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Thrillers and Suspense June 2019
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| Stone Mothers by Erin KellyStarring: Marianne Thackeray, a London-based architecture professor whose time is dedicated to her career, her mentally ill daughter, and always keeping one eye open.
What happens: Marianne is forced to return to the hometown she hates when her mother's dementia worsens, and she may finally have to face a past that could destroy the life she's built.
Read it for: its whirlwind pacing and the compelling, evocative depiction of a small English town that's hiding some very big secrets. |
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| Like Lions by Brian PanowichWhat it is: the gritty and compelling return of sheriff Clayton Burroughs, who is trying to balance staying out of his family's drug business with mourning the recent deaths of his brothers.
Series alert: Like Lions is the sequel to Bull Mountain, Brian Panowich's first novel about the Georgia-based, meth-distributing Burroughs clan.
Reviewers say: "This is hillbilly noir at its finest" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Paris Diversion by Chris PavoneThe premise: After the events of Chris Pavone's previous novel The Expats, semi-retired CIA operative Kate Moore is trying to enjoy her new life in Paris with her husband Dexter.
The problem: A jihadi wearing a suicide bomb shows up outside the Louvre, announcing his intent to blow himself up.. But is the man who he says he is?
The clock is ticking: The entire novel takes place over a 24-hour period, ratcheting up the tension as Kate races against time to discover the truth. |
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An Unwanted Guest
by Shari Lapena
What happens: A snowstorm strands a diverse group of guests at a Catskills ski lodge, and once the power goes out people begin to die one by one at the hands of the killer among them.
Inspired by: Agatha Christie's famous "locked room" mystery And Then There Were None.
Critics say: "[Shari] Lapena [creates] a goosebump-raising atmosphere as the darkness and malevolence stretch on" (Booklist).
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Before the Fall
by Noah Hawley
What happens: A corporate jet goes down off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, killing everyone except a recovering alcoholic and the four-year-old boy he manages to save. They're soon the center of unwelcome media attention as investigators rush to determine whether the crash was accidental -- and, if not, which of the victims was the target.
Reviewers say: With rising suspense amid character backstories that gradually unfold, this is ultimately a "pulse-pounding story, grounded in humanity," says Booklist; it also won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel.
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| The Three Beths by Jeff AbbottPrime suspect: Jake Dunning, who the police are convinced is responsible for his wife Beth's disappearance one year ago, despite a lack of evidence.
What happens: Jake and Beth's adult daughter Mariah spots a woman she believes to be her mother in a crowd, and as she starts digging into her mother's case she discovers that two other missing women might be connected -- two women also named Beth.
Who it's for: anyone who likes having an intricate puzzle to solve, with the possibility of lots of misdirection along the way. |
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| The Sleepwalker by Chris BohjalianWhat it's about: the disappearance of Annalee Ahlberg, whose previous episodes of sleepwalking have led her into dangerous and compromising situations.
On the case: Annalee's daughter Lianna, who drops out of college to support her family and discover what happened to her mother; police detective Gavin Rikert, who is assigned to the investigation but has more than one conflict of interest.
Author alert: Although Chris Bohjalian is better known for his literary fiction, he has been making recent forays into suspense with books like The Guest Room and The Flight Attendant. |
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| The Destroyers by Christopher BollenWhat it's about: disaffected rich kid Ian Bledsoe jumps at his childhood friend Charlie Konstantinou's invitation to be his guest for the summer on the idyllic Greek island of Patmos. Too bad for Ian that Charlie soon goes missing, and that such a small island has so many places to hide.
Read it for: the large cast of authentic and flawed characters, including many of the colorful residents and tourists on the richly described Aegean island.
Did you know? Patmos is primarily known for its association with the Book of Revelation -- an apocalyptic connection that author Christopher Bollen doesn't shy away from. |
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| Don't You Cry by Mary KubicaStarring: Chicago party girl Quinn Collins, who discovers one very hungover morning that her roommate Esther has disappeared; 18-year-old barista Alex Gallo, who grows consumed with learning about the mysterious new girl who just arrived in his small Michigan town.
Why you might like it: Don't You Cry features intricate plotting and alternates between Alex and Quinn's perspectives. The characters and their concerns might also appeal to readers of young adult fiction.
Read this next: She Was the Quiet One by Michele Campbell. |
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| Bring Me Back by B.A. ParisThe premise: Finn McQuaid's girlfriend Layla Gray went missing more than a decade ago, and over the years Finn has grown close to Layla's sister Ellen -- a relationship that eventually turns romantic.
The problem: When Finn and Ellen announce their engagement, Russian nesting dolls (which are a reminder of Layla) begin appearing around their home. Then they begin hearing of Layla sightings around town.
Read it for: Finn, an unreliable narrator; the complex relationship between Ellen and her sister; the slow-burning pace that grows more and more intense over time. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Richmond Public Library 101 East Franklin Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 (804) 646-7223rvalibrary.org/ |
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