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PREMIUM
The Request
Bell nails the suburban niche in this absorbing work that fans of Harlan Coben will thoroughly enjoy. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/19.]
PREMIUM
The Blues Don’t Care
Rich in plot if sometimes lacking in characterization, this latest from Marks (Broken Windows) will keep even seasoned mystery readers guessing.
PREMIUM
Clean Hands
High-tech surveillance and cloak-and-dagger activity do not offset the anticlimactic ending or the mundane plot of the Brooklyn-based private investigator and author’s third outing (after Every Man a Menace). [See Prepub Alert, 11/25.19.]
PREMIUM
Love & Other Crimes
Fans of witty characters, complicated plots, stories with somber endings, and, of course, V.I Warshawski will enjoy this book.
PREMIUM
Of Mutts and Men
Fans of this character-driven series return because of Chet’s narration and his adoration of Bernie. Despite the murders, this is a leisurely paced, feel-good book about a dog and his beloved owner, portrayed with all their flaws and insecurities. Chet’s narration adds humor to a long-running series with a strong sense of place. [See Prepub Alert, 1/7/20.]
PREMIUM
Winter Counts
Weiden’s series launch sheds much-needed light on the legal and societal barriers facing Native Americans while also delivering a suspenseful thriller that builds to a bloody climax. A worthy addition to the burgeoning canon of indigenous literature. [See Prepub Alert, 1/29/20.]
PREMIUM
The Shadows
The conclusion wraps it up too tidily, but overall, this is a successful, creepy thriller. If you like Stephen King, you’ll probably like North’s new thriller, too.
This glimpse into the intimate circles that will eventually spawn the great museums is highly recommended for historical fiction readers looking for a peek into a fascinating closed society. It is an equally solid choice for historical mystery readers who want to see women with intelligence and agency navigate a time and place not meant for them, but where they thrive nonetheless while solving a delightfully twisty murder. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
PREMIUM
The Girl from Widow Hills
This is a great whodunit, done well. Olivia/Arden narrates but Miranda (The Last House Guest) creatively uses media transcripts, newspaper reports, book excerpts, and voicemails to piece together her fragmented story that ends with a chilling twist. [See Prepub Alert, 12/9/19.]
PREMIUM
Nothing Can Hurt You
This unconventional psychological thriller is recommended only for readers looking for a more literary approach to murder depicting little emotion or passion.
Clark (The Ones We Choose) is an exceptional writer who has crafted a tale about disappearing in an age when technology makes it almost impossible. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers, mysteries, and crime fiction.
“I always set out to write [characters] as people, not paper dolls. They’re always real to me,” Cooney continues. “This is the first in what I hope will be a long stretch of adult mysteries."
PREMIUM
Catherine House
Readers looking for a strong atmospheric setting in the gothic style will be drawn in by this psychological thriller. Less satisfying are the interesting if underdeveloped characters. [See Prepub Alert, 10/26/19.]
PREMIUM
The Dilemma
Paris’s latest is not her usual thriller fare. Fans excited to read the next edge-of-your-seat suspense, such as Paris’s The Breakdown will be disappointed with this sad family drama that combines frivolity and tragedy. [See Prepub Alert, 12/9/19.]
Followers of the series will enjoy King’s delightful new series entry, while first-time readers will love the setting and the twists of the mystery.
PREMIUM
Street Music
This slow-paced, noir-style mystery can be read as a stand-alone, but newcomers will have a richer experience having read the previous books. Raw and atmospheric, this is a solid finale to the series.
Good rural mysteries excel at showing how both the land and the law that governs it are deeply personal, and Panowich knows the residents of the Georgia foothills down to his bones. Perfect for fans of Attica Locke or Laura McHugh. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]
PREMIUM
The Doom List
Fans of 1920s glamour and scandal will enjoy this follow-up to The Long Silence. This fun mystery is a strong entry in the series.
PREMIUM
The Wife Stalker
The Constantine sisters (The Last Mrs. Parrish) have done it again: crafted a psychological thriller that keeps readers squirming until the last harrowing page, as it alternates between the two voices. Readers will enjoy the twists, turns, and surprises as the story unfolds. [See Prepub Alert, 10/18/19.]
PREMIUM
Before She Was Helen
Perfect for fans of domestic suspense and believable, mature characters, and anybody who likes a solid twisty story. [See Prepub Alert, 10/21/19.]
This action-packed series debut will entice fans of Margaret Mizushima and Paula Munier’s K-9 mysteries. The latest from the author of the Drew Cady FBI mysteries is an intense, graphic serial killer novel with a likable, aw-shucks hero and a remarkable dog. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
PREMIUM
Booked for Death
Gilbert (“Blue Ridge Library” mysteries) introduces an intelligent, mature amateur sleuth, and a shrewd elderly sidekick in the first in a character-driven cozy series. The leisurely paced mystery offers complex characters with well-developed backgrounds and motives. Readers of Ellery Adams’s “Book Retreat” mysteries will appreciate this new series.
PREMIUM
The Goodbye Man
While not as dynamic as the first in the series (The Never Game), this will still find fans with those who enjoyed the first book and for Deaver fans in general. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]
PREMIUM
The Clutter Corpse
Brett, author of the “Fethering” and “Charles Paris” mysteries, launches a new series with a story that dwells too much on the protagonist’s past and family history to make for a tedious, stuffy account. Readers may want to skip this cold introduction, which has more framework than mystery. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
Longtime readers and new King fans alike will love the fresh tales in this wonderful collection. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]
PREMIUM
The Silence
Newcomer Allott does a solid job of establishing a vivid sense of place. The mystery behind Mandy’s disappearance is appealing at first, but the unveiling of the puzzle doesn’t allow the plot to quite reach its potential. A supplemental book for mystery collections. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/19.]
PREMIUM
The Full Scoop
While the first Riley Ellison mystery, The Good Byline, earned a comparison to Janet Evanovich, by this book, the tone has turned dark. The author completes the four-book arc about the quest for truth about the death of Riley’s grandfather, but only dedicated readers of the series will care.
It’s been several years since A Ghostly Light, the last book in the “Haunted Home Renovation” series. In the meantime, Blackwell has honed her craft, and this intriguing mystery combines the best elements of Bay Area history, historic home renovation, and the paranormal. The protagonist’s family and friends add a homey feeling to an atmospheric book that will be welcomed by Blackwell’s readers and fans of Kate Carlisle’s “Fixer-Upper” mysteries.
PREMIUM
The Girl Beneath the Sea
Edgar-nominated Mayne (“Jessica Blackwood” series; Dark Pattern) introduces a winning new series with a complicated female protagonist that combines police procedural with adventure story and mixes the styles of Lee Child and Clive Cussler.
Moore’s trademark humor is on full display with his cast of strangely lovable characters. This is Shakespeare with an edge and will not only appeal to Moore’s fans but garner new ones. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]
Only a handful of thriller writers can accomplish what Foley does here: weave a complex plot from the perspectives of eight characters plus an omniscient narrator without causing confusion or reader exhaustion when the plot bounces from one person to the next. Fans of Christie, Louise Penny, and Ruth Rendell will absolutely love this book, which doesn’t reveal its secrets until the very last page. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/19.]
Taylor skillfully switches time periods from 1993 to 2016 in an atmospheric mystery that blends the history and romance of Ireland with a contemporary police investigation. This outstanding book will please fans of mysteries set in Ireland and readers of police procedurals. [See Prepub Alert, 10/18/19.]
PREMIUM
Imperfect Women
Told from the viewpoints of Nancy and her two friends, the story goes deep into guilt, love, and the ties that bind us. Recommended for fans of Paula Hawkins. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/19.]
PREMIUM
The Art of Deception
In the fourth in the “Daughter of Sherlock Holmes” series (after The Disappearance of Alistair Ainsworth), Goldberg delivers the same level of cozy mystery that readers have come to expect. Recommended for fans of the series, Goldberg’s other novels, and Victorian cozy mysteries in general. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
No one is who they seem to be in this fast-paced, character-rich thriller about murder and isolation during the brutal Icelandic winter. A series novel that works as a stand-alone, it will appeal to fans of Stieg Larsson, Deborah Crombie, and Michelle Sacks. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
PREMIUM
Black Sun Rising
Carr’s second crime novel (following The Devils of Cardona) is perfect for readers who like 1930s-era movies featuring foreign locales, perverted villains, and intrepid detectives.
PREMIUM
Close Up
Quick, who also writes romances as Jayne Ann Krentz, mixes light mystery with romance perfectly in this fourth “Burning Cove” novel (after Tightrope), painting a vivid account of California and the art world during the 1930s. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]
PREMIUM
Columbus Noir
This attractive collection will appeal to lovers of crime noir and short crime fiction.
PREMIUM
Pretty Things
With flawless suspense, masterly storytelling, and a plot that hits all the notes of our Instagram world perfectly, this novel is a must-read. Recommended for readers of Miranda Beverly-Whittemore’s Bittersweet or Kathleen Barber’s Follow Me. [See Prepub Alert, 10/14/19.]
Highly recommended for lovers of historical mystery, readers who can’t resist a dark, complex but redeemed hero, and anyone looking to see justice done. [See Prepub Alert, 9/23/19.]
Moss (“Makedde Vanderwall” series) has created a thrilling historical novel of post-war Australia that will engross readers from the first page to the last. This book deserves to be added to the top of the list of must-read titles. Book clubs may wish to consider this title as well.
PREMIUM
The Secrets They Left Behind
While the conclusion is unnecessarily protracted, Redmond (A Cold Day in Hell), herself a retired cold-case homicide detective from Buffalo, demonstrates her experience and delivers a well-crafted, pulsating mystery with a sobering twist. Fans of small-town mysteries will enjoy.
Pochoda (Wonder Valley) stuns with this disquieting literary thriller rife with descriptive street language and violence. It is complex, intense, and enthralling. Fans of Rachel Kushner’s The Mars Room will experience a similar sense of feeling both captivated and bereft. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]
PREMIUM
Rigged
The follow-up to Sunshine State is labeled thriller, but it’s a step-by-step investigation with a great deal of dialog. The witty banter and Jake’s character might remind readers of Rex Stout’s Archie Goodwin. Fun for those with a penchant for good conversation and detectives under the thumb of a beautiful woman.
PREMIUM
Safecracker
This debut novel is a thrilling, wild ride with plenty of unexpected twists that will leave readers guessing until the last few pages.
PREMIUM
Passing Fancies
As in the first book in this series (Relative Fortunes), Benn has clearly done her research into the time period. Unfortunately, in both books, the research is clumsily inserted into the story, which slows down the narrative’s pace. Still, readers who liked the first book and enjoy mysteries set in the 1920s will enjoy the return of the spirited and independent Julia and hope for her appearance in a third book.
PREMIUM
Rolling Thunder
The follow-up to the Arthur Ellis Award–winning Cobra Clutch is another action-packed violent mystery. Declan’s ribald comments are not for everyone, but readers of the first book will enjoy the humor and outrageous antics.
PREMIUM
Indigo
Fans of Estleman and this series (Brazen) will enjoy the wealth of film detail that fills out the story without weighing it down. Classic noir tropes are deployed in a modern-day Hollywood with levels of glitz and power that Spade and Marlowe never imagined. [See Prepub Alert, 10/21/19.]
PREMIUM
Dead Land
This enjoyable romp through political corruption and social injustice in Chicago will please fans of the V.I. Warshawski detective series and readers who enjoy tough women PIs. [See Prepub Alert, 9/23/19.]
PREMIUM
A Royal Affair
Fans of period mysteries by authors such as Ashley Weaver and Deanna Raybourn will appreciate this gutsy duo. [See Prepub Alert, 11/18/19.]
PREMIUM
The Perfect Daughter
The story is timely with the examination of wealthy newcomers versus blue-collar townspeople leading to anger and violence. The ending is well-designed, and readers will likely enjoy the overall story. Fans of Souza’s previous works and books by Michael Koryta will find this worthwhile.
PREMIUM
A Star Is Dead
The fourth in the series (after Ice Blonde) is an intriguing mystery featuring a character in the little-known job of death investigator. Fans of forensic mysteries will overlook the sleuth’s questionable actions in this dramatic story. [See Prepub Alert, 9/23/19.]
PREMIUM
The Fate of a Flapper
Written with wit and an understanding of the tensions during one of the most volatile times in history, Calkins’s second “Speakeasy” story (after Murder Knocks Twice) will give readers insight into the world of Prohibition and what the human spirit is capable of in desperate times.
PREMIUM
This Is How I Lied
Eve’s own account foreshadows the disturbing revelations in the latest by the author of Before She Was Found. Fans of Lori Rader-Day’s suspense novels featuring secretive women will appreciate this small-town nightmare. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]
This mystery won the 2018 Ned Kelly Award under the title Crossing the Lines. Now available in the United States, it’s a twisted masterpiece about writing and the loss of identity while writing. The disturbing examination of obsession and loss will appeal to readers of literary novels and introspective books about the writing process.
Black’s fans will not be disappointed, and readers who enjoy Alan Furst and John Le Carré will join the crowd that will devour this must-read. [See Prepub Alert, 9/30/19.]
PREMIUM
A Spell for Trouble
As an amateur sleuth, Alex is awkward and too pushy for a newcomer in town. However, flaws in her character may be overlooked because of the unique background of Polish history and magic. Fans of Ellery Adams’s mysteries will want to try this one.
PREMIUM
Breathing Through the Wound
As in A Million Drops, del Árbol proves he’s adept at creating richly drawn characters and weaving their disparate stories, building to a shattering, violent climax.
Redmond brings her 20 years experience as a cold-case homicide detective to this follow-up to A Means to an End. Fans of police procedurals will want to read all in the series after this compelling, twisted story. [See Prepub Alert, 10/21/19.]
PREMIUM
The Body in the Garden
Fans of historical mysteries and intelligent, strong women sleuths such as Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily, Darcie Wilde’s Rosalind Thorne, or Andrea Penrose’s Charlotte Sloane will want to add this series opener to their TBR pile.
Hutton, known for her best-selling historical romances (His Rebellious Lass), brings that background to this atmospheric start of a humorous new series, blending historical elements and quirky characters into an enjoyable and lively Victorian mystery.
PREMIUM
Have You Seen Me?
White spends much time describing fancy apartments and houses, what characters are wearing, what they eat and drink, some of which her readers expect and enjoy, but in this outing it tends to slow down the narrative Still, White’s ability to write realistic characters and twisty plots make this worthwhile. [See Prepub Alert, 9/30/19.]
Satisfying as both action thriller and as history, this exciting mystery should also appeal to lovers of historical fiction.
Clear the roster for this year’s crop of mysteries, thrillers, cozies, and suspense.
PREMIUM
Broken
Fans of the author will eat up these neat, taut, action-packed stories, told in staccato sentences and one-line paragraphs. Newcomers to Winslow’s world will hope to see more of Lubesnick—or almost any of the characters still standing after the stories end.
PREMIUM
Safe House
The plot moves fairly quickly, although the chapters that take place in the past may throw casual readers for a loop. With plenty of twists and turns, this title is sure to attract lovers of domestic thrillers such as Natalie Barelli’s The Loyal Wife and A.J. Flinn’s The Woman in the Window.
PREMIUM
Watching from the Dark
Lodge’s second “Jonah Sheens” mystery (after She Lies in Wait) is a compelling police procedural with a well-drawn cast of characters.
Dynamic duo Hendricks and Pekkanen (The Wife Between Us) bat another one out of the park with this unputdownable, highly recommended thrill ride. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/19.]
Strongly recommended for purchase where the series is known, this book will also serve as a fine introduction to Camilleri’s oeuvre.
When it comes to Coben's work, fans of complex heroes caught up in world-changing events will relish this latest from a master storyteller
Highly anticipated debuts, new installments of favorite series, these latest mystery and suspense titles will have you on the edge of your seat.
Fans of the series will enjoy this new adventure. [See Prepub Alert, 8/19/19.]
After 38 years in law enforcement in South Dakota and Wyoming, Wendelboe’s expertise shows in his third violent frontier mystery (after The Marshal and the Sinister Still), which should appeal to fans of Westerns or the work of Craig Johnson or Margaret Coel.
PREMIUM
The Falling Woman
Former pilot Farrell’s skillfully written story of hope, love, and regret contemplated amid a fast-paced, high-pressure major airline accident investigation will appeal to readers who enjoyed Michael Crichton’s Airframe, Gregg Hurwitz’s The Survivor, and Noah Hawley’s Before the Fall.
PREMIUM
Lavender Blue Murder
Newcomers should find this a great entry point to Child’s established series (after Broken Bone China) and enjoy the charming Charleston, SC, setting, while longtime fans will relish the return of the sassy characters they love. [See Prepub Alert, 8/19/19.]
PREMIUM
The K Team
Fans of the “Andy Carpenter” series will find much to enjoy here, including some cameos from Carpenter himself. [See Prepub Alert, 8/19/19.]
PREMIUM
The Split
Readers will tear through Bolton’s (The Craftsman) latest to find out how the disparate threads connect. While the plot resolves tidily, some readers may be unsettled by the fact that Felicity and Joe are romantically involved after she is his patient. [See Prepub Alert, 9/30/19.]
Pseudonymous author James pens a delectably creepy tale. If Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre had a baby, it would be this well-crafted Victorian gothic mystery.
There’s not a lot in the way of rich descriptions or subtle character development in this plot-driven page-turner, but fans of the series will cheer to once again ride along with this band of Danish police. [See Prepub Alert, 8/19/19.]
PREMIUM
The Safety Net
Strongly recommended for purchase where the series is known, this book will also serve as a fine introduction to Camilleri’s oeuvre.
PREMIUM
A Bad Day for Sunshine
Though readers may find it difficult to keep track of the minor characters, this series opener provides plenty of action. Recommended for fans of Linda Castillo and J.A. Jance.
PREMIUM
The Herd
Surprises and suspense married with themes on the nature of womanhood and sisterhood make this ideal for fans of Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train or Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/19.]
Fans of the author and Victorian mystery lovers will enjoy this romp and eagerly await another Veronica and Stoker adventure. [See Prepub Alert, 8/19/19.]
PREMIUM
A Shadow Intelligence
Recommended for fans of Olen Steinhauer’s spy novels and Terry Hayes’s I Am Pilgrim.
PREMIUM
The Hook
The dynamic among Royce, Donne, and Allison is reminiscent of Spenser, Hawk, and Susan Silverman from Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser” novels. Fans of Parker and Ace Atkins will appreciate the smartly paced action the surprising denouement.
The author’s exquisitely drawn characters soon uncover secrets and make connections with each other that echo those of a Greek tragedy, with similar results. Boyle comfortably stands next to literary crime favorites like Don Winslow, Richard Price, and Lou Berney.
PREMIUM
The Unwilling
Edgar Award–winning Hart (The Hush) offers another propulsive crime novel that features fully realized, multifaceted characters and a strong sense of place. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/19.]
PREMIUM
The Eighth Girl
Chung’s compelling debut plumbs the depths of trauma and its long-lasting effects on the human psyche. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/19.]
Fans of complex heroes caught up in world-changing events will relish this latest from a master storyteller. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/19.]
PREMIUM
The Butcher of Casablanca
This will mostly appeal to fans of the author’s previous works and similar crime novels that have sprung up in the Arab world since the 2011 uprisings.
PREMIUM
Are Snakes Necessary?
De Palma and Lehman stuff their book with cinematic tropes, unrealistic characters, and predictable plot twists, but somehow it’s still an overall exciting read.
PREMIUM
The Sea of Lost Girls
Another strong, well-plotted suspense novel from Goodman (The Lake of Dead Languages), this is recommended for psychological suspense collections. Women’s fiction aficionados may also want to give it a try. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/19.]
Fans of descriptive mysteries filled with fishing and nods to the natural environment might appreciate this third in the historical series, following Ranger McIntyre: Small Delightful Murders. Yet its slow-paced and meandering narrative, with victims who are only names, not well-developed characters, may steer readers to try Victoria Houston’s “Loon Lake” mysteries instead.
PREMIUM
Death in the Family
Wegert’s first foray into mystery may be met with limited appeal for lovers of the genre but is overall a valiant effort.
PREMIUM
Second Sister
Chan’s appealing style will hold readers’ interest, especially those who enjoy their suspense set in international locales.
PREMIUM
The Big Lie
This 16th Swyteck political thriller (after The Girl in the Glass Box) parallels the current political climate with a tweet-happy president and a system in which a majority popular vote no longer means a win. A ruthless candidate might use this engrossing and scary book as a how-to manual. [See Prepub Alert, 7/29/19.]
PREMIUM
The Only Child
Fans of Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs, and Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth will find this admirable, but readers particularly sensitive to depictions of child abuse might want to look elsewhere. [See Prepub Alert, 7/29/19.]
PREMIUM
Murder in an Irish Cottage
Fans of this series and other Irish cozy mysteries, such as Sheila Connolly’s “County Cork” books, will appreciate this atmospheric story filled with Irish superstitions, legends, and colorful characters. Vivid descriptions of the countryside will appeal to lovers of Ireland.
PREMIUM
Man on Edge
A hard-as-nails hero, an out-of-the-ordinary location, and oodles of high-action encounter—it’s everything readers want in a political thriller.
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