If you enjoy CBS shows like NCIS, CSI, and The Equalizer, then you might also enjoy a good book with a similar premise. Whether you are looking for a crime drama, a legal thriller, or something with a bit of a murder mystery to it, there are a lot of books that fit the bill.
And if you are looking for a weekend read or one to get you through any upcoming TV hiatuses, there are some books that perfectly capture the drama and intrigue of the procedurals we watch on CBS every week. While there are certainly some obvious choices out there, including authors that we all have heard of, we wanted to find a book or three that maybe you hadn't seen before.
From a suspenseful thriller featuring a Homeland Security Agent to an amateur detective who has a thing for true crime after the murder of her best friend, these books are not your typical reads. That being said, they are a perfect fit for fans of procedurals, especially the ones who enjoy a good mystery element.
So what are we reading when we need a CBS procedural fix?
Fatal Intrusion by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado
Are you looking for a book with multiple murders that need to be solved and two unlikely people working together to solve the case? Then Fatal Intrusion is the book for you.
I have to admit that this was an engaging read for a number of reasons. It did feel a bit darker than expected, but at the same time, the plot twists definitely kept me guessing. The thing that really worked with this book is the fact that it felt realistic when it came to the way the two agents worked together and dealt with their issues, both internally and externally.
Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz
A bit more on the suspenseful side of things, Leave the Girls Behind follows a young woman who is haunted by tragedy. After her best friend is murdered by a serial killer, Ruth-Ann can't get away from the past and the truth of what really happened to her friend. And when another young girl goes missing, it leaves her questioning everything people think they know about the killer and what happened to her friend.
Was there someone else involved in the killing? And will Ruth-Ann be able to figure out what really happened and if someone else is still out there leaving a trail of destruction behind? There are times when it is clear that our narrator is not infallible, which can be a bit of an issue while reading. And yet somehow it really does work with this story.
What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall
What does life look like for the survivor of a deadly home invasion? That is the question that is answered in What Never Happened. As someone who writes obituaries for the paper, Colette sees a lot of death. But things are odd about the newest ones that have been crossing her desk. And their familiarity is not the only thing that she has to contend with when her own obituary crosses her desk.
Is there a serial killer on the loose and are they coming for her? In this chilling and thrilling read, we get plenty of twists and turns, with an engaging story and a lot of questions. Is it a perfect read? Maybe not, but it is a fun one for those of us who love a solid procedural.