A Gambling Man, by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing), is the top holds title of the week (4/19/21). LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting for this buzziest book.

Set in the 1950s, the second in Baldacci’s Aloysius Archer series sees the WWII vet, just out of prison, heading toward Hollwood. There, he joins a famous private eye and starts investigating political scandal, murder, and more.

READ-ALIKES

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson (Morrow)
Appeared on the March 2020 LibraryReads list

“Malcolm writes a blog post about eight crime novels featuring ‘perfect’ murders. Years later, an FBI agent tells him a killer is mimicking the books on his list. In an homage to classic mysteries, Swanson creates an artful tale of murder.”—Amy Whitfield, Cary Regional Library, Cary NC

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (Harper)
Appeared on the June 2018 LibraryReads list

“A playful commentary on the mystery genre itself and the first in a promising new series. The author, Horowitz, plays the part of the narrator, and gets caught up in solving a murder with Daniel Hawthorne, an out-of-work detective.”—Amy Whitfield, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC

Newcomer: A Mystery by Keigo Higashino (Minotaur: St. Martin’s)
Appeared on the November 2018 LibraryReads list

“Newly transferred Tokyo Police Detective Kaga is assigned a baffling murder. The story is told almost entirely through the perspective of people he interviews, gradually revealing the puzzling who, how, and why in this mystery. For fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Columbo, as well as lovers of international crime novels.”—Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, Yakima, WA