| The Push by Ashley AudrainThe setup: Contentedly child-free Blythe fell hard for Fox Connor, whose desire to be a dad convinced her to put her qualms aside.
Problem child? Although Blythe has a healthy bond with their newborn son Sam, she has never understood or felt close to their seven-year-old daughter Violet. Violet behaves sweetly when Fox is around but turns on Blythe when they are alone, and things only seem to be getting worse since Sam's arrival.
For fans of: unreliable narrators, creepy kids, and very dysfunctional family dynamics. |
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| A Spy in the Struggle by Aya De LeónStarring: corporate-lawyer-turned-FBI-recruit Yolanda Vance, who is sent undercover to monitor a potentially dangerous Black eco-activist group based in Oakland, California.
What goes wrong: As her mission proceeds, the FBI's increasingly invasive and legally dubious methods make Yolanda wonder about the real motivation behind her mission and if she's working for the wrong side.
For fans of: the Deadly Reigns series by Teri Woods; Lauren Wilkinson's American Spy. |
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| Before the Ruins by Victoria GoslingThe set up: Four best friends become five with the arrival of a mysterious stranger in their tiny English town. But their group fractures and, decades later, one member has disappeared.
What happens: Ringleader Andy sets out to find her oldest pal, with whom things have long been strained. In so doing, she uncovers long-hidden secrets.
For fans of: atmospheric, menacing tales like Donna Tartt's The Secret History or Elisabeth Thomas' Catherine House. |
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| The Breaker by Nicholas PetrieSeries alert: The Breaker is the 6th novel starring former Marine and Iraq War vet Peter Ash, whose clandestine life is complicated by his PTSD.
What goes down: Ash is out for coffee with a fellow vet when he sees a man not quite concealing an assault rifle. When he attempts to interrupt what he assumes to be the beginning of a mass shooting, he stumbles into a conspiracy much more complex and dangerous than he planned for.
Read it for: the compelling assortment of well-developed characters, including a surprisingly jovial hitman whose weapon of choice is an axe and a vengeance-obsessed tech genius who is in over her head. |
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| Every Last Secret by A.R. TorreWelcome to: upmarket Atherton, California, home of Cat and William Winthorpe, who live a seemingly perfect life together.
What goes wrong: Successful businessman William hires life coach Neena Ryder to motivate his employees, but Cat is suspicious of Neena's motives, something that only gets worse when Neena and her husband Matt suddenly move into the house next door.
Read it for: the narrative's blend of quick pacing and compelling emotional beats; the relatable and authentic characterization. |
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| Pickard County Atlas by Christina Harding ThorntonNebraska, 1978: Still haunted by an 18-year-old murder, the residents of a small town must confront the past when the victim’s father decides to erect a headstone…even though no body was ever found..
For fans of: other crime novels more focused on the emotional and moral well-being of their characters than whether or not their actions are strictly legal, such as Lou Berney's November Road and Laura McHugh's The Wolf Wants In. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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