Do straight mysteries or straight romances no longer have enough thrills for you? Craving a story where cracking the case requires sucking face? These steamy mysteries will give you a shot of adrenaline, straight to the heart. From stories of secret agents with not-so-secret feelings for each other to a classic gothic romance, these mystery romance books will leave you craving more crime.
Gone Too Far
Lieutenant Sam Starrett is the poster boy for American military success, but his private life is a different story. In the midst of a divorce, he stands to lose custody of his daughter. And when he arrives at his ex-wife's house and discovers his daughter is missing and a woman has been murdered, Sam looks guilty as sin.
FBI agent Alyssa Locke has a history with Sam; together, they stopped an assassination attempt on the president. The spark they felt then was real and passionate, and quickly suppressed. But as their paths merge once again during the investigation, Alyssa learns startling new information that could link Sam to the assassination attempt they prevented a few months prior.
Alyssa's career is hanging on this case. She knows Sam is innocent, but will she be able to prove it? More importantly, will she be able to resist the growing attraction between them?
Extreme Exposure
When a hardcore reporter and handsome senator meet, they can’t deny the connection they feel. Kara is an investigative journalist searching for answers in what she believes was a cover-up of a massive environmental mishap. She’ll do whatever it takes to get her story. Reece is a do-good politician who may have played a hand in the case Kara is trying to uncover.
As their love affair heats up, a scandal rises to the surface, imperiling Reece's career. Their wants and goals have them dancing around each other, it becomes clear the attraction between them is too much to resist. Will the threats on their careers and lives force them apart, or push them together?
The Shark
While investigating a brutal murder, Virginia State trooper Riley Tatum and her tracking dog Cooper come face-to-face with her brutal and bloody past. Riley and her former lover Clay, an FBI agent, must put their intense history aside to track down the poker-playing serial killer known as the Shark. Riley escaped the Shark's predatory grasp once before when she vanished twelve years ago, but she might not be that lucky again.
Scary and sexy, this is a second chance romance and serial killer story all rolled into one twisted, gripping tale.
Rebecca
The classic novel Rebecca transports readers to the isolated Manderley mansion on the Cornish coast. The story follows Mrs. Maxim de Winter, who has just moved to the secluded home of her new husband.
In the dark halls of Manderley, she learns the story of Mr. de Winter’s former wife, Rebecca, who met an untimely and suspicious death. Rebecca's ghost still haunts the halls and the people who work for the home. Slowly, the new Mrs. de Winter becomes haunted by the former. This classic piece of gothic fiction is full of genuine scares and romance. Don't expect a tidy HEA, but it's absolutely worth a read all the same. And although Rebecca might be chaste relative to some of the other titles on this list, it's positively throbbing with implicit longing.
Spellbound in His Arms
Reporter Jackie Alexander and detective Michael Apostolou have their differences, but they're forced together to solve the murders of the heirs of wealthy tycoon Andreas Demiris. Even as her feelings for him grow, Jackie knows better than to trust Michael's smooth words.
Spellbound in His Arms was a finalist for the 2014 RONE Award in the Mystery Category. It’s a riveting tale of murderous intrigue that will have readers guessing both about the murder case at the heart of the story, and the true nature of Jackie and Michael's relationship.
RELATED: Two Penniless Cons Join Forces (and Are Totally Adorable) in Crooked Hearts
Up Close and Dangerous
Widow Bailey Wingate is flying from Seattle to Denver in a small place when the engine fails. Cam Justice is the steamy Texan pilot who manages to crash land the plane, saving both of their lives. The only problem: They have little clue where they are. They're stranded in the wilderness, and Bailey is quickly developing an inconvenient attraction to the pilot who saved her life.
But before long, she starts to question what really caused the crash. Did someone—likely her resentful adult stepchildren—intend for the plane to go down? Separated from the world with no way of knowing when or if they’ll be rescued, Bailey must trust Cam if they're to make their way out of the wilderness, and back to society.
Something About You
U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde is staying in a Chicago hotel when she hears a scandalous love affair end in carnage. As one of the few witnesses authorities have to the killing, she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. FBI Special Agent Jack Pallas is assigned to the case, but there's no love lost between the two of them: Jack believes Cameron nearly cost him his career a few years ago.
Now, Jack is told he must work with Cameron to find the killer. Will they be able to ignore the romantic tension growing between them? Something About You is your classic enemies-turn-lovers romance, featuring two high-powered, incredibly intelligent players.
