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The novel’s action moves back and forth between the obliteration of the town in 2001 and a final confrontation with Nabler 20 years later. It’s all very Stephen King–ish but somehow too much; the bouncing back and forth between past and present doesn’t help. Not one of Barclay’s best.
Steck (author of the Matthew Redd thrillers) continues the swashbuckling style of Bell, successfully juggles several plotlines, and lovingly details weapons and cars in what he aptly terms Hawke’s “globe-trotting, England-saving escapades.” Hints of James Bond, Indiana Jones, and even Tom Swift will help blur readers’ disbelief, as the action never stops. Fans of the series will approve.
One needn’t have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this installment, but don’t be surprised if readers want to go back and see what they missed. Come for the historical Parisian setting and mystery, stay for the food and wine.
One needn’t have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this installment, but don’t be surprised if readers want to go back and see what they missed. Come for the historical Parisian setting and mystery, stay for the food and wine.
Smith’s novel is a quiet triumph. Each small unfolding supports the next, characters blossom off the page, and the pitch-perfect pacing is as pleasurable as the descriptive detail.
After dazzling readers with 2024’s The Main Character, Goldis once again deftly tips her literary cap to the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, in another cleverly constructed puzzler that brings all the delights of classic Golden Age mysteries into the 21st century.
In book two of this entertaining series, the characters continue to develop in realistic and meaningful ways, while aging, friendship, and familial expectations are explored. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster by Shauna Robinson, It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant, or Murder Is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns.
The tension in this atmospheric novel builds like a drumbeat as Hays explores the secrets that lie within a privileged family and keeps readers guessing from one twist to the next. For fans of Lucy Foley and Lucinda Berry.
Readers who enjoyed Laurien Berenson’s “Senior Sleuth” mysteries or The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann will fall in love with Glory. She is a refreshing protagonist: a brash, vocal force of nature who is fiercely loyal and brave when it comes to those she holds dear.
The second (after Murder Marks the Page) in a series that spins off Smith’s “Daisy’s Tea Garden” mysteries, this novel features a strong cast of characters, romance, and an amateur sleuth still trying to find her role in life and overcome her background of loss. Cozy readers will enjoy this bookstore/tea shop scenario, even if they haven’t read Smith’s earlier books.
An ’80s-homage noir that readers of gritty mysteries will enjoy. Each character is written by a different author, but the styles blend seamlessly so that it feels like the work of one person. Although most audiences will want to read the installments in order, this fun, enjoyable sequel can also be read as a stand-alone.
Vidich’s latest superb spy thriller (after Beirut Station) owes more to Charles McCarry than John le Carré, but the message is the same: spies pay for their loyalty in their inability to trust anyone else’s.
Hall’s Indian detective seems an amalgam of Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. His sixth adventure (following The Case of the Reincarnated Client) will please fans of Alexander McCall Smith.
Mansab won several awards for her first novel, This House of Clay and Water, published by Penguin India and later released in audio format by Blackstone. Though its pacing leaves something to be desired, libraries with a strong international mystery readership may want to give Mansab’s new mystery a try.
Fans of mystery short stories will want to pick up this collection by the finest British crime writers today. The stories are original and a fine salute to Brett and his work.
An outstanding new installment (following The Detective Up Late) in the award-winning police procedural series featuring lone wolf Sean Duffy and set during the Troubles, from the bestselling author of The Chain.
The twists of the story keep coming, and the thread of superhero comics and the Dark Maestro brings readers along on a journey that comic book fans will appreciate.
Readers will not be disappointed as they follow Gillian’s nail-biting experience with the Claybourne sisters, questioning choices that lead to a guttural, gobsmacking, and unforgettable ending.
Thompson flawlessly creates engaging plot twists and imperfect, realistic characters that readers will love to hate. This is a must-buy for public libraries and perfect for fans of Adele Parks and Lisa Unger.
The 27th “Posadas County Mystery” (after Perfect Opportunity) is a solid small-town police procedural. The step-by-step investigations will please fans of mysteries by Claire Booth and Terry Shames.
Eskens’s (The Life We Bury) novel alternates between two timelines: 1995 Bosnia and present-day Minnesota to tell the brutal story of war and its repercussions 30 years later. Fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale or Kate Quinn’s books will be caught up in this violent story of a courageous woman.
The Crash by Freida McFadden is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
McCluskey’s gripping debut features an isolated island with a brooding, storm-tossed atmosphere, reminiscent of Ann Cleeves’s “Shetland Island” mysteries. The violence and collusion lead to a shocking conclusion.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
The author of Where They Last Saw Her brings back Cash Blackbear in a tragic, unforgiving crime novel that emphasizes the perils of the foster care system for Indigenous children.
Dodge’s 1952 novel, the basis for the Alfred Hitchcock film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, gets a Library of Congress Crime Classics reissue, with a new introduction and notes by Edgar Award winner Klinger (editor of The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes). Fans of the movie and classic crime fiction will enjoy this story of honor among thieves.
The author of Where They Last Saw Her brings back Cash Blackbear (who last appeared in 2022’s Sinister Graves) in a tragic, unforgiving crime novel that emphasizes the perils of the foster care system for Indigenous children.
Fans of Dennis Lehane’s Mystic River, as well as readers who appreciate their crime fiction served straight up with no chaser, will be mesmerized by Currie’s latest.
Full of the witty banter and laugh-out-loud scenarios readers have come to expect from Waxman, this raucous romp around Tinseltown with an odd couple of sleuths will delight readers.
Thielman’s novel offers something for nearly every reader: art history, the French Revolution, the United States’ westward expansion, a treasure hunt, and of course, murder and a good police procedural set in beautiful Yellowstone National Park. May appeal to fans of Dan Brown, Meg Gardiner, and Ace Atkins.
Between the cheeky humor of TV’s Only Murders in the Building and the grim, psychological recasting of facts through fiction and memory (as exemplified by Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl), Winstead’s novel breathes life into stories that, the narrator hints, might be better off dead and buried.
McCluskey’s gripping debut features an isolated island with a brooding, storm-tossed atmosphere, reminiscent of Ann Cleeves’s “Shetland Island” mysteries. The violence and collusion lead to a shocking conclusion.
The 12th “Second Chance Cat Mystery,” following Fur Love or Money, might have a few too many characters, but fans of the series, the author’s “Magical Cats” novels (written under the name Sofie Kelly), or Miranda James’s “Cat in the Stacks” mysteries will enjoy the book.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a stylistically complex crime novel about creativity, conspiracy, and competition. Recommended for fans of Paula Hawkins, A.J. Finn, and Claire Douglas.
This gothic novel will have listeners on tenterhooks, wondering if Orabella is losing her grip on reality or if she really is trapped in a living nightmare.
An engagingly narrated historical mystery that provides a fascinating window into Gilded Age Newport high-society and the work of conservation-minded individuals.
Miller’s historical thriller provides a good sense of World War II; however, this is undermined by the ease with which Jake and his group plot and carry out escapes, which seem to minimize the danger they would have faced in real life. Includes a synopsis of The Hunt for the Peggy C, chapter notes, a bibliography, and the stories behind the real people who populate the novel.
Readers who love puzzles, locked-room mysteries, and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None will enjoy this inaugural effort by Pliego, with its chilling conclusion.
Feeney (Rock Paper Scissors) pens another superb domestic psychological thriller with plenty of twists, as her readers have come to expect. Demand will be high.
A violent, complicated story with links to the past. Although Cutter’s lectures can get a little wordy, readers of Victorian-set mysteries, such as Bridget Walsh’s The Tumbling Girl, will appreciate the creepy atmosphere and intricate conclusion.
Westerson’s sequel to The Twilight Queen finds its astute jester, an expert entertainer and gossiper, once again serving as reluctant inquisitor. Fans of mysteries set during the Tudor era will appreciate the historical details that are skillfully woven into Westerson’s gripping story.
The title is perfect because there is no one trustworthy in this novel of family and secrets, and readers will find themselves hoping for everyone to get their just deserts.
Readers who are looking for diversion might find the novel’s historical aspects appealing, but those who enjoy cleverly devised mysteries with well-observed characters should look elsewhere.
Thrilling action and suspense combined with complex, well-developed characters make for a book that listeners won’t want to put down. Swanson’s fans will be shocked, horrified, and utterly captivated.
A complex, atmospheric mystery that will keep listeners engaged, searching for clues, and thinking about the plight of others. This is an essential purchase for most libraries.
What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
Four iconic writers of Golden Age crime fiction—Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham—help DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, solve a case.
While the resolution may receive mixed reviews, this locked-room mystery with plenty of Hitchcockian embellishments rewards with a creepy and sneakily innovative listening experience.
Will appeal to listeners seeking a complex, character-driven literary suspense novel about false memories and missing persons. Recommended for fans of Ana Reyes, Shari Lapena, and Mary Kubica.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate psychological thriller with a fast pace and multiple perspectives. Recommended for fans of Megan Miranda, Amy Tintera, and Paula Hawkins.
Willse’s debut, which turns into a thriller about a lonely queer professor embarking on an unwise affair, fills a gap but is likely an optional purchase.
An excellent addition to any mystery or thriller section. Recommended for fans of other Irish writers such as Tana French, Claire McGowan, and Dervla McTiernan.
The fact that nothing is really ever explained and the novel ends before the men escape Maine adds to the helpless feeling conveyed by this dystopian novel that strikes a chord.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a fast-paced relationship fiction about ambition, deceit, and scandal. Recommended for fans of Freida McFadden and Erica Katz or the television series The Dropout.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a fast-paced psychological suspense full of scandal and sex. Recommended for fans of Mary Kubica, Lisa Jewell, and Alice Feeney.
Quirky characters and fast-paced action make this rollicking mystery a sure bet for Osman’s fans and those who enjoyed Deanna Raybourn’s Killers of a Certain Age.
This gritty, surprising, well-paced collection from a powerhouse author will garner many holds. Child’s fans will snap it up, but it is also highly recommended for crime fiction fans seeking something new.
Fans of Freeman’s “Countess of Harleigh” mysteries will be happy to read the latest installment in this lively series, following A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder. Listeners who enjoy gentle, entertaining mysteries set in Victorian times will be equally invested.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate mistaken-identity mystery about the hierarchy of the Hollywood entertainment industry. Recommended for fans of Alice Feeney, Jaclyn Goldis, and Katherine Wood.
In this new era of cozy mysteries, this is a good example of how to create and narrate such a novel. Fans of Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective will enjoy its sequel, which can also be appreciated on its own.
For fans of New England family dramas like those by Ann Patchett and Ethan Joella, and listeners looking for a mystery with a summer setting and plot depth.