"I'd been in this business a long time and been in a lot of nasty situations, but nobody had ever sent me a head in a box." ~ from Roger Hobbs' Vanishing Games |
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| Vanishing Games: A Novel by Roger HobbsThriller. In this sequel to Roger Hobbs' well-received debut Ghostman, our unnamed "hero" is back. Known mostly as "Jack White" (just one of many aliases), he's agreed to help the one person who knows him best -- his former mentor, "Angela." Her last ambitious heist has been dangerously compromised -- and the extent of the damage isn't immediately clear. As in Ghostman, the action starts early and doesn't let up: you're in for a long (but exciting) night if you start this after dinner. |
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| Signal: A Sam Dryden Novel by Patrick LeeThriller. Former Special Forces operative Sam Dryden is back on the run in this sequel to successful series opener Runner (already optioned by Hollywood). Here, the rescue of four kidnapped girls leads to the discovery that a murderous cabal known only as the Group has stolen cutting-edge technology that will allow them to influence the future (it's complicated, but there's just enough scientific explanation to make it plausible). With the same kind of action that has made Lee Child's Jack Reacher series so successful, plus the continued references to world-changing technologies, the Sam Dryden novels offer an exhilarating ride. |
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| Bull Mountain: A Novel by Brian PanowichNoir Fiction. Clayton Burroughs has taken a job as county sheriff, in part to distance himself from his drug-running family, in part to help maintain the peace in the Georgia mountains. There's an uneasy truce of sorts between him and his brother, who runs the family business, until an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms upsets the balance. With plentiful violence, great characterization, and a vividly rendered setting, this debut novel has been compared to some pretty big names in the country noir tradition: Cormac McCarthy, Daniel Woodrell, John Steinbeck, and Ron Rash. |
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| The Hand That Feeds You: A Novel by A.J. RichPsychological Suspense. One horrible day, psychology doctoral student Morgan Prager returns home to find that her fiancé is dead, apparently mauled by her three dogs, who are covered in blood. In her quest to understand how she could have misjudged them so badly, Morgan discovers some irregularities in her fiancé's life. Like he wasn't who he said he was. Like she wasn't his only fiancée. Like there seem to be multiple dead women in his past. Fast-paced and increasingly tense, this novel is written by two established authors working together under a pseudonym. |
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| The Cartel: A Novel by Don WinslowSuspense Fiction. This long-anticipated sequel to The Power of the Dog (published ten years ago) catches us up on DEA agent Art Keller's life: he's become a beekeeper for a New Mexico monastery. But when his nemesis, cartel leader Adán Barrera, escapes from a Mexican prison, Keller is drawn back into the world to stop the escalating violence between cartels. At nearly 600 pages, this is an epic tale, not only taking on personal vendettas but incorporating the very real damage done to bystanders in Mexican drug wars. |
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If You Like: John Connolly
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John Connolly is a hard author to categorize: his Charlie "Bird" Parker novels are one part psychological suspense and one part horror, thanks to the supernatural elements of the series. They're also violent, atmospheric, and intelligently plotted, with a complex and tortured main character. These are Connolly's best-known novels, though he's also written science fiction, fantasy, and a series of humorous horror novels. Here, though, we've collected a variety of books that share some of the same appeals as the Charlie "Bird" Parker novels: the next one (A Song of Shadows) is due out in September.
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| Wolf: A Jack Caffery Thriller by Mo HayderSuspense Fiction. This 7th and most recent entry in the Detective Inspector Jack Caffery novels is, like John Connolly's books, best suited for readers who can tolerate (or skip) graphic violence and appreciate complex characters fighting their own personal demons. The books in this series also have a tendency to intermingle suspense and horror. In Wolf, the DI is drawn into a violent hostage situation after a stray dog is found carrying a scrap of paper with the desperate plea "HELP US." Readers familiar with Caffery will enjoy the Walking Man's appearance here, as well. |
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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 by both working and caring for the two kids she already has 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 that there's something off about her. Told from both Claudia and Zoe's points of view, as well as that of Detective Inspector Lorraine Fisher, who's been assigned to the attacks, Until You're Mine is a satisfyingly twisty, creepy read, much like the Charlie "Bird" Parker series. A 2nd book starring DI Fisher, What You Left Behind, was published in April. |
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| The Ridge by Michael KorytaPsychological Suspense. Readers who like John Connolly's particular blend of suspense and horror will enjoy Michael Koryta's novels; both authors write gritty, atmospheric stories with dark and disturbing crimes at their hearts, often with subtle supernatural elements. In The Ridge, one of Koryta's more supernaturally tinged novels, a Kentucky reporter receives an unsettling phone call from the builder of a land-locked lighthouse in the middle of the woods. There, he discovers that its walls are covered with information about tragic local history -- and eerie, reoccurring phenomena. Koryta's newest book, Last Words, is another good bet for Connolly fans. |
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| Irène by Pierre LemaîtrePolice Procedural. Not quite five feet tall, Paris detective Camille Verhoeven nevertheless commands the respect of his peers. But a cunning serial killer -- who reenacts famous, grisly literary murders -- has so far been able to evade his grasp. Tense and suspenseful, the graphic prose and contemporary noir style found in Irène will appeal to fans of John Connolly, who will be happy to know that there are three Camille Verhoeven books in total: Irène, Alex, and Camille. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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