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Thrillers and Suspense May 2023 |
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| Someone Else's Life by Lyn Liao ButlerThe setup: Hoping for a fresh start, troubled Annie Lin has recently moved to Kauai with her husband Brody and their son Finn.
What goes wrong: A nosy neighbor, a severe storm, and a stranger in need all begin chipping away at Annie's perception of reality, dredging up reminders of a past that she can't quite recall but that nonetheless fills her with dread.
Who it's for: readers who like unreliable narrators, fraught family dynamics, and Hitchcockian world building. |
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| Such Pretty Flowers by K.L. CerraWhat it is: an intricately plotted and atmospheric mix of psychological suspense and Southern Gothic.
Starring: Holly, a young librarian reeling from her brother Dane's apparent suicide, which she (unfairly) blames herself for not preventing; Dane's mysterious and beguiling girlfriend Maura, who invites Holly to temporarily stay in her luxurious Savannah townhouse.
For fans of: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt; Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas. |
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| How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefanoWhat it's about: Twisted sisters Iris, Sissy, and Moody, who have made a family business out of seduction-based serial murder.
Read if you liked: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.
Reviewers say: How I'll Kill You is "a novel that will stun readers" with its "cleverly crafted plot that delivers ingenious twists" (Library Journal). |
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| Black Wolf by Kathleen KentWhat it is: the action-packed, richly detailed story of an undercover CIA agent sent behind the crumbling Iron Curtain to keep Soviet nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands once the Cold War ends.
What makes her unique: Protagonist Melvina Donleavy is a "super recognizer" who never forgets a face.
About the author: Though Kathleen Kent first made her mark with historical novels like The Heretic's Daughter and The Outcasts, she is also known for her Edgar Award-nominated police procedural The Burn. |
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| The Donut Legion by Joe R. LansdaleWhat it's about: East Texas writer and former P.I. Charlie Garner takes on "one last job" after the disappearance of his ex-wife Meg and her new husband, who had ties to a strange local cult.
Read it for: Hap and Leonard series author Joe. R. Landsdale's trademark combination of offbeat humor, intricately plotted suspense, and a strong sense of place. |
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| Moscow Exile by John LawtonSeries alert: Moscow Exile is the 4th entry in the series of Cold War spy novels starring flawed Brit Joe Wilderness.
This time: Joe has been captured by the KGB, and his release in a prisoner exchange has surprising ties to the actions of two unlikely, seemingly unrelated British spies based in Washington D.C.
Read it for: the atmospheric tone, witty writing, and examination of what draws people into the espionage business. |
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| The Housemate by Sarah BaileyWhat it's about: A decade after covering the "Housemate Homicide" story in-depth, Australian journalist Olive Groves is once again assigned to the case when a body is discovered, dredging up unpleasant truths for both the reporter and her subjects.
Reviewers say: Author Sarah Bailey's "sophisticated, multilayered plot will have readers longing for more books about this intriguing new leading lady" (Booklist). |
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| Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick MedinaWhat it is: a richly detailed and atmospheric horror-thriller that grapples with the real-life issue of missing indigenous women in the U.S. and Canada.
Starring: high schooler Anna Horn, who has a hunch that the disappearances of young women on the reservation are tied to the VIP suites at her tribe's casino, where she works part time as a cleaner.
For fans of: Cherie Dimaline, Stephen Graham Jones, and Erika T. Wurth. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Atlantic County Library System | 40 Farragut Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-2776 | www.atlanticlibrary.org
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|  | Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson
Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, Maureen Kern, Chairwoman |
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