| The Last Word by Taylor AdamsWhat it is: a creepy, menacing thriller about an isolated woman forced to deal with the fallout of interacting with a thin-skinned, Extremely Online writer who can't handle criticism.
How it starts: Emma Carpenter is house-sitting on the Washington coast, coping with her troubled past by taking her dog Laika for long walks and indulging in a stream of cheap, trashy e-books. A particularly gruesome horror novel prompts her to write a bad review, something the book's author takes, very, very poorly.
Reviewers say: Taylor Adams' "modern-day Gothic effectively blends horror and thriller and is guaranteed to keep readers off-balance with its intensity and overall creepiness" (Booklist). |
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| Woman of the Year by Darcey BellThe setup: Lorelai Green has discovered the perfect opportunity to get even with Holly, the former friend she blames for derailing her life years earlier.
The problem: Someone else seems to be tracking Holly, with much worse plans for her than Lorelai ever dreamed of.
About the author: Darcey Bell’s previous novels include the thrillers Something She's Not Telling Us and A Simple Favor, the latter of which was adapted into a film of the same name starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. |
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| I Love It When You Lie by Kristen BirdWhat it is: a dramatic, intricately plotted story of sisters, secrets, and the ties that bind a family together, for good or for ill.
How it starts: with sisters Tara, June, and Clementine returning to their small Alabama hometown to bury their recently deceased grandmother -- and to plan the demise of a man who's done them wrong.
For fans of: Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna; Seven Sisters by Katherine Kovacic. |
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| The Lost Americans by Christopher BollenWhat it's about: Unable to believe that her brother Eric's death was truly a suicide (as reported by his defense contractor employer), Cate Castle takes matters into her own hands, inadvertently stirring up a hornet's nest of corporate malfeasance, government corruption, and the dark heart of the defense industry.
Read it for: the compelling side story of Omar, a friend of a friend who helps Cate investigate in Cairo while trying to stay off the radar of the Egyptian government, which might target him because he's gay.
About the author: Christopher Bollen is a journalist and editor whose previous novels include The Destroyers and A Beautiful Crime. |
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| Those Empty Eyes by Charlie DonleaStarring: Alexandra Armstrong (née Quinlan), who was wrongfully accused of the murder of her parents and brother when she was a teenager.
These days: Alex works as an investigator for the lawyer who won her a multi-million dollar defamation settlement, and her newest assignment involves a missing student journalist, a well-connected business major, and surprising ties to her own past.
Reviewers say: "This searing look at the legal system, entitlement, and exploitation is not to be missed" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| You Know Her by Meagan JennettWhat it is: a gritty and atmospheric Southern gothic noir that subverts serial killer story tropes and tackles complicated social questions.
Starring: mixed-race officer Nora Martin, who is forced to endure her colleagues' "jokes" about her race and gender while trying to prove herself in their small Virginia town's police force; Sophie Braam, a local bartender with dark secrets who develops a strange kinship with Nora.
Is it for you? In addition to the genre and style complexities of the story -- and some forays into magical realism -- You Know Her also examines issues like racism and sexual assault. |
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| Red London by Alma KatsuSeries alert: Red London is the sequel to the intricately plotted spy thriller Red Widow, which first introduced readers to CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan.
This time: The end of the war in Ukraine and of Vladimir Putin's presidency has left Russia in flux, and Lyndsey is dispatched to London to befriend the British wife of a well-connected, shady oligarch.
Reviewers say: Red London is a "strong second installment in a series we hope continues" (Kirkus Reviews) and stars "an outstanding, multidimensional protagonist" (Booklist). |
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| Deep Fake by Ward LarsenWhat it's about: Sarah Ridgeway is married to Bryce, a first-term congressman whose political star is on the rise after he very publicly thwarted a terrorist attack. Troubling behavior changes follow Bryce's increase in fame, however, and Sarah turns to a well-connected, tech-savvy friend to help her uncover the truth.
For fans of: The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon (or either of its film adaptations).
About the author: Besides his standalone works Stealing Trinity and Cutting Edge, Ward Larsen is best known for his series of thrillers starring assassin David Slaton. |
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| A Flaw in the Design by Nathan OatesWhat it is: a character-driven psychological thriller that blends intricate plotting and lyrical writing with a moving and occasionally disturbing tone.
The premise: Gil is a creatively stagnated, Vermont-based writing professor who reluctantly agrees to take in his privileged but troubled nephew Matthew after the boy is orphaned by a car accident -- a decision he starts to regret immediately as his own insecurities and Matthew's unnerving behavior mix into a caustic, toxic stew.
Read it for: Gil's complex motivations and multifaceted character development; insightful reflections on the power of stories, including the ones we tell ourselves. |
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| Wolf Trap by Connor SullivanWhat it's about: Former CIA paramilitary office Brian Rhome reluctantly agrees to return to the field to prevent a multilateral climate change agreement from falling apart, getting a chance to avenge the deaths of the rest of his unit in the bargain.
About the author: Wolf Trap is the second novel by Connor Sullivan, who captured attention with his debut novel Sleeping Bear, which introduced readers to tough, capable Army vet Cassie Gale.
Reviewers say: Wolf Trap is "exhilarating" and Sullivan is "a writer to watch" (Publishers Weekly). |
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