco family for twenty-five years, so the mystery of what happened to her has hit them very hard. In addition, six years ago, a man named Dean Tozer died in a hit and run accident not far from where Kim was last seen. Is there a connection between the two events? Will Kim ever be found? In the final book of the Aaron Falk series, Harper writes a leisurely-paced puzzle that will have the reader invested until the end.