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Penzler’s latest is remarkable in size and scope, but listeners may want to enjoy in print rather than audio.
Identity by Nora Roberts is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
The Other Mistress
Williams has a winner on her hands. Recommended for fans of Alyssa Cole, Liv Constantine, and Megan Goldin.
PREMIUM
The Puzzle Master
This page-turner incorporates motifs of religion, security, meaningfulness, and loss into a mystical narrative that traverses different centuries focused on the same puzzle quest. This is a literary Da Vinci Code–like title that readers of quest-based thrillers and mysteries alike will enjoy.
PREMIUM
Flesh and Blood
In this title recommended only for fans of the series, the past brutally crashes down on both officers.
PREMIUM
The Nigerwife
British poet and playwright Walters, once a Nigerwife herself, paints a vivid picture of the financial and social constraints that European women face assimilating into Nigerian familial structure. Already optioned for HBO, this cultural critique couched in a mystery is a sure winner.
The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
Borgos writes a compelling story with two timelines and elements of mystery, espionage, and history. This riveting debut has traces of Craig Johnson’s novels, with the personal nuclear fallout in Betty Webb’s Desert Wind.
Cosby, the multi-award-winning author of Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears, has a unique, powerful voice for social justice and racism. His compelling writing will have readers rooting for his latest unforgettable, flawed hero.
PREMIUM
Death Comes to Marlow
Thorogood gives the locked-room mystery a fun, modern twist that fleshes out the lives of its quirky protagonists; perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” series.
Once again, Hirahara illuminates the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II by embodying them in the lives of the Ito family. The author weaves a compelling tale, which is all the more poignant as it reminds readers of the shameful treatment of Japanese Americans, along with the racial prejudice still at work. A must-read.
PREMIUM
The Lie Maker
This is Barclay’s (Take Your Breath Away) 26th crime novel: he’s a pro. Some may find it overly convoluted but will still root for Jack to prevail. For mystery lovers.
PREMIUM
Dead of Winter
Coates’s (The Twisted Dead) latest is a compelling page-turner for readers of horror and thriller fiction, in the vein of Dean Koontz and Stephen King. The writing is magnetic and descriptive in a way that will have readers shivering from both the cold and outright fear.
PREMIUM
Crook Manifesto
This isn’t the rollicking caper its predecessor was, but it’s still a worthy addition to one of the most distinguished oeuvres in modern fiction.
The Punjabi Sikh Akal Singh and the mystery of colonial Fiji will appeal to fans of Abir Mukherjee’s mysteries set in India.
The follow-up to The Hidden One is a compelling, violent police procedural, alleviated by the love and tenderness surrounding the upcoming wedding. Those who watched Kate’s developing relationship will enjoy the storyline surrounding the wedding and the skill with which the author juggles crime and kindness.
PREMIUM
Cleveland Noir
One of the best in a very good series, this title should fly off the shelves.
This atmospheric debut historical mystery captures the world of music halls and the danger to women in Victorian London. Will appeal to fans of Leonard Goldberg’s “Daughter of Sherlock Holmes” mysteries, Sherry Thomas’s “Lady Sherlock” books, or the show Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
PREMIUM
A Cryptic Clue
Fans of Vicki Delany’s “Sherlock Holmes Bookshop” mysteries will appreciate this new amateur detective team.
This riveting debut has traces of Craig Johnson’s novels, with the personal nuclear fallout in Betty Webb’s Desert Wind.
PREMIUM
A Likeable Woman
Cobb’s story is told from Kira’s and Sadie’s alternating points of view, allowing the author to delve into the secrets and seething tensions that exist in small towns. Though the suspense is a slow build, the final twist is nicely done.
PREMIUM
The Centre
The questions raised by this heady story and its abrupt ending are perfect for book club discussions.
PREMIUM
Murder Off the Books
Fans of quirky casts and funny cozies will enjoy Berry’s third “By the Book” mystery (after On Spine of Death), with its eccentric characters and outrageous scenes.
PREMIUM
Thicker Than Water
A page-turner told from alternating points of view, this thriller from Collins (The Family Plot) will especially appeal to those who enjoy exploring complicated female friendships.
PREMIUM
Hiss Me Deadly
It’s been two years since What the Cat Dragged In, the last “Cat in the Stacks” mystery. Fans of Charlie and his Maine Coon cat will be delighted to welcome them back in a cozy that combines murder, stories of Charlie’s family, and hints of his upcoming marriage.
PREMIUM
Gallows Dome
This no-holds-barred noir from a writer to watch will grab readers’ attention, and regardless of the graphically described violence, it’s fun. Knight isn’t Elmore Leonard, but they come out of the same stew pot.
Cosby, the multi-award-winning author of Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears, has a unique, powerful voice for social justice and racism. His compelling writing will have readers rooting for his latest unforgettable, flawed hero.
PREMIUM
The Murder of Madison Garcia
This twisty mystery will keep listeners guessing. Perfect for fans of Hannah Morrissey’s “Black Harbor” series.
PREMIUM
A Sinister Revenge
Raybourn has infused this mystery with wit, humor, and a core of genuine emotion that should make this novel popular, especially where historical mysteries circulate well. Highly recommended for all collections.
The world of airline thrillers belongs to Newman in this follow-up to Falling, which is even better. The story has the beats for the perfect summer action film, let alone a beach read. Expect Newman to be drowning in sales and accolades.
This tantalizing follow-up to Clark’s 1975 winner seamlessly continues with her style and voice, including Easter eggs from the original. Burke captivates readers with compelling twists and multiple bombshells in a reverent bow to the Queen of Suspense.
PREMIUM
Beware the Woman
In this Rosemary’s Baby–esque tale, Abbott (The Turnout) creates a summer psychological thriller that tempts the onset of goosebumps, with the devil hiding behind a handsome face or two.
Winslow’s realistic mobster noir plunges readers into Danny’s vulnerable struggle to escape the criminal life he never wanted. An enticing, viscerally piercing version of the classic clash between sin and morality, compassion and brutality, and how love and family can either grace a life or jeopardize it.
Librarians especially will enjoy this unique take on the psychological thriller. Give this unputdownable title to readers who revel in messy and complicated characters.
PREMIUM
The Girls Who Disappeared
Douglas’s (The Couple at Number 9) rural winter setting creates an eerie sense of place. Great for readers looking for a captivating mystery with big reveals.
PREMIUM
Remain Silent
Regardless of its shortcomings, Gigl’s legal thriller is an enjoyable read with a likable protagonist, and one who represents an important and underrepresented perspective.
Simply Lies by David Baldacci is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
The Nightingale Affair
While it all too accurately portrays the misogyny of the era, this mystery will keep readers captivated and will be popular with admirers of Victorian detective novels.
Dark Angel by John Sandford is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
The Diva Delivers on a Promise
With recipes, ghost kitchens, and family secrets, the follow-up to The Diva Says Cheesecake! will entertain fans of this long-running cozy mystery series.
An action-packed mystery, suspenseful from page one, with intensity and plot twists that don’t let up. The follow-up to When She Dreams is a compelling romantic mystery with psychic connections and sparkling dialogue.
PREMIUM
Strange Sally Diamond
How Peter and Sally interconnect is one of the disturbing twists in this deeply unsettling psychological novel. While it’s not a thriller, those who like thrillers and true-crime readers would enjoy this book.
Mental health, friendship, loyalty, jealousy, corruption, and love all have a place in this highly recommended novel that takes readers on a roller-coaster of events and emotions that the characters experience.
PREMIUM
The Late Mrs. Willoughby
Gray continues her homage to Jane Austen with this sequel that wonderfully reimagines the lives of Austen’s characters yet stays faithful to the spirit of the classic works. Readers should be aware there are spoilers from the first novel woven into this story. It’s fun to anticipate the other Austen characters the young sleuths might encounter in future novels.
PREMIUM
Blow Up
Recommended for fans of Crosby and of novelists who specialize in intricate plots and amateur detectives.
PREMIUM
The Tip Line
There are echoes of Patricia Highsmith and Margaret Millar, but this debut takes too long to get there and is not so much about detection as about obsession.
PREMIUM
I Didn’t Do It
Readers might find the five narrating voices to be too many and the overall premise to be manipulative, but it could be fun for those interested in stories of backstabbing and suspicion. Suggest for fans of Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library.
PREMIUM
We Love To Entertain
Intricately plotted, entertaining, and full of red herrings, Strohmeyer’s latest (after Do I Know You??) is a fun romp of a thriller that will keep readers guessing until the last page. For fans of Lisa Jewell and Clare Mackintosh.
While the book perfectly captures the near fatalistic tone of noir crime fiction at its best, Crane also gives world-weary readers a small measure of hope for the future with his pointed and poignant insights into life and love.
The author of the Eve Ronin mysteries returns with a fast-paced, over-the-top caper that entertains while keeping readers guessing.
PREMIUM
Where They Lie
The plot takes many twists and turns and keeps readers guessing until the surprising end. For fans of Harlan Coben, Riley Sager, and Linwood Barclay.
PREMIUM
Cold Fire
The fight scenes are exceptional in this action-packed chase thriller that will have broad appeal.
PREMIUM
The Devil’s Playground
A large cast of characters and extensive use of red herrings make this a complex and atmospheric novel, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
PREMIUM
Between Two Strangers
White (The Second Husband) relies too much on coincidence and uncertainty in this psychological suspense novel that is low in tension. Several characters are primed to be more threatening, but little develops, leaving the plot curiously flat. For readers who like a puzzle with a twist.
The follow-up to The Drowning Sea takes the series in a new direction; it’s a step-by-step riveting police procedural filled with red herrings.
Not since Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files has there been such a delightful literary marriage of endearingly quirky characters and deliciously dry wit. Fans of Francine Prose’s The Maid or Meg Cabot’s Heather Wells mysteries will equally embrace the arrival of Charlotte and her cohorts on the detecting scene.
PREMIUM
Girls and Their Horses
This recommended, well-written suspense poses questions about the cost of parents living vicariously through their children.
PREMIUM
The Quiet Tenant
A brutal, sad, heartbreaking story focused on resilience and survival. Recommended for fans of true crime stories, Gillian Flynn, or Jessica Knoll.
The Agatha Award–winning author of A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder is adept at misdirection. Witty British conversation and social history as viewed by an American will continue to appeal to fans of Victorian mysteries.
PREMIUM
Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge
Fans of Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” series will appreciate the latest addition to the ranks of older sleuths, by the best-selling author of the “Chet and Bernie” mysteries.
PREMIUM
The Traitor Beside Her
World War II and espionage novels are popular, and the author of the Faye Longchamp mysteries brings both together in a story of young women undercover on the home front. Suggest for Joyce St. Anthony fans.
PREMIUM
The Last Drop of Hemlock
The sequel to The Last Call at the Nightingale is a riveting historical mystery set in New York City’s demimonde.
Another masterwork from a collaborative team that seems increasingly incapable of producing anything less.
PREMIUM
Stringer
A fast-paced crime thriller sure to garner an enthusiastic response from fans of the genre.
Kindt (Mind MGMT: Bootleg) and illustrator Pendanx (A Fake Story) present an engrossing existential noir with a finale as shocking as it is genuinely affecting.
PREMIUM
Ukulele of Death
With an enjoyable mix of sci-fi and mystery elements, Copperman’s latest (after And Justice for Mall) features an intriguing and likable pair of detectives whose complementary skills help them survive and thrive and maybe even find their family.
PREMIUM
Eat, Drink and Drop Dead
The first in a new cozy series by the author of the “Nick and Nora” mysteries is the typical one with an amateur sleuth as a suspect, a hot cop, and recipes. It’s sure to satisfy fans of Lucy Burdette’s “Key West Food Critic” mysteries.
A different kind of epic than The Ten Commandments, this novel focuses on Ali showing his love for and belief in his grandson by giving him not a tablet of principles but a story of human triumph that goes beyond Hollywood artifice.
Haven is a writer to watch. Share this highly recommended audio with fans of Steve Hamilton, Thomas Perry, and Brad Taylor.
PREMIUM
The Boys from Biloxi
Fans of Grisham will enjoy this compelling mystery that delves into Biloxi’s gritty side and ends with a poignant twist.
PREMIUM
A Quiet Retreat
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate, eerie suspense novel teeming with tension and twists. Recommended for fans of Marin Montgomery, Mary Kubica, and Rachel Hawkins.
PREMIUM
An Honest Man
Fans of Lee and Lincoln Child and of Koryta’s previous works will enjoy his new offering.
PREMIUM
Rogue Justice: A Thriller
Abrams’s experience as a Georgia legislator and big-time lawyer support insights into bureaucracy and security. The nonstop action and suspense mostly manage to overwhelm the reader’s sense of disbelief in a thriller that seems to burst out of today’s news.
In Kubica’s (Local Woman Missing) twisted tale of deception and falsehoods, readers will relish the shock factor in an ending they didn’t see coming.
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn
Logan’s debut novel will appeal to listeners who enjoy detailed settings and character growth, but those seeking strong mystery or suspense may want to look elsewhere.
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
You Shouldn’t Have Come Here
For diehard fans of Rose’s (One of Us Is Dead) novels and fans of romantic thrillers with not so many thrills.
PREMIUM
Night Flight to Paris
Black always delivers a great story featuring strong women. Buckle up and start turning the pages.
Offering this one to fans of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is a no-brainer, but cozy mystery readers will also find much to love in the adventures of the indomitable detective.
In our annual crime fiction preview, LJ explores trends and presents 74 forthcoming titles to add to the collection.
Author Wesley (“Tamara Hayle PI” series) is right on trend with a cozy mystery series featuring Odessa “Dessa” Jones, a real-estate agent/caterer with a cat, a love for tea, and—oh yes, paranormal skills.
PREMIUM
The Twyford Code
Puzzle fans will undoubtedly enjoy Hallett’s bighearted thriller. While listeners’ opportunity to solve the code is somewhat lost in the audio version, Judd’s exhilarating performance more than makes up for it.
Fans of Georgette Heyer’s Regency novels will savor this mystery from “Dark Days Club” series author Goodman. Well-developed characters, a touch of romance, and cases involving social issues of the period enhance the experience.
PREMIUM
What Have We Done
This is perfect for fans of suspenseful thrillers such as those by Riley Sager.
The writing in the follow-up to Shifty’s Boys is as beautifully descriptive of the scenes in Detroit as in the Kentucky hills. Offutt’s Mick Hardin novels are powerful books that feature characters with questionable ethics.
PREMIUM
Dark Angel
While the Russia/Ukraine hacking scheme already seems historical, the second Letty Davenport thriller (after The Investigator) will satisfy Sandford’s numerous readers, with its high-octane action and gallows humor.
PREMIUM
The Ghost Goes to the Dogs
The ninth “Haunted Bookshop” mystery (following The Ghost and the Stolen Tears) is a little scattershot in the solution, but it will appeal to Jack’s fans.
PREMIUM
Hard Rain
The slow-paced, atmospheric sequel to the Tony Hillerman Award–winning Pay Dirt Road will appeal to fans of Marcie R. Rendon’s Sinister Graves, in which another young female PI searches for answers after a flood.
PREMIUM
Adrift
Give this one to suspense readers eager for a different kind of thriller, as well as fans of survival fiction.
Some questions are never fully answered in Edwards’s sequel to Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man. Sexist male attitudes toward working women are on full display in this 1950s period piece, which might only appeal to fans of the earlier book.
PREMIUM
Murder Visits a French Village
The quirky village residents make this an appealing series debut. Characters from Shea’s “French Village Murder” series also appear in this book, but that does not detract from the storyline. Recommended for those who enjoyed the author’s previous series and for fans of M.L. Longworth, Martin Walker, and Serena Kent.
A streetwise Italian Miss Marple is a shrewd amateur sleuth in this atmospheric series installment (following Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride) that leaves a hint of more Nonna Maria mysteries to come.
PREMIUM
The Last Songbird
This debut mystery has a good storyline with adequate characters. However, a plot digression and Adam’s amateurish song lyrics sprinkled throughout mar its even flow. Still, worth the read.
The 26th Faith Fairchild mystery (after The Body in the Wake) is fresh and remarkable in its ability to bring back memories of the day-to-day aspects of living through COVID. The reader and the victim are both trapped in a web in this skillful combination of mystery and pandemic story.
The viewpoints of Pryor, J.P., and Penny are featured, but it’s single-minded Penny who stands out. The author of the Andy Hayes mysteries separates his gritty rural noir from other thrillers by featuring a woman who isn’t a cop or detective as she tracks the villain in this violent novel.
PREMIUM
The Last Remains
As Griffiths teases on her Twitter feed, this is the last Ruth Galloway book “for now.” The novel has a nostalgic feel, and readers will feel satisfied with how things are wrapped up.
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