Suspense Fiction. The Langleys and the Cutters are next-door neighbors in upstate New York--or at least they are until the Langleys are killed late one hot summer night. No one has any clue why, or any leads, but unbeknownst to anyone, teenaged Derek Cutter had been in the Langley house when the family was murdered. Soon enough, evidence shows up pointing to his guilt, but in the seemingly bucolic town of Promise Falls, he's not the only one hiding secrets... Booklist calls this second standalone thriller by Canadian author Linwood Barclay a "gripping read."

Police Thriller. Even by serial killer standards, the Flesher is one seriously messed-up murderer--after he literally butchers his victims, their packaged body parts show up in meat markets across Scotland. Twenty years ago, Kenneth Wiseman was arrested for similar crimes, and either he's at it again, or someone else is. This time around, it's Detective Sergeant Logan McRae (in his 4th appearance) who's caught the case, and he'd better hurry before more people start dying. Though certainly not for the faint of heart, author Stuart MacBride's "dry wit turns what could have been a gratuitously gory slasher story into a crackling thriller" (Publishers Weekly).

Thriller. In FBI agent Smoky Barrett's 3rd appearance, she's been asked to leave her L.A. field office for Washington, D.C., when a high-profile politician's daughter is murdered during a flight east. To Smoky, Lisa Reid's death is sad but not special enough to require Smoky's presence--until she learns that the woman, stabbed by her unknown seatmate, was actually a pre-op transsexual. From there, Smoky and her team follow the trail of a prolific serial killer whose victims all have secrets to hide...rather like Smoky herself. If you're new to the series, you might want to start with Shadow Man to get an understanding of Smoky's battered psyche.

Thriller. Tough Charlie Fox, a British soldier-turned-bodyguard, is recuperating from an injury incurred in the line of duty when she is shocked to see her father on television, admitting to a drinking problem. Charlie and her father aren't close--in fact they're barely speaking--but the one thing she knows is that he's not a drinker. Her suspicions duly aroused, off she and her lover/colleague go to tackle whatever has gotten into her father. Blackmail, murder, treacherous cover-ups, and a duplicitous drug company all play a part in this gripping 3rd thriller to feature the determined Charlie.

Spy Fiction Satire. In pre-Castro Cuba, vacuum cleaner salesman Jim Wormold is a single father whose teenage daughter's spending outstrips his modest salary. To make a little extra money, he agrees to work for the British Secret Service, but lacking any actual inside information, he invents a ring of spies and sends his handlers fictitious reports. Imagine his surprise when the stories he creates start to come true and enemy spies attempt to kill him. This classic send-up was first published in 1958, and is an excellent example of Graham Greene's gripping story-telling; it was also the inspiration for John le Carré's 1996 novel The Tailor of Panama.

Political Thriller. Though The American Ambassador was written more than 20 years ago, the relationship at the heart of it--between a father and son--remains of timeless interest, and its focus on diplomacy and terrorism is certainly pertinent in today's world. William North is a devoted father and a successful foreign service officer who has spent many years abroad in service to his country. But his son, given every opportunity in life, has turned his back on father and fatherland and joined a West German terrorist organization. Le Carré fans are sure to appreciate the moral and political conflicts that play out in this well-written novel.

Spy Fiction. Like John le Carré, author Charles McCarry has worked for a spy agency (in this case, the CIA), which lends an aura of authenticity to his spies and the situations they find themselves in. In addition, McCarry focuses on the psychological costs of espionage, rather than on a high-octane plot. His most well-known character is onetime secret agent Paul Christopher. In Second Sight, Christopher is enjoying his retirement in Washington, D.C., when he's called back into service to help discover who's behind the kidnapping and drugging of U.S. agents throughout the Middle East. First published in 1991, this is the 5th in the series.

Spy Fiction. Do you enjoy the bleak atmosphere, tension, and moral ambiguities of John le Carré's novels but maybe want a bit more action, too? If so, you should try one of Daniel Silva's books featuring sleeper Mossad agent Gabriel Allon, who works as an art restorer. In The English Assassin, he's been sent to Zurich, Switzerland, to restore a painting owned by a reclusive millionaire banker...but he finds his would-be employer murdered and himself back in the espionage game, tangling with a rogue assassin he had trained himself. This "stunning contribution" (Booklist) is the 2nd in the series.

Suspense Fiction. Psychopathic kidnapper Joe Hickey has already abducted five kids using a simple but efficient plan that gets him his ransom and parents their child back without police involvement. But when he goes for his sixth--and last--child, problems erupt, for Will and Karen Jennings panic and choose to fight back in order to save their daughter, whose life depends on daily doses of insulin. Each member of the family is kept in check by a separate member of Joe's group, but the Jennings prove to be particularly resilient. Booklist calls this tale of suspense and action "gripping."

Psychological Suspense. Just one day away from a much-needed vacation, Dr. Frederick Starks, a New York psychoanalyst, receives an anonymous and horrifying letter--he's been given two weeks to either identify the writer or kill himself, or one of his relatives will suffer or die. And just in case Ricky isn't convinced that his unknown nemesis is serious, his surroundings become ever more precarious as one of his patients commits suicide, his professional reputation is ruined, and his credit cards are canceled. Ricky's got two weeks--but it'll take you far less to tear through this breathtaking, addictive thriller.

Suspense Fiction. Eighteen hours. That's all the time that reporter Steve Everett has to save convicted murderer Frank Beachum from the needle after he becomes convinced of Beachum's innocence. But Steve's got a lot on his plate at the moment, including cuckolding his editor (who is apparently aware of this state of affairs), convincing his wife not to leave him, and drinking too much. No, Steve's not a particularly likeable guy, but despite the booze running through his veins, he races against the clock to find evidence that will exonerate Frank in time. Will he make it? Heck, will he even be able to keep his job?

Suspense Fiction. Mitch Rafferty is an ordinary man who loves his wife intensely and whole-heartedly. Which is why a simple phone call catapults him into his worst nightmare: Holly has been kidnapped, and without a ransom of two million dollars, Mitch will never see her again. As a gardener, he doesn't have the resources to dig up the cash, but that won't stop him--nothing will. Mitch can't go to the police, his family causes more problems than solutions, he's got only 72 hours to save Holly--and there will soon be a tangle of secrets and betrayal to unravel. Booklist calls this a "hair-raising thriller."