Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/31/2012
ISBN-13: 9780399158766
ISBN-10: 0399158766

Thriller. In the Edgar Award-nominated The Ranger, U.S. Army Ranger Quinn Colson returned to his Mississippi hometown for his uncle's funeral, only to get dragged into a drug war. In his 2nd appearance, Colson is the newly elected Tibbehah County sheriff; he's fighting corruption in the board of county supervisors, hunting down child traffickers, and dealing with a local man who's selling stolen guns to a Mexican drug cartel. New to the job, he's aided by a long-time deputy who takes her job seriously. If you're a fan of author Ace Atkins, you may also be interested in his other recently published book, Robert B. Parker's Lullaby, which is a continuation of the deceased Parker's Spenser series.

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/05/2012
ISBN-13: 9780312600532
ISBN-10: 0312600534

Psychological Suspense. Though still traumatized by her latest case (Now You See Me), Detective Constable Lacey Flint goes undercover as a vulnerable college student at Cambridge University, which has recently seen a rash of grisly suicides among its female students. Moving in with the former roommate of the last to attempt suicide, Lacey soon realizes that she's a more susceptible target than she'd thought, thanks in part to her tragic past. Daunted by coursework and plagued by violent dreams, she's still got to report to DI Mark Joesbury, and their sexual attraction hasn't dimmed at all. Fans of author S.J. Bolton's evocative writing and resilient heroines may recognize Lacey's one ally, psychiatrist Evi Oliver, from her appearance in Blood Harvest.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Crown
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/05/2012
ISBN-13: 9780307588364
ISBN-10: 030758836X

Psychological Suspense. When beautiful Amy Dunne disappears from her Missouri home, it looks as if her husband Nick is to blame. But though he protests his innocence, it's clear that he's not being entirely truthful. Worse, her diary reveals a woman desperately frightened of her husband. Told from Nick's point of view -- with excerpts from Amy's diary -- Gone Girl is not only the story of a disappearance, but a truly frightening glimpse of a souring marriage. We can't say too much more without saying too much, but this isn't your standard novel -- there are slowly revealed layers you'd never have guessed at, making for a complex tale that's "compulsively readable, [and] creepily unforgettable" (Publishers Weekly).

First Chapter  

Publisher: Little, Brown
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/05/2012
ISBN-13: 9780316198622
ISBN-10: 0316198625

Thriller. Smart and well written, this debut novel -- which has received accolades from The Washington Post and The Guardian and been selected as a "Best Beach Read" by The Hollywood Reporter -- is being likened to John Grisham's The Firm ("only with a whole lot more action," says bestselling author James Patterson). It stars former con artist and Harvard Law student Mike Ford, who accepts a position with a consulting firm whose specialty is pulling strings for (and pulling the strings of) the top 500 most powerful people inside the Beltway. If you love this intrigue-filled book, you'll be pleased to know that it's under development as a movie, and there's a sequel in the pipeline.

Publisher: Mulholland Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/22/2012
ISBN-13: 9780316182287
ISBN-10: 0316182281

Thriller. In this series opener by an author who specializes in pulse-pounding reads populated by lifelike characters, former Delta Force soldier Jonathan "Jad" Bell takes a job at WilsonVille, a Disneyland-like theme park in California. He's there to monitor potential attacks on the park, and things get really tense when just such a threat materializes -- and the situation gets unimaginably worse. With a villain whose intense training and skills make him a scarily even match for Jad's military background, plot twists and turns, and plenty of double-crosses, what you have here is "a fistful of dynamite" (The Cincinnati Enquirer).

Publisher: Harper
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 02/01/2008
ISBN-13: 9780061143410
ISBN-10: 0061143413

Thriller. When medical researcher Kate Raab's family enters the Witness Protection Program after her father Benjamin testifies in a money laundering and drug trafficking case, Kate refuses to join them. But when Benjamin goes missing -- and is blamed for the death of his case worker -- Kate immediately begins to search for him. Her search not only puts her own life in danger, but also forces her to consider the possibility that her father is not the man she thought he was. This gripping tale was author Andrew Gross' first solo effort after co-authoring five thrillers with James Patterson; his sixth novel, 15 Seconds, is out this month.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/15/2011
ISBN-13: 9780307270986
ISBN-10: 030727098X

Thriller. Investigating a two-year-old case of double homicide to earn some extra cash, amateur detectives (and near-professional troublemakers) Hap Collins and Leonard Pine discover that both victims stood to inherit serious money, while one appears to have run with a vampire cult. But there's more to the crime scene than first meets the eye, for soon they notice an image of a red devil's head, which links this double murder to a slew of others. The 10th in a series that mixes mayhem and comedy in an entertaining manner, Devil Red also benefits from the reappearance of sexy female assassin Vanilla Ride.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Severn House
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 02/01/2011
ISBN-13: 9780727869654
ISBN-10: 0727869655

Thriller. Nearly two decades ago, highly principled DEA Agent John Marquez resigned before he could be fired after a disastrous meeting with Mexico's biggest drug dealers, the Salazar cartel. Now, in the Special Operations Unit of California's Fish and Game Department, he's tracking a bighorn hunter when his past comes back with a vengeance. Asked to help mount an offensive against the very man at fault for the disaster 20 years ago, Marquez signs on, despite the danger to his family and the feeling that he may be betrayed. "Outstanding!" says Booklist, which praises the crafty plot and committed hero in this 4th and latest in the series.

Publisher: Pegasus Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/08/2009
ISBN-13: 9781605980270
ISBN-10: 1605980277

Suspense Fiction. In this 3rd story featuring private investigator Joe Donovan, the former reporter is incredibly close to reuniting with the kidnapped son he's been seeking for the last four years. But a race riot threatens downtrodden Newcastle, England, and his former partners at his old investigation firm are caught right in the middle of it. There are several plot lines -- threatening calls to a former 1970s radical, a Muslim student's brutal murder, and above all, serious racial tension, bigotry, and fanatical politics. Along with the complex plot, it also features "unusual and appealing characters, [and] pell-mell action" (Library Journal). Fans won't be disappointed.