| A Girl Named Anna by Lizzy BarberStarring: Florida teen Anna Montgomery, whose fanatically religious mother keeps her very sheltered; Londoner Rosie Archer, whose elder sister was kidnapped 15 years ago while their family was on vacation in the U.S.
What happens: Rosie decides to dig deeper into what happened to her sister. Meanwhile, on Anna's 18th birthday, she and her boyfriend sneak off to Astroland, a local amusement park with important ties to her past.
Book buzz: A Girl Named Anna won author Lizzy Barber the Daily Mail First Novel competition in 2017. |
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| The Butterfly Girl by Rene DenfeldWhat it's about: survival and resilience in the face of harrowing circumstances; the hunt for a killer who continues to evade the authorities while children's bodies pile up; the failures of the legal system to protect those who need it the most.
Who it's for: fans of private-eye mysteries; readers who can handle darker topics such as life on the street and child abuse.
Series alert: The Butterfly Girl is the second entry in the Naomi Cottle series, which follows the titular detective as she looks for missing children, including the cold case of her own younger sister. |
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| The Nugget by P.T. DeutermannWhat it is: a compelling historical thriller, unfolding in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor and following the exploits of Navy Ensign Bobby Steele on land, at sea, and in the sky.
Why you might like it: The story hits the ground running, deftly combining the action and adventure of modern military thrillers with the exciting historical setting.
Try this next: The Saboteur by Andrew Gross; Hell's Gate by Bill Schutt. |
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| Mother Knows Best by Kira PeikoffWhat it's about: Told from multiple perspectives, this thought-provoking medical thriller tells the story of a grieving mother who is willing to take drastic, barely legal steps to have a healthy child -- and the fallout of that decision a decade later.
For fans of: Cast of Shadows by Kevin Guilfoile; Under the Knife by Kelly Parsons.
Reviewers say: "An engaging and timely thriller that offers lots of food for thought" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Somebody's Daughter by David BellBye bye baby: Michael and Angela Frazier are enjoying a quiet dinner at home when Michael's ex-wife Erica unexpectedly appears at their door, saying her daughter Felicity has been kidnapped and by the way, Michael is the girl's father.
The search begins: Michael takes off with Erica to look for the child that he's secretly always wanted, but each step towards Felicity reveals secrets that threaten the future of his marriage to Angela.
What sets it apart: the intensifying, intricately plotted narrative unfolds over the course of a single high-stakes 12-hour period. |
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| The Temp by Michelle FrancesThe Queen Bee: Carrie Kennedy, a successful television producer who is about to go on maternity leave after an unplanned pregnancy.
The new arrival: intern Emma, a wannabe screenwriter who seems like a perfect fit to fill in while Carrie is out of the office with the new baby.
What goes wrong: Everyone on set loves Emma! In fact she might fit into the position a little too well, collaborating with Carrie's screenwriter husband so effectively that Carrie begins to wonder what other parts of her life the young woman might be after. |
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| Center of Gravity by Laura McNeillFeaturing: Alabama homemaker Ava Carson, who seems to live an idyllic life with her husband Mitchell and two darling children.
The perfect family? Mitchell turns paranoid and jealous seemingly overnight, eventually filing for divorce and most frighteningly, disappearing with their children as he continues to spiral out of control.
You might also like: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell; The First Mistake by Sandie Jones. |
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| You Were Made for This by Michelle SacksPicture it: a charming cottage in rural Sweden, where Sam and Merry Hurley have recently settled with their infant son Conor, leaving behind their fast-paced Manhattan lives.
Beneath the surface: Sam is keeping secrets from Merry, Merry is keeping secrets from Sam, and nobody's secrets can stay buried after a visit from Merry's captivating childhood friend Frank.
Reviewers say: This "unblinking look at beautiful people with ugly secrets has the voyeuristic fascination of a Bergman film" (Booklist). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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