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Thrillers and Suspense May 2021
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36 Righteous Men
by Steven Pressfield
What it’s about: Set in a near-future world wracked by climate change-induced weather events, this fast-paced story follows the hunt for a serial killer who, inspired by Jewish legends, aims to kill the titular men to start the apocalypse.
Starring: NYPD detectives Corvina “Dewey” Duwai and Jim Manning; Rabbi Rachel Davidson, whose knowledge of Judaism (and computer algorithms) help her identify the killer’s targets.
Is it for you? This unconventional thriller contains some supernatural elements and is told primarily through the investigators’ case notes.
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A Beautiful Crime
by Christopher Bollen
Starring: Nicholas Brink, who trades New York for Venice when his new boyfriend is called back to the Floating City to claim an inheritance; Clay Guillory, Nick's grounded boyfriend who has a long history with the city; Venice itself, which is portrayed in all of its lush (but decaying) glory.
The scheme: Nick gets greedy upon seeing the beautiful but decrepit palazzo Clay has inherited a share in, and soon talks a reluctant Clay into a risky but lucrative antiques hustle that quickly goes awry.
Read it for: the compelling relationship between Nick and Clay, which has more depth than it initially seems to; the tone, which manages to evoke both Patricia Highsmith and André Aciman.
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The Push
by Ashley Audrain
The setup: Contentedly child-free Blythe fell hard for Fox Connor, whose desire to be a dad convinced her to put her qualms aside.
Problem child? Although Blythe has a healthy bond with their newborn son Sam, she has never understood or felt close to their seven-year-old daughter Violet. Violet behaves sweetly when Fox is around but turns on Blythe when they are alone, and things only seem to be getting worse since Sam's arrival.
For fans of: unreliable narrators, creepy kids, and very dysfunctional family dynamics.
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| Lightseekers by Femi KayodeOkrika, Nigeria: In this remote college town on the country's southern coast, many questions remain about the violent deaths of three university students, apparently at the hands of an angry mob.
Starring: investigative psychologist Dr. Philip Taiwo, brought to the area from Lagos by a powerful politician who wants to know the truth; observant streetwise Chika, a local hired to be Dr. Taiwo's driver only to get pulled into the investigation too.
Why you might like it: Dr. Taiwo is a reluctant amateur sleuth who nonetheless displays keen investigative instincts, which pair well with Chika's deep knowledge of the area and unique insights. |
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| The Fourth Child by Jessica WinterWhat it's about: Troubled empty-nester Jane Brennan adopts a toddler traumatized by the notorious Romanian orphanage system, an action that will have drastic consequences for her biological children and initially reluctant husband.
Is it for you? Jane is compellingly complex, although her membership in a radical anti-abortion group may alienate some readers.
Reviewers say: author Jessica Winter "deftly depicts all-too-human inconsistency" (Booklist). |
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| The Kill Club by Wendy HeardThe premise: Jasmine "Jazz" Benavides is on her own after surviving the foster care system, but her 13-year-old brother Joaquin was eventually adopted by their controlling foster mother, Carol Coleman.
The problem: As Carol's behavior towards Joaquin becomes increasingly abusive, Jazz finds a potential (and permanent) solution to her Carol problem, but the price is a bargain reminiscent of Strangers on a Train.
About the author: Wendy Heard co-hosts the thriller podcast Unlikeable Female Characters and previously published the psychological thriller Hunting Annabelle. |
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| The Secretary by Renee KnightWhat it is: a menacing and intricately plotted psychological thriller about ruthless ambition, betrayal, and the consequences of codependent self-sacrifice.
Starring: prominent businesswoman Mina Appleton, who will do anything to expand the supermarket chain started by her father; Christine Butcher, Mina's indispensable personal assistant for almost 20 years whose need to be needed drives her but also ruins her life.
You might also like: Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes, in which unhealthy dynamics develop between an assistant and her employer's family after the lines between her personal and professional lives start to blur. |
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| 29 Seconds by T.M. LoganThe premise: Adjunct professor Sarah Hayward is disgusted when her slimy department head Alan, a well-connected serial sexual predator, suggests that she could finally get a tenure by sleeping with him.
No good deed: Stumbling upon what appears to be an attempted kidnapping, Sarah's instincts take over and she saves the victim, the young daughter of shady businessman James Grosvenor. In gratitude, Grosvenor lets Sarah know that he has ways of making anyone disappear without a trace, if she's interested.
Why you might like it: The narrative's rip-roaring plot and action-packed scenes mix interestingly with Sarah's inner turmoil. |
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| The Furies by Katie LoweThe setup: Sixteen-year-old Violet Taylor is worried about fitting in at Elm Hollow Academy, an elite English boarding school, but it's not long before she falls in with a close-knit trio of girls who share an obsession -- the mysterious 17th-century witch trials that took place nearby.
What happens next: After Violet suffers a traumatic assault, the four girls band together to exact revenge on her attacker through unusual channels and their actions have unexpected consequences for everyone involved.
For fans of: iconic teen movies that mix vintage glamour with darkness, like The Craft, Heathers, and Jawbreaker. |
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| Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnonWhat it's about: While mourning the man she thought was her father, Eleanor Hardwicke discovers she’s the daughter of wealthy Stan Gallinger, who warns her to stay away from his family. But Stan has underestimated her, and driven by a deep need to connect, Eleanor decides to find another way into their lives...
Read it for: the shocking contrast between the Gallinger family's picture-perfect image and the way they really live, and Eleanor's journey of self-discovery as she gets pulled deeper into their web.
You might also like: The Half Sister by Sandie Jones, another suspenseful look into the fallout of discovering secret half-siblings after a parent's death. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Rd Rochester, Michigan 48307 (248) 656-2900 rhpl.org |
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