"She woke up late that morning, and knew: Something had followed them home from Russia."
~ from Laura Kasischke's Mind of Winter |
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New and Recently Released!
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| Warriors: An Alex Hawke Novel by Ted BellThriller. This 8th book in the Alex Hawke series finds our hero sneaking into China as tension between that country and the U.S. increases. Some believe that war between the two global powers is inevitable, but Hawke's doing what he can to prevent it. His immediate task is to free an American scientist knowledgeable in military technology who's been held captive for nearly five years; the man's family, meanwhile, is enduring the horrors of a North Korean death camp. Thrilling battles alternate with shadowy political intrigue in a fast-moving, plot-driven novel that still manages to incorporate Hawke's relationship with his son. Newcomers may want to start with Hawke, for a proper introduction. |
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| The Cold Nowhere: A Jonathan Stride Novel by Brian FreemanPolice Thriller. One cold April night, Duluth police detective Jonathan Stride comes home to find 16-year-old Cat Mateo, a runaway and prostitute with ties to Stride's own past, waiting for him. Fearing a deadly stalker, she needs his help, and he's willing to give it, though his long-time partner (and one-time lover), Maggie Bei, has doubts about Cat's true motives. Playing out like a "high-stakes chess game" (Booklist), this 6th in a series switches between Stride's point of view and that of Cat's pursuer; thanks to its menacing tone, fans of Scandinavian crime fiction may find Minnesota springs just as chilling... |
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| Until You're Mine: A Novel by Samantha HayesPsychological Suspense. Claudia Morgan-Brown is coming to realize that she can't do it all -- nearing her due date, she's exhausted caring for two kids and working while her husband is away. It's time to hire some help, and on paper, Zoe looks great. But Claudia can't help but feel there's something off about her. Meanwhile, there have been several vicious attacks on pregnant women in the area, which only make her more fearful. Told from both Claudia and Zoe's points of view, as well as a female police investigator assigned to the case, Until You're Mine is a satisfyingly twisty, creepy read. Though British author Samantha Hayes has written other books, this is her U.S. debut. |
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| Mind of Winter by Laura KasischkePsychological Suspense. Its Christmas morning, and Holly Judge has woken hungover and blearily convinced that the trip she and her husband took to Russia years ago to adopt their daughter (now 15) is to blame for countless troubling and discomfiting events in the time since. Trapped by a blizzard at home with her daughter (once a beautiful, happy toddler, now a beautiful, sullen -- evil? -- teenager), Holly begins attributing sinister meanings to even commonplace activities. Is she delusional? Tired and over-anxious? Or is Tatiana truly...not right? Told entirely from Holly's own scattered, possibly unreliable point of view, this dark, eerie read ramps up the suspense in a way that may appeal to readers of spine-tingling psychological horror. |
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If You Like: Ted Bell's Alexander Hawke
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Ted Bell's Alexander Hawke novels offer both suspense and a great deal of fast-paced action, making them fast, fun reads. Hawke, a billionaire adventurer with a background in counterintelligence, faces challenges with grit and creativity, and Bell, who has himself worked for the U.S. State Department, blends ingenious, well-developed plots with historical events or real-world situations (or both) -- and creates truly fiendish villains. If you're in the mood for larger-than-life tales than can offer similar thrills, check out one of the books listed below.
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| Poseidon's Arrow by Clive CusslerAdventure. Like Ted Bell's Alexander Hawke, Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt is a modern-day swashbuckler who always has the necessary skills in times of crisis. High stakes, sinister villains, and exotic locales also tie these two series together; in Poseidon's Arrow, the 22nd and most recent in the Dirk Pitt series, Pitt and his two grown kids try to prevent a resourceful 21st-century slave-owner in South America from building the most powerful attack submarine the world has ever seen. As with the four previous books, Cussler wrote Poseidon's Arrow with his son, Dirk; the next, Havana Storm, is due out later this year. |
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| Carte Blanche by Jeffery DeaverSuspense. Both James Bond and Alexander Hawke are daring, dashing, handsome adventurers; however, Hawke only occasionally does favors for the American and British governments, while Bond's on the payroll. Ian Fleming may be Bond's creator, but in recent years other authors have taken a shot at writing adventures for the iconic British spy; Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche is most recent to be set in the modern day. Taking place mostly in South Africa, the story follows Bond as he attempts to prevent a terrorist attack, and it offers up all the terrific action, cool weaponry, and deadly drama that Hawke fans could hope for. |
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| Scarecrow Returns by Matthew ReillyThriller. Scarecrow Returns is the 5th in the Scarecrow series starring Marine captain Shane Schofield and his crew. While each book in the series offers the kind of non-stop action that Alex Hawke fans are accustomed to, this one prompted Booklist to claim that author Matthew Reilly "ups the ante on swashbucklers" like those starring Alex Hawke. Be prepared for a wild ride; in this escapade, our hero has only a few hours to save the world from near-total nuclear annihilation. |
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| Satori by Don WinslowThriller. As clever as he is handsome, assassin Nicholai Hel was first introduced to readers in 1979, in pseudonymous author Trevanian's bestselling novel Shibumi. In this homage/prequel, Don Winslow traces Hel's life up to the events in Shibumi, centering on one particular event mentioned in passing in the original novel -- the CIA-approved assassination attempt on the Soviet commissioner to China. The mission draws on all of his strengths (fluency in seven languages, an extrasensory awareness of danger, and his mastery of the hoda korosu martial art, also known as "naked kill"). It's sure to appeal to fans of the original -- and also to Hawke fans looking for a fun, thrilling read. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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