Thriller. Fans will be happy to see that maniacal anti-hero Serge Storms is up to his usual activities, criss-crossing Florida in search of wrongs to right...and trying to drum up tourist business for his favorite haunts. But his website (which features tips for tourists trying to avoid being killed) has attracted the attention of Agent Mahoney, his longtime nemesis. And then there's the gang of diamond thieves, a sociopath with a glow-in-the-dark tattoo, and a number of other warped characters and plot twists. The 11th in the series, Nuclear Jellyfish features "exuberant abandon and wit" (Publishers Weekly).

Political Thriller. Aspects of this debut from a former Washington Post editor might seem awfully close to reality when you consider that the story features an aging presidential hopeful and his veep pick--a relatively inexperienced woman who quickly upstages him at rallies. But any similarities to the McCain/Palin campaign end there...for one thing, they're Democrats, for another, they win--and months later the president dies. Meanwhile, journalist Sarah Page uncovers rampant corruption in the upper reaches of the government, putting her life at risk and forcing the new president to choose between her own political future and the nation's well-being. Politically speaking, it's terrifyingly plausible.

Police Thriller. LAPD robbery and homicide detective Lena Gamble is out of favor with her higher-ups, and to punish her they've assigned her the case of an unidentified murder victim who was dismembered and tossed in a Hollywood dumpster. Though most of the few clues lead to dead ends, Lena's investigation eventually leads her to a mystery witness--and warnings from her supervisors not to investigate a powerful billionaire's son. With plenty of forensic detail, The Lost Witness should appeal to fans of television shows like CSI. It's also the 2nd book to star Lena Gamble, after City of Fire.

Historical Suspense. Inspired by Charles Dickens' final years, when the literary master was writing a (never completed) novel named The Mystery of Edwin Drood, this intriguing thriller finds Dickens' friend and fellow novelist Wilkie Collins narrating. In his attempts to aid his fellow passengers after a terrible train wreck, Dickens comes across a creepy figure named Drood, who appears to have been traveling in a coffin. Dickens becomes obsessed with Drood, though Collins is not convinced that the man actually exists. Is searching for him in London's underworld merely a way for Dickens to indulge in dastardly deeds? Or is Drood an undead killer? Those looking for a puzzle will enjoy this intricate, complex adventure.

Thriller. With an action-packed plot and a protagonist who never gets a chance to catch his breath, fans of rollercoaster pacing will find much to appreciate in Panic. Regular guy Evan Casher arrives at his mother's home to find that she's been killed, his dad's been abducted, and that much of what he believed about his family is untrue. After an attempt on his life, and with a menacing spy ring and the CIA on his heels (not to mention the so-far-unsuccessful killer), Evan has to stay alive, find a much-coveted computer file, and rescue his father. Booklist calls this hard-to-put-down thriller "a wild ride on a bumpy road."

Suspense Fiction. Troubled half-Japanese freelance assassin John Rain stars in a series of convoluted and atmospheric tales; Rain Fall is the 1st, and will be released as a movie in 2009. The resourceful Rain specializes in killing Tokyo's government officials and making their deaths look natural, but he finds his carefully ordered world falling apart after the death of one particular official. Men from Rain's own past return to haunt him as he gets involved with the daughter of his victim--who appears to be in danger of becoming a victim herself. With lots of details about spy technologies and insight into Rain's own uneasy mind, Rain Fall is likely to appeal to fans of Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series.

Suspense Fiction. In the 5th (and most recent) Peter Macklin novel, the hit man is hoping to leave his past behind and settle into retirement with his new wife, Laurie. But retiring from contract killing isn't easy, especially since Peter is more than a little suspicious of his mother-in-law Pamela's new boyfriend. Peter soon learns that said boyfriend moonlights as a spotter for a gang of robbers run by a Toledo mobster, and that their next target is likely to be the bookstore that Pamela manages. What's a former contract killer to do to protect his family--without lying to his wife?

Legal Thriller. In his 3rd appearance, Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck is representing a reputed hit man as a favor to his best friend. But Tatum Knight swears that although the victim asked him to kill her, he didn't. And here's the twist: the woman he's accused of murdering has left $46 million to six people--or technically, to whomever of the six is the last alive--including himself. What was the murdered woman's logic? And is Swyteck's client a killer--or is he going to be a victim? Check out Last to Die to find out.

Historical Thriller. Let's go back in time for something a little different--Captain Alatriste is a hired sword in 17th-century Spain; his latest assignment is to kill a pair of visiting Englishmen. In this 1st installment in a series that now numbers four, the assignment is communicated to the swashbuckling swordsman-for-hire by mysterious masked men, and when Alatriste decides not to follow through on the assassination, he finds himself faced with threats from all sides. With lots of historical detail and plenty of political intrigue, this adventure is a "pleasure of swash, buckle and atmosphere" (Kirkus Reviews).

Suspense Fiction. After successfully prosecuting a brutal criminal, New Orleans Defense Attorney Kirsten Lord brushes off a vicious threat that proves to be all too real when her husband is assassinated in front of her. Eventually entering the witness protection program to hide from the killer she's sure is now after her daughter, she encounters therapist Alan Gregory and former hitman Carl Luppo. But she's still not safe, and soon enough is being dragged into an old case while still trying to evade whoever's after her. This is the 9th book to feature psychologist Alan Gregory, though he plays a smaller role than usual.