Thriller. After a banker is found beaten to death in his own driveway, detective Paul Cleary interviews his coworkers at the Federal Reserve Bank in downtown Cleveland. Unfortunately for Paul, two armed bank robbers storm in and take them all hostage. Fearing that the high-profile hostage negotiator assigned to the task is too arrogant to bring the standoff safely to an end, forensic scientist (and Paul's fiancée) Theresa MacLean offers herself as a hostage in exchange for the wounded Paul. But now that she's on the inside, Theresa must discover the link between the banker's death and the dangerously deteriorating hostage situation.

Serial Killer Thriller. In this sequel to her bestselling debut, author Chelsea Cain ups the ante when truly scary serial killer Gretchen Lowell escapes from prison. But she's not the only killer that Portland detective Archie Sheridan has to worry about--he's also investigating the deaths of several people whose bodies were found in a local park. Meanwhile, young journalist Susan Ward (her hair's now electric blue) is juggling Archie's investigation with the story of a scandal centering on a beloved senator. As the relationship between Archie and Gretchen gets creepier--and more dangerous--by the day, Sweetheart will have you sleeping with the lights on.

Noir Suspense. Michael Kelly used to be a Chicago cop, but now he's a private detective. In the course of his latest case, Kelly has tracked his subject (a "fixer" for the mayor) to a home on Chicago's North Side, where he discovers the body of a historian, his mouth stuffed with sand. The historian's interest was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and as Kelly investigates, he unearths the theory that the current mayor's ancestors may have started the fire for some very unsavory reasons. Likened to the books of such hardboiled greats as Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald, The Fifth Floor is Michael Kelly's 2nd appearance.

Thriller. Seven years after his father's shocking suicide, Frank Temple III is still dealing with the repercussions--and still craving revenge on the man responsible. Having learned that the traitorous Devin Matteson is headed toward a particular Wisconsin lake cabin, Frank travels there to confront him. Though that may sound pretty standard, there's a lot more to this story--not the least of which is the form Devin's betrayal of Frank Temple II took, Frank Temple II himself, and the man he trained his (usually) levelheaded son to become. Don't miss this "superb stand-alone" (Publishers Weekly) from Edgar Award-nominated Michael Koryta.

Thriller. Samuel Carver makes a living by killing people and making their deaths look accidental--but he's picky about what jobs he takes on. He'll only kill bad guys, so you can imagine his surprise when the accident he orchestrated in a Paris tunnel one hot August night turns out not to have killed a terrorist but the much-loved Princess Diana--and now his handlers have hung him out to dry. While on the run, he's got to figure out why he was set up and why the princess was targeted. Let's hope that this "first-rate, breakneck adventure" (Kirkus Reviews) is not the last time we hear from this likeable hired killer.

Suspense Fiction. In his 3rd appearance, private eye Cameron Richter conducts his own personal investigation when one of his staff is found dead in a gas station bathroom, apparently after ingesting radioactive water. What he learns in the course of his search for the murderer not only reveals dangerous security problems at a North Carolina nuclear power plant but a dastardly plan that could lead to the next Chernobyl-like disaster. Whether you've an interest in learning more about nuclear power stations (such as what a moonpool actually is) or simply want to get sucked into an exciting story, you'll want to give The Moonpool a chance.

Thriller. Before you read on, be warned that in this compelling and unpredictable novel, nothing is as it seems--and the situation can change in an instant. What Reconstruction features is a hostage situation at a British preschool, in which Jaime Segura is the young man holding the gun on a teacher, a cleaning lady, a parent, and two small boys. Who Jaime is, who his hostages are, and why he's waving a gun around are all mysteries that will become clear--eventually. You just have to read this "dazzling" (Publishers Weekly) thriller first.

Thriller. Once an assassin for the anti-apartheid movement, Thobela Mpayipheli has turned over a new leaf in favor of being an attentive father to his son. But when his son is killed and the murderers escape jail, Thobela goes looking for them...and starts killing pedophiles in the process. Cape Town's Inspector Benny Griessel has been assigned the task of finding and arresting the vigilante/folk hero, but he's struggling just to remain sober. Complicating the situation is prostitute Christine van Rooyen, whose lover soon becomes one of Thobela's targets. This complex, compelling novel is the 2nd by South African author Deon Meyer to star Thobela Mpayipheli (the 1st was Heart of the Hunter).

Psychological Suspense. One night when her husband is away on yet another business trip, Claire is horrified to find a stranger in the house intent on kidnapping their eldest daughter. Claire offers herself up in her child's place and soon finds herself imprisoned as she waits for the ransom to be paid. Tied to a bed with only her abductor for companionship, Claire is forced to reevaluate her life and to contemplate the possibility that the kidnapper has targeted her family for a reason. This debut novel won't satisfy readers looking for car chases and hails of bullets, but it will appeal to those interested in reading about women facing down their fears.

Thriller. Rogue terrorist Akil carries a very large grudge against the United States, which he blames for his sister's death and Pakistan's corrupt government. He's been honing his skills with one of bin Laden's rivals, and when his mentor is killed by Americans, he uses his vast wealth to fund his quest to destroy America's pride. His target is a NASA launch--and this particular high-profile shuttle is carrying a VIP passenger. Though author Dana Stabenow's usual stomping ground is Alaska's icy waters, Florida's coast sees much of the action here, as Stabenow provides "entertainment and suspense of the highest order" (Publishers Weekly).