February 1, 2022 - Heart Stopping Suspense

Welcome back book lovers! In the mood for a more exciting Valentine's Day read? Look no further! We've got a list of some of our best romantic suspense stories right here. All titles are available from Brooke County Libraries, either as ebooks on WV Reads or at one of our locations.

Let's get started!

Prey by Linda Howard

Three years ago, Dare returned home to rural western Montana and opened a hunting business to rival Angie’s. Complicating matters is the fact that Dare has asked Angie out (not once but twice) and has given her a gift of butterflies in the process. Angie has no patience for butterflies. They only lead to foolish decisions. And now the infuriatingly handsome Iraq war vet has siphoned away Angie’s livelihood, forcing her to close up shop. Before Angie is to leave town, she organizes one last trip into the wilderness with a client and his guest, who wants to bag a black bear. But the adrenaline-fueled adventure turns deadly when Angie witnesses a cold-blooded murder and finds herself on the wrong side of a loaded gun.

The Angel by Carla Neggers

On a remote stretch of the rugged coast of Ireland, folklorist and illustrator Keira Sullivan pursues the mysterious Irish legend of an ancient Celtic stone angel. As she searches an isolated ruin, she's certain she's discovered the mythic angel, but before she can examine her find, she senses a malevolent presence.... Is someone in there with her? Then the ruin collapses, trapping her.

Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann

In his career as one of America’s elite warriors, Lt. Sam Starrett can do no wrong. In his private life, Sam—the king of one night stands—has done little right. Now, he’s waiting for a divorce and determined to stay active in his young daughter’s life. But when Sam shows up at the door of his ex-wife’s home in Sarasota, Florida, he makes a grisly discovery. His daughter is gone and the body of a woman lies brutally murdered on the floor. FBI agent Alyssa Locke’s relationship with Sam has been overwhelmingly intense and nearly catastrophic, yet it refuses to end. The last time she saw Sam was six months earlier, when they worked together to stop terrorists from assassinating the U.S. President. Much to her dismay, Alyssa is assigned to lead the murder investigation and once again the two are face to face.

Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin

Third generation Texas Ranger Tyler Steele is the last of a dying breed-- a modern day cowboy hero living in a world that doesn't quite understand his powerful sense of right and wrong and instinct to defend those who can't defend themselves. Despite his strong moral compass, Ty has trouble seeing his greatest weakness. His hard outer shell, the one essential to his work, made him incapable of forging the emotional connection his wife Andie so desperately needed. Now retired, raising their son Brodie on his own, and at risk of losing his ranch, Ty does not know how to rebuild from the rubble of his life. The answer comes in the form of Samantha and her daughter Hope, on the run from a seemingly inescapable situation.

The Witness by Nora Roberts

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems -- and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail's reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason.

Beyond Eden by Catherine Coulter

Lindsay Foxe is a successful model in New York, a woman who hides behind a new name to protect herself from a past of betrayal and treachery and a present that becomes fraught with danger. The product of old San Francisco wealth, the daughter of a man who despises her, her life is forever changed when she is brutally assaulted by her sister's husband, and then rejected by her family. Lindsay is finally forced to face up to her past when she meets S.C. Taylor, a tough ex-cop, turned private investigator and computer troubleshooter. He is hired to protect her; but can he both win her trust and discover who is trying to kill her and why?

No Way Out by Fern Michaels

Ellie Bowman barely remembers the incident that put her into a coma. When she awoke, filled with unease, all she knew for certain was that her boyfriend, Rick, was missing. She knew she needed to get away from her old life and recover in safety. With the proceeds of a video game she helped develop, Ellie starts over in rural Missouri, working from her cottage and trusting no one except her friend and business partner. Yet even in this quiet small town, it’s impossible to completely isolate herself. Especially when a curious eight-year-old boy, smitten with Ellie’s pup, stops by every day to talk to him over the fence. Little by little, Ellie is being drawn back into the world through the neighbors and community around her, realizing that everyone has their own fears and obstacles to contend with.

Bait by Karen Robards

It's a business trip that takes advertising agency owner Maddie Fitzgerald to New Orleans, but it is hardly business as usual when a man breaks into her hotel room and tries to kill her. Barely escaping with her life, she soon finds herself face-to-face with FBI agent Sam McCabe. Unnerved by his questions - and his good looks - Maddie is told she's been targeted by an elusive killer whom McCabe has been tracking for weeks. It appears her attack was a case of mistaken identity and a shaken Maddie is given the all-clear to go home. McCabe is ruffled, not just by Maddie's sexiness, but by an inescapable feeling that's she's got something to hide. So when she is attacked for the second time, McCabe insists that the only way to catch the killer is to use her as bait. 

Don't Look Now by Linda Lael Miller

Resisting the advances of an ex-lover, with whom she is investigating the murder of her boss, attorney Clare Westbrook learns that the man responsible for her sister's death is getting out of jail and faces a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in the wake of several attempts on her life..

Wyoming Fierce by Diana Palmer

Ranch owner Cane Kirk lost more than his arm in the war. He lost his way, battling his inner demons by challenging any cowboy unfortunate enough to get in his way. No one seems to be able to cool him down, except beautiful Bodie Mays. Bodie doesn't mind saving Cane from himself, even if he is a little too tempting for her own peace of mind. But soon Bodie's the one who finds herself in need of rescuing—only, she's afraid to tell Cane what's really going on.

Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . .

The Charmers by Elizabeth Adler

Mirabella Matthews' Aunt Jolly died unexpectedly and mysteriously, and as a result, Mirabella has inherited her villa in the South of France. Driving on the way from the train with Verity, the young woman she picked up along the way, Mirabella is run off the road by a motorcycle...and she soon discovers that the dangers do not end there. It turns out that Aunt Jolly had a past, and as the various men who were a part of it show up at the villa Mirabella and Verity must find out who can be trusted and who is using charm to mask the face of a murderer. 

Did we leave out any of your favorites? Maybe you really enjoyed one of these selected titles? Let us know! We love to hear from our readers and swap stories either in the comment section, on our social media pages, or in person.