A Slow Fire Burning, by Paula Hawkins (Riverhead), is the top holds title of the week (8/31/21). LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.  

“After Daniel Sutherland is brutally stabbed to death on a houseboat in London, five people find their lives entangled and scrutinized as the police seek out his killer. Laura, who still suffers from the effects of a childhood car accident, had a recent one-night stand with the victim. Theo is an aging author still in love with his ex-wife Carla, who is Daniel’s aunt. Irene is a widowed older woman living on her own, still missing her husband and now freshly mourning the loss of her next-door neighbor and best friend Angela, who was Daniel’s mother. Miriam lives on the houseboat next to Daniel’s and was the one to find him. She also has a history with Theo, whom she has accused of stealing her unpublished memoir for his own crime novel. Hawkins deftly spools out their stories, expertly maneuvering suspenseful twists and turns as the characters’ flaws and motives are exposed. VERDICT Hawkins (The Girl on the Train; Into the Water) returns with another novel of psychological suspense, sure to top best-seller lists. She takes seemingly ordinary characters and peers deeply into their complicated lives, skillfully building tension and keeping readers guessing.”—Melissa DeWild, Comstock Park, MI

READ-ALIKES

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (Penguin Pr.)
Appeared on the August 2019 LibraryReads list

“This book is so full of twists and turns that my head was swiveling. Who took baby Cora? Marco and Anne decide to leave their baby home alone. After all, they share a wall with their neighbors, with whom they are partying. They would take turns checking in on her baby monitor. But when they return to their flat the first thing they find is an open door and no Cora. Who’s to blame? Could it be an unlikely suspect that you won’t see coming? If you like a book that keeps you guessing until the very end, you won’t be disappointed.”—Debbie Frizzell, Johnson Cty. Lib., Roeland Park, KS

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 P.L.

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan (Morrow)
Appeared on the January 2019 LibraryReads list

“Rachel Jenner is out for a walk with her son Ben when, after allowing him to run ahead to a swing, he vanishes. The investigation focuses on Rachel due to her recent divorce, and as a result, Rachel becomes undone. This is a psychological thriller full of suspense that will have you guessing until the very end. When all is revealed, the characters and action of the crime will stay with you long after you read the final page. I recommend this book to every fan of the genre.”—Annice Sevett, Willmar P.L., MN

These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall (Thomas & Mercer)
Annotation and suggestion by the LibraryReads Advisory Board

Mickie Lambert finishes a digital memory box for her client Nadia Denham, who has died from what seems to be suicide. But the objects Nadia loved mean something to someone sinister, placing Mickie at cross purposes with a serial killer in this smart, twisty, novel of secrets.