The It Girl, by Ruth Ware (Scout; LJ starred review), is the top holds title of the week (7/11/22). LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.

Ware (One by One; The Turn of the Key) once again demonstrates her literary claim as the 21st century’s answer to Agatha Christie with this ingeniously crafted puzzler in which she deftly shifts suspicion among a closed circle of suspects while at the same time cleverly inserting seemingly innocuous clues to the real killer among a sea of red herrings. When Hannah Jones hears the news that John Neville has died in prison, she thinks it is finally over. Instead, for Hannah, it is just beginning. Ten years ago, Hannah’s testimony sent Neville to prison for the murder of Hannah’s Oxford roommate and friend April Clarke-Cliveden. Now a reporter wants to meet with Hannah to share with her information he believes may prove Neville’s innocence. But if Neville didn’t murder April, who did? VERDICT Fans of Golden Age mysteries like Dorothy Sayers’s Gaudy Night will love the book’s Oxford setting, while readers of trendy dark academia suspense novels, in the manner of Alex Michaelides’s The Maidens, will feel right at home. Top-drawer entertainment from a modern master of mystery.—Reviewed by John Charles

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth (St. Martin's; LJ starred review)

Appeared on the April 2021 LibraryReads list

“Rose and Fern have a strong sisterly bond, but their dark secrets may bind them more strongly than they think. How far would you go to protect your sister? Dark and compelling, this psychological suspense story has a taut pace and plenty of twists to keep readers guessing.”—Jen Ohzourk, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian (Park Row: Harlequin)

Appeared on the September 2021 LibraryReads list

“A trio of psychopaths attending a Washington D.C. college take part in a study to see if they can be taught to live productively. When a murderer targets campus, they need to work together to determine if they’re among the hunted. This is a jaw-dropping, read-in-one-sitting thriller. For readers of Gillian Flynn and Caroline Kepnes.”—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, Baltimore, MD

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger (Park Row: Harlequin; LJ starred review)

Appeared on the October 2021 LibraryReads list

“Wren meets Adam on a dating app, and they seem to hit it off. After she tells him a secret, though, he ghosts her. She refuses to let it go and starts searching for him. What she finds is shocking, but she can match him in the secret department. Chilling, twisty, and hard to put down. Give to fans of Ghosted and The Couple Next Door.”—Shari Suarez, Genesee District Library, Goodrich, MI