Thrillers & Suspense
September 2025

New & Recently Released
The Woman in Suite 11
by Ruth Ware

When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel—owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann—arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to reestablish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago.  The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.
Guess Again
by Charlie Donlea

A missing girl: 17-year-old Callie Jones was the all-American sweetheart of her small Wisconsin community. No one could have guessed that one summer night at her friends’ lake party would be the last time anyone would see her. A highly publicized search followed, but her body was never found. Callie’s case went cold.  A former renegade cop: 10 years ago, Ethan Hall was the detective assigned to Callie’s case. When all leads slipped through his fingers and the trail went cold, Ethan’s guilt led him to leave law enforcement and the trauma of the child crime unit. But now, when Ethan’s former partner requests his help on the 10th anniversary of Callie’s disappearance, Ethan reluctantly agrees to be brought back into the fold.  A twisted killer: Serial killer Francis Bernard was sentenced to life behind bars—but he has no plans to stay locked up in his tiny cell. When cop Ethan Hall turns to him for information on Callie’s case, Francis sees his chance. Twisting him into his psychological web, Ethan thinks he’s safe with Francis locked up, but little does Ethan know, Francis has hands on the outside. And she’s willing to die for him.  A woman with a dangerous obsession: Eugenia Morgan is lucky, she knows some people spend a lifetime trying to find their soulmate, but she’s already got hers. She just has to break him out of prison first...
An Inside Job
by Daniel Silva
 
Gabriel Allon has been awarded a commission to restore one of the most important paintings in Venice. But when he discovers the body of a mysterious woman floating in the waters of the Venetian Lagoon, he finds himself in a desperate race to recover a lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.  The painting, a portrait of a beautiful young girl, has been gathering dust in a storeroom at the Vatican Museums for more than a century, misattributed and hidden beneath a worthless picture by an unknown artist. Because no one knows that the Leonardo is there, no one notices when it disappears one night during a suspicious power outage. No one but the ruthless mobsters and moneymen behind the theft -- and the mysterious woman whom Gabriel found in a watery grave in Venice. A woman without a name. A woman without a face.
The action moves at breakneck speed from the galleries and auction houses of London to an enclave of unimaginable wealth on the French Riviera -- and, finally, to a shocking climax in St. Peter's Square, where the life of a pope hangs in the balance. An elegant and stylish journey through the dark side of the art world and the Vatican's murky finances, An Inside Job proves once again that Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense.
She Didn't See It Coming
by Shari Lapena

Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.  Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden – working from home that day – has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.  Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.  How can she have disappeared from her own home? And did she even leave the building at all?  With every minute that passes – and as questions swirl around their community – Bryden and Sam’s past seems a little less perfect, their condominium less safe, their friends, neighbors and relatives no longer quite so reliable . . .
You Belong Here
by Megan Miranda

Beckett Bowery never thought she’d return to Wyatt Valley, a picturesque college town in the Virginia mountains steeped in tradition. Her roots there were strong: Beckett’s parents taught at the college, and she never even imagined studying anywhere else—until a tragedy her senior year ended with two local men dead, and her roommate on the run, never to be seen again…  For the last two decades, Beckett has done her best to keep her distance. Then her daughter, Delilah, secretly applies to Wyatt College and earns a full scholarship, and Beckett can only hope that her lingering fears are unfounded. But deep down she knows that Wyatt Valley has a long memory, and that the past isn’t the only dangerous thing in town…
Sheepdogs
by Elliot Ackerman

Skwerl and Cheese are down on their luck and about to find themselves tangled in the heist of their lives. Skwerl, once an elite member of the CIA's paramilitary unit, was cast out after a raid gone wrong in Afghanistan. Big Cheese Aziz, a former Afghan pilot of legendary skill, now works the graveyard shift at a gas station.
Recruited into a shadowy network of "sheepdogs," they embark on a mission to repossess a multi-million-dollar private jet stranded on a remote African airfield. But as they wind through a labyrinth of lies and hidden agendas, they discover that nothing is as it seems. Their contact vanishes, their handler's motives are suspect, and the true source of their payday remains a mystery.  With the stakes skyrocketing and the women in their lives drawn into the fray, this unlikely spy duo find themselves deep in the underbelly of modern war and intelligence.  From the jungles of Kampala to the glitz of Marseille, they'll need to be as cunning as they are bold to survive in a game where the line between the hunters and the hunted is razor-thin.
Jenny Cooper Has a Secret
by Joy Fielding

Reeling from her husband’s death and best friend’s dementia diagnosis, seventy-six-year-old Linda Davidson feels lost and alone. Her beloved daughter Kleo and son-in-law Mick have moved into her house to keep her company, but the constant bickering quickly turns their presence into yet another worry on Linda’s long list.  Eager to escape the tension at home, Linda goes to visit her friend at Legacy Place, a memory care facility for the elderly, where she meets Jenny Cooper, a ninety-two-year-old dementia patient who makes a shocking confession: she kills people.  Linda dismisses the so-called secret as the confusion of an ailing mind, but Jenny seems strangely lucid during their visits as she recounts stories of her many victims—mostly men who hurt her. Then a fellow patient at Legacy Place dies. Everyone else sees it as the natural death of a sick old man, but Linda can’t help but wonder: is there any chance Jenny’s telling the truth?
Peter Miles Has To Die
by Katie Collom

Peter Miles has to die. And Dylan Darcy, Priya Shah, and Isabel Guerrero—a bartender, a nurse, and a student—have to be the ones to kill him. As they see it, this local cop deserves death for murdering their best friend and getting away with it. All they need to do to pull off the perfect crime is stick to their carefully prepared plan.  So that’s exactly what they do. Murder, it turns out, is surprisingly easy when you’re fueled by revenge. What comes after is the hard part.  As the dry Texas heat gives way to cooler weather, their blazing rage is replaced by a chill fear. Because there’s a fallout that comes from settling the score against someone like Peter, and it could cost them more than they’ve bargained for. When the lead investigator on the case starts sniffing around for a cop killer, the three friends are not feeling as confident as they did on that fateful night. And when they start receiving death threats, it weakens their resolve even further . . . but it’s too little too late.  What they don’t realize is that this detective has her own reasons for wanting to get to the bottom of Peter’s murder. Reasons that don’t involve them at all. The investigation ramps up, and so does the pressure, leaving Dylan, Priya, and Isabel to wonder if ending his life may end up costing them theirs.  As the guilt of what they’ve done settles in their bones, they realize there’s no going back. Someone is going to have to take the fall.
The Locked Ward
by Sarah Pekkanen

A shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood―and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point, The Locked Ward “will leave you guessing until the very end” (Jeneva Rose, bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage).  Some doors should never be opened.  Was it bitter, all-consuming jealousy? Pathological sibling rivalry? Pure insanity?Whatever the cause―and everyone has a theory―it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.  Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”  Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?
Stillwater
by Tanya Scott
 
When Jack Quinlan’s mother dies of a drug overdose, it’s not his father that raises him, but Gus—a ruthless crime boss who sees Jack for what he is: a whip-smart kid with untapped potential. It doesn’t take long for Gus to forge Jack into a weapon.
But Jack was also self-aware enough to know where this sort of life was going to lead him. When the time was right, he got out. Or so he thought.  Seven years later, Jack is now Luke Harris, a regular guy putting himself through college and aiming for a real job and a real future. Falling in love. But Jack’s past isn’t so easily forgotten, and the bodies in his closet won’t forgive him.  When Luke’s newfound life collides with Gus’s underworld, survival becomes a deadly game. Luke must resurrect his dormant skills and confront the demons that threaten to consume him.
The Hamptons Lawyer
by James Patterson

The Hamptons on Long Island is known for its beautiful beaches, its luxury lifestyle—and its exclusive legal advice.  When Jane Smith takes on a famous celebrity client, she’s armed and ready: with brilliant arguments, hard evidence—and two Glocks.  Yet she’s chased down, shot at, and risks contempt of court. That’s when mounting a legal defense turns into self-defense.  Knowing every day in court could be her last, she’s a survivor. For now.
Angel Down
by Daniel Kraus

Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly mission: venture into the perilous No Man’s Land to euthanize a wounded comrade.  What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy but a fallen angel, seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed, and paranoia take hold, the group is torn apart by their inner demons, threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell.  Angel Down plunges you into the heart of World War I and weaves a polyphonic tale of survival, supernatural wonder, and moral conflict.
Upcoming @ Your Library
For Youth
 
Family Storytime
Every Wednesday at 11:00 AM
Join Ms. Laura for stories, songs, and fun for everyone in the Children's room!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                              Thursday CRAFTernoon: Cotton Ball Launchers! 
Thursdays, September 11th, 18th, and 25th 
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Come by the Maker Space every Thursday at 3:30pm to create your own unique craft! Registration is *Required* to participate. Recommended for ages 8-13. This month's craft: Let's make Cotton Ball Launchers!
 
Register Here
 
 
Toddler Craft Tuesday 
Tuesday, September 16th 11:00 AM
Calling all crafty toddlers! Join us in the Maker Space for a special seasonal craft perfect for busy little hands. Recommended for ages 2 to 5. Registration is *Highly Encouraged.*
 
Register Here
 
 
Storytime in Motion! 
Friday, September 19th 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Join us in meeting rooms 1 & 2 as Cranbury Public Library partners with the American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School for an interactive Storytime sure to keep you on your toes!  Let your youngest learners twirl, jump, and imagine through ballet stories and an interactive ballet demonstration.  The perfect program to help us celebrate the Arts! Suggested for ages 21/2 to 12. Registration is *Highly Recommended*.
 
Register Here
 
 
For Teens
 
Teen Mashup Hour (or Whatever)  
Thursdays, September 11th and 25th 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
On the second and fourth Thursday each month, tweens & teens can drop by the Teen Room at 5pm for the Teen Mashup Hour (or Whatever). Each month there will be a suggested book to read & discuss and a guided craft to work on - but attendees are welcome to discuss whatever and work on whatever they'd like. Attendees will also learn of volunteer opportunities available at the Library. Light snacks will be offered.

The Teen Mashup Hour will meet on the second and fourth Thursday each month at 5:00pm in the Teen Room. Register for additional dates on our website.
 
Register Here
 
 
For Adults
 
Spinning Yarns 
Tuesday, September 16th 6:30 PM 
 
Register Here
 
 
 
 
 
Gentle Yoga 
Wednesdays, September 10th, 17th and 24th
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Join us for an hour of gentle stretching, breath work, and meditation. This class is perfect for beginners or experienced practitioners.  Please bring your own mat.  Walk-ins-welcome.
Beth Glasberg  has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. After studying the mind-body connection as part of her work as a behavior analyst, she decided she needed a deeper education in yoga. The more she learned, the more she fell in love. She became certified as a yoga instructor through the Yoga Renew program and joined the Yoga Alliance. Since then, Beth has been teaching both foundational and vinyasa flow classes regularly. She is also in the process of becoming certified to work with individuals who have suffered a trauma. She is passionate about using movement and breath to build strength, flexibility, balance, and peace, and committed to making the practice available to individuals of all fitness levels and backgrounds. When not on the mat, you can find Beth enjoying time with her family, visiting new places, or relaxing at the beach. in Motion Fitness is a boutique fitness studio located in Princeton, NJ.  Walk-ins welcome, no registration required.
 
 
9/11 and the World Trade Center
Thursday, September 11th 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
This inspirational presentation will discuss the history of the World Trade Center and Lower Manhattan, followed by a "guided tour" through the World Trade Center site today.  During this presentation attendees will learn about the history of the area before the construction of the original World Center site, the building of the original site, and its destruction on September 11th.  Attendees will go on a "tour" of the beautiful new World Trade Center site with its spectacular waterfalls, the Memorial Walls with the names of the victims lost on that tragic day, and the Survivor Tree.  Attendees will then "go inside" the 9-11 Memorial Museum and view many of the meaningful exhibits enshrined there.  Additionally, the "tour" will cover other sites in the area including: the magnificent Winter Garden, the Irish Hunger Memorial, the Oculus, Number One World Observatory, the Eleven Tear Memorial, Lower Broadway, and historic St. Paul’s Church. This program will take place on-site at the Cranbury Public Library. Meeting rooms 1 & 2.
 
Register Here
 
 
Stress Less Student & Family Yoga with NJ4S 
Monday, September 15th 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Start the new school year off strong - mentally and physically! NJ4S Middlesex, our community partner in all things student services, will be joining us to screen a guided yoga video, as well as lead us in deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.

This program will take take place from 3:45 to 4:45pm in Meeting Rooms 1 & 2.

This program is geared towards students, but all ages are welcome. Yoga mats will be provided.
 
 
Register Here
 
 
 
 
 
 
CPL Cinemates Film Club 
Monday, September 15th 6:00 PM
Movie-lovers of all kinds are welcome! Whether you're a casual viewer or well-versed in auteur theory and the works of André Bazin, we invite all who wish to share in the cinematic experience and spirited (but civil) discussions. Screenings will vary in rating, so we advise using discretion on deciding whether to attend a screening. This program is suggested for teens and older.

Refreshments will be provided, but you may also bring your own snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. Most importantly: bring your love for movies!

This program will meet in Meeting Rooms 1 & 2 on the third Monday of every month.

 
Each month's selection is inspired by a specific theme and is voted on by club members. Be sure to submit your email address on the questionnaire below to be included in the voting for each month's film!

Monthly Themes:

September - Science Fiction
 
Below is a short questionnaire to assess what types of films participants would like to screen. Please feel free to share your thoughts by submitting a form and be sure to leave your email to stay up to date with Cinemates happenings!

Cinemates Film Club Questionnaire
 
Register Here
 
 
Healthy Aging and Nutrition 
Tuesday, September 16th 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Explore youthful tips as we approach Healthy Aging Month. Master the ABCs of anti-aging by learning about healthy food choices, as well as the importance of antioxidants and gut health. Led by Beth Young, MS, RDN, CSOWN, registered dietitian nutritionist.  Meeting Rooms 1 & 2. 

Register HERE



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Afternoon Book Discussion
Wednesday, September 17th 1:30 PM
Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month in Meeting Room 3.
September Title: The Color of Water by James McBride
 
Register Here
 
 
                                                          Monthly Puzzle Night
Wednesday, September 17th 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Join us for our monthly puzzle club on the third Wednesday of each month! Come work on a new puzzle each month, and meet fellow puzzle enthusiasts!

From 6-8pm we'll be working on puzzles in the adult circulation room.
 
Register Here
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outdoor Concert featuring Full Code 
Wednesday, September 17th 6:00 PM
Full Code affectionately referred to as “Docs Who Rock” is a classic rock band formed during the height of the Covid pandemic. What makes the band unique is that it’s comprised of all local Penn Medicine doctors and a hospital chaplain.  The band’s style of music will captivate you as you drift back in time to those days when rock icons ruled the airwaves. Come out and enjoy a summer evening filled with memories of those halcyon days when rock was king.  Full Code band members include Dr. Craig Gronczewski (lead guitar/vocals), Dr. David Barile (guitar/percussion/vocals), Dr. Kevin Skole (drums), Dr. Jasmeet Bajaj (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Dr. Gabe Smolarz (bass/vocals) and Samuel Ven-Battah (saxophone).  Location: The Patio at 30 Park Place West. All attendees should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.  There is no rain date for this event.
 
Register Here
 
 
Consumer Fraud Workshop
Thursday, September 18th 11:00 AM
Imposter scams and various frauds, including IRS phone scams, lottery schemes, and the grandparent scam, are increasingly common, targeting potential victims in New Jersey through calls, emails, and other methods.

To protect yourself from falling victim to these scams, we invite you to attend this session, where a representative from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will teach you how to avoid them.

The Division of Consumer Affairs is a helpful resource for essential consumer information. For questions about New Jersey businesses or professional licenses, or to report suspected fraud, please contact our Consumer Service Center at 800-242-5846.

For continuous updates on Consumer Alerts and more information, visit our website at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov.


Meeting Rooms 1 & 2
 
Register Here
 
 
Latin Guitar Concert 
Saturday, September 20th 2:00 PM
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Latin American Guitarist, Ana Maria Rosado. Ana Maria Rosado is an exceptional classical guitarist with a repertoire of rhythmical and lyrical music that will delight with works by contemporary Latin-American composers and informative comments about the music.

Ana María Rosado, Guitarist

A committed interpreter of contemporary Latin American music Ana María Rosado has
concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Far East.
Recent performances include in a concert tour of Puerto Rico in 2025, and numerous recitals in
New York and New Jersey public libraries for the Hispanic Heritage Month, and for the Long
Island Guitar Festival in 2024. Other recent international presentations include Colombia, Cuba,
Haiti and Nepal.

Earlier in her career, as an Artistic Ambassador for the USIA, she toured México, Guatemala,
Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Perú, Bolivia and Argentina. Venezuela, Costa Rica and South
Korea were even earlier stops in her international travels. An extraordinary highlight of her
guitar life was to perform for the legendary Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia in his last set of
masterclasses.

Ana María Rosado recently retired from her position as Associate Professor of Music and
Coordinator of Guitar at the New Jersey City University (1989-2020). She received her
Doctorate in Musical Arts Performance from the Stony Brook University.
 
Register Here
 
 
Chair Yoga 
Monday, September 22nd 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Join Penn Medicine’s FREE Chair Yoga program this September in celebration of National Yoga Month!

Register HERE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
iPhone 101 
Monday, September 22nd 12:30 PM
Learn all about how to use your iPhone or iPad!  In this workshop, we will have an open forum for any troubles you might encounter with the iPhone. In previous sessions, we discussed the camera, security measures, and data storage. Beginner to intermediate experience with an iPhone is suggested. 

This workshop will be held in Meeting Room 1.
 
Register Here 
 
 
Literary Cafe
Monday, September 22nd 7:00 PM
Discuss your recent reads with fellow bibliophiles. This discussion group promises thought-provoking and engaging discourse. Meets the 4th Monday of the month in Meeting Room 3.
 
Register Here
 
 
Mindfulness Meditation: How to Tame the Monkey Mind 
Tuesday, September 23rd 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Feeling scattered, restless, or overwhelmed?  If your thoughts are constantly bouncing around, this calming session is for you.  Through breathwork, mindfulness, grounding ,and journaling, you'll learn simple tools to quiet the mind and bring back clarity.  Open to all levels, no prior experience needed.
 
Register HERE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Neighbors Reception
Friday, September 26th 7:00 PM
Join other new neighbors and meet some new and old Cranburians for this fun event. Light refreshments will be served. 
 
Register Here
 
 
Artist Opening Reception
Saturday, September 27th 3:30 PM
Gallery Space
 
Register Here
 
Library Hours & Closings
Monday thru Thursday - 10 AM to 8 PM
Friday - 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday - 10 AM to 4 PM
Sunday - 12 PM to 4 PM
Cranbury Public Library
30 Park Place West
Cranbury, New Jersey 08512
609-722-6992

www.cranburypubliclibrary.org/