"Sometimes at night he lay awake and thought of his dead." ~ from Ben Sanders' American Blood |
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| One Man's Flag by David DowningHistorical Spy Fiction. Fans of classic espionage novels by John le Carré or Graham Greene will appreciate this atmospheric latest by David Downing, set in 1915, two years after the events of series opener Jack of Spies. British agent Jack McColl is in India, defending the British Empire against threats to its existence, when he's called to Ireland to do the same, this time by seducing a former lover in order to uncover the names of IRA members. What he doesn't know is that she's also planning to seduce him with similar, if deadlier, goals in mind. Downing's skill lies in recreating historical eras, and he doesn't miss a beat in One Man's Flag. |
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| A Different Lie by Derek HaasSuspense Fiction. New dad Columbus is happy with his family and with his work; for the first time in years, the longtime freelancer has steady employment. But his latest assignment -- to take out a rising star in his own field -- will do more than just shake things up. It may kill him. With intriguing characters, a spare writing style, and increasing suspense, this 4th in the series starring deadly hit man Columbus is "an unflinching little gem of a story: violent, dark, and unrelentingly entertaining" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Mulberry Bush by Charles McCarrySpy Fiction. Author Charles McCarry has created a successful career out of the tales of spooks good and bad, and his latest offering is another stunner. With complex characters, smart dialogue, and treachery aplenty, The Mulberry Bush is an intelligent, entertaining read. It stars an unnamed narrator with a plan to destroy American intelligence HQ from the inside; successful at unearthing terrorists, he rises quickly in the estimation of his superiors, and is soon in a position to cause a lot of damage. As the tale takes place over several years, don't expect a lot of action and suspense -- revenge is, after all, a dish best served cold. |
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| American Blood: A Novel by Ben SandersCrime Fiction. Marshall Grade was once an undercover Brooklyn narcotics officer. Now, he's in witness protection in New Mexico, though he's sublet his safe house to a felon, preferring to provide his own cover. So far so good (if unorthodox), until a missing girl becomes something of an obsession for him, putting him square in the path of some nasty individuals. Fortunately, Marshall is just as violent and deadly as his opponents. The dialogue sparkles, the blood flows...and apparently there are already plans to make American Blood into a feature film. |
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Each year, the International Thriller Writers select finalists and award-winners in six categories, including Best Hardcover Novel and Best First Novel. Some of the 2015 winners and their runner-ups in these two categories are found below.
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| The Fever: A Novel by Megan AbbottPsychological Suspense. No one is really sure what's happening when teenage girls in a small northeastern American town start having unexplained seizures. Theories fly -- it's contaminated lake water, it's caused by the HPV vaccination, it's an STD -- but actual information is hard to come by. Hysteria spreads, friendships are destroyed, and the atmosphere becomes reminiscent of the Salem witch trials. If you enjoy the perspective of teens, such as in author Megan Abbott's previous book, Dare Me, or Tana French's The Secret Place, you won't want to miss this 2015 Winner for Best Hardcover Novel. |
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| Broken Monsters by Lauren BeukesSuspense Fiction. An unusually gruesome series of murders has Detroit homicide detective Gabriella Versado puzzled -- and revolted -- by the victims, whose bodies have been fused to animal carcasses. Her investigation into these horrific crimes weaves into an intricate tale that also incorporates a sculptor's nightmares and a homeless man's fears. A pervading atmosphere of horror -- Booklist says this ITW finalist for Best Hardcover combines the techniques and styles of Peter Straub and Karin Slaughter -- will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. |
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| The Life We Bury: A Novel by Allen EskensSuspense Fiction. Minnesota college freshman Joe Talbert has been assigned to write a biography of a stranger; he's chosen Carl Iverson, jailed for 30 years for rape and murder, now dying of pancreatic cancer. The more Joe comes to know Carl (a Vietnam vet) the harder it is for him to believe that Carl is guilty of the crimes for which he was imprisoned. Joe's prodding of the case provokes several threats to his safety, which complicates a life already challenged by an alcoholic mother and a handicapped brother. This finalist for the 2015 ITW Best First Novel award was followed in October by the author's second book, The Guise of Another, also set in Minnesota. |
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| Suspicion by Joseph FinderSuspense Fiction. Fearing that he'll be unable to pay his daughter's private school tuition, writer Danny Goodman accepts a loan from his daughter's best friend's father, which has unintended and very dangerous consequences. The FBI and the DEA, accusing Danny of money laundering, coerce him into spying on the other man, claiming he works for a brutal drug cartel. A tense game of amateur spying evolves, as Danny walks the tightwire between the feds and the cartel. A "zipping Jaguar of a ride," says Publishers Weekly of this finalist for Best Hardcover. |
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| Natchez Burning by Greg IlesLegal Thriller. This 4th in the Penn Cage series was also a finalist for Best Hardcover, and it's set just after Penn's election as mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. His father, a beloved family doctor and a pillar of their community, has been accused of murdering a nurse he'd worked with in the turbulent 1960s, but he refuses to talk about it, even to defend himself. Penn's investigation uncovers secrets about his town and his family that some would prefer to remain buried, and angers a violent offshoot of the KKK. This harrowing novel ends in something of a cliffhanger -- look for two more books to complete the trilogy (The Bone Tree, published in 2015, and Unwritten Laws, likely to be published in 2016). |
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| The Weight of Blood: A Novel by Laura McHughSuspense Fiction. As in Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, the Ozarks are not a welcoming place for a teenage girl digging up family secrets and dark local history best left buried. Seventeen-year-old Lucy Dane has always been treated as an outsider, in part because of rumors surrounding her mother's disappearance not long after Lucy's birth. The discovery of the body of a long-missing school friend compels Lucy to look into both disappearances, but few are willing to help her. Vividly depicting both small town life and rural poverty, this 2015 ITW Winner for Best First Novel also offers gripping suspense and quick pacing. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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