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Thrillers and Suspense March 2019
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| Last Woman Standing by Amy GentryStarring: Dana Diaz, a struggling stand-up comedian who is tired of the constant sexual harassment in her male-dominated industry; computer programmer Amanda Dorn, herself no stranger to workplace misogyny and no less fed up than Dana.
Teamwork makes the dream work: After bonding over their shared suffering, the two women join forces to get revenge on each other's aggressors, until a dangerous close call threatens their alliance.
Why you might like it: This story is one part psychological thriller, one part buddy comedy, one part Strangers on a Train, and one part #MeToo. |
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| Invisible by Andrew GrantThe premise: Army intelligence agent Paul McGrath returns to civilian life to discover that his estranged father was murdered.
The problem: The killer's case was dropped on a technicality. Now Paul (who was on assignment during the trial) must go undercover to learn what the "invisible" courthouse support staff witnessed during the trial.
Author alert: Andrew Grant is the younger brother of fellow suspense author Lee Child. |
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| The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher GreeneWhat it is: a compelling, intensifying story of the seemingly perfect marriage of single mom Susannah Garcia and charismatic artist Max Westmoreland.
What happens: Just as they begin to settle into married life, the couple receives a series of cryptic, sinister notes at their new home. Although Susannah starts to wonder if she can trust her new husband, she also harbors her own secrets.
Read it for: its menacing tone, tight plotting, and well-balanced alternating perspectives that ratchet up the tension. |
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| Scrublands by Chris HammerWhat happens: On a hot but otherwise unremarkable Sunday morning in a small Australian town, Father Byron Swift opens fire on his congregation, killing five people before being killed himself.
One year later: Sydney journalist Martin Scarsden travels to Riversend for a story on how the town is coping after the shooting, only to stumble into a fraught web of conflict, contradiction, and maybe even a conspiracy tied to Father Swift's crime.
You might also like: Bitter Wash Road by Garry Disher; The Dry by Jane Harper; Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash. |
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| The Plotters by Un-Su KimFeaturing: Reseng, a bookish thirtysomething hitman living in an alternate-universe Seoul. Reseng works for a secretive cabal of men who live above the law, controlling South Korean politics through targeted assassination.
What goes wrong: Reseng barely avoids being killed himself, and this taste of his own medicine makes him begin to question the mysterious corporate and political forces that dominate both his life and the wider society he lives in.
Read it for: the surreal world-building and refreshing moments of dark humor. |
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Looker by Laura SimsWhat happens: An unhappy woman, childless and recently separated from her husband, becomes fixated on a beautiful actress who lives on her block, but after a disastrous interaction at the annual block party, an innocent preoccupation becomes lethal madness. Reviewers say: "This debut is a penetrating and unsettling psychological thriller ... It's a novel about identity, appearances, and envy, and it's one of the season's most timely reads, an innovative experiment in what a thriller can be." --Literary Hub, "Most Anticipated Books of 2019"
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Her One Mistake by Heidi PerksWhat happens: What should have been a fun-filled, carefree day takes a tragic turn for the worse for one mother when her best friend’s child goes missing on her watch. Who might like it: fans of fast-paced suspense novels such as Big Little Lies and The Couple Next Door. Reviewers say: "Perks lays down a major twist halfway through, but the book is also a clever, thoughtful study of the fraught power dynamics between women -- as well as the people they love (and, sometimes, fear)."----Entertainment Weekly
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The Burglar by Thomas PerryStarring: Elle Stowell, a young woman with an unconventional profession: burglary. What happens: An elite young burglar stumbles upon a grisly triple homicide while stealing from a wealthy art dealer and must solve the crime to prevent becoming a next victim. Praise for the author: "Perry...builds suspense with all the subtlety of a master chef nursing a risotto to a buttery perfection. It's nothing new to call Perry a master of the genre, but it's no less true for being widely acknowledged." --Booklist
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The Liar's Room by Simon LelicWhat happens: A therapist who reinvented herself with a new identity 14 years prior to keep her daughter safe is disturbed when a new patient begins asking her unsettling questions. Who might like it: readers who enjoyed Behind Closed Doors and The Perfect Girl. About the author: Simon Lelic is a former journalist and the author of the award-winning A Thousand Cuts. The New Neighbors, his first psychological thriller was inspired by his love of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King.
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The Night Agent by Matthew QuirkWhat it is: a Washington, DC, thriller--in the vein of favorite early novels from Grisham and Baldacci. What happens: An idealistic young FBI agent is forced to question everything and trust no one in order to stop a Russian mole in the White House. Peer Praise: "This story is impossible to put out of mind.... Relevant and revealing, this is one of the best thrillers to come along in years."--Michael Connelly
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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