Thrillers and Suspense
June 2022

Recent Releases
A Harmless Lie
by Sara Blædel

Series alert: Though A Harmless Lie is the 10th crime novel starring Danish police investigator Louise Rick, it stands well enough on its own to be a great place for new readers to dive into the series.

What it's about: Louise's well-earned vacation in Thailand is interrupted by news that her brother Mikkel has attempted suicide after being left by his wife Trine. When the police suspect that Trine's disappearance wasn't voluntary, it's up to Louise to discover the truth and save her brother.

For fans of: gritty Scandinavian crime series starring women detectives like the Ann Lindell novels by Kjell Eriksson or the Fredrika Bergman mysteries by Kristina Ohlsson.
Cold Snap
by Marc Cameron

What it is: a richly detailed disaster thriller and the 4th novel in the series starring Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter. 

This time: The small plane carrying Marshal Cutter and the four criminals in his charge crashes in the icy Alaskan wilderness, where the cold temperatures and grizzly bears won't be the only threats to his survival.

Read it for: the strong sense of place, well-developed characters, and pulse-pounding action sequences.
Blood Will Tell
by Heather Chavez

The setup: School teacher and single mom Frankie Barrera has always been the responsible one, regularly cleaning up the messes her reckless younger sister Izzy leaves in her wake. 

What goes wrong: Frankie's car is implicated in the abduction of a minor and knowing that Izzy is the only other person with access to the keys. Now Frankie will not just need to discover what really happened, but also reckon with her complex relationship with her sister and their shared past.

Why you might like it: While author Heather Chavez delivers the twisty thrills readers enjoyed about her debut novel No Bad Deed, she also paints a moving portrait of deep (if deeply dysfunctional) sisterly bond.
The Shadow House
by Anna Downes

What it's about: Australian single mom Alex escapes an abusive relationship with her teenage son and infant daughter in tow, leaving Sydney for the idyllic, off-the-grid village of Pine Ridge. As she settles into her new life, a series of creepy -- and creepily familiar -- things begin to occur, which all seem tied to an abandoned farmhouse nearby.

For fans of: small-town suspense and gothic fiction where a derelict house is haunted by the secrets of its inhabitants.

Reviewers say: "Fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy this one, but they may think twice about moving to an eco-village" (Booklist).
An Honest Lie
by Tarryn Fisher

What it is: a moody, nonlinear story of a Las Vegas girls' weekend gone horribly wrong after the kidnapping of one attendee, which has ties to the shadowy past of another. 

Starring: artist and cult survivor Rainy, who reluctantly agrees to go on the trip in a desperate attempt to befriend the wives of her boyfriend's buddies.

Try this next: The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan; A Deadly Influence by Mike Omer.
Bad Actors
by Mick Herron

Series alert: Bad Actors is the 8th entry in the Slough House series, which follows a group of demoted MI5 agents whose other professional failings belie their knack for handling unusual and undesirable cases. 

This time: The group's erstwhile leader Jackson Lamb sees an opportunity in their newest case to take down his longtime nemesis, agency chief Diana Taverner, but first he must track down a missing superforecaster who might have embarrassing clandestine ties with the Russian intelligence community. 

Media buzz: Slow Horses is the Apple TV+ adaptation of the Slough House series that stars Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas.
The Secrets We Share
by Edwin Hill

Starring: alcoholic Boston police detective Natalie; her glamorous and successful sister Glenn, an online influencer about to release her first book.

What it's about: Like the brutal family trauma that bonded the sisters 20 years earlier, a violent act close to home will send both of their lives and careers into disarray as they try to uncover the truth.  

About the author: The Secrets We Share is a standalone thriller by Agatha award nominee Edwin Hill, best known for the Hester Thursby series.
Redemption
by Michael Lawson

What it is: a compelling and intricately plotted standalone legal thriller by the author of the politics-focused Joe DeMarco series. 

The setup: Disgraced Wall Street broker Jamison Maddox managed to avoid jail time after a felony conviction for insider trading but is struggling to find work until he's offered a research job at a small-town firm in Illinois. 

What goes wrong: Jamison's clients begin dying under suspicious circumstances, and a dalliance with a married colleague reveals information about the firm's hidden agenda that might put his career and possibly his life in jeopardy.
The Lying Club
by Annie Ward

Starring: Natalie Bellman, a new staff member at the elite Falcon Academy who has a tendency to self-medicate; Asha and Brooke, frenemies and moms of the school's star soccer players.

What they share: an attraction to soccer coach Nicholas Maguire, who Natalie manages to hook up with just before a brutal assault brings uncomfortable truths to light about the school and its erstwhile athletic director.

For fans of: dark academia; Layne Fargo, Megan Abbott, and Christopher Yates.
Beat the Devils
by Josh Weiss

What it's about: At the height of an alternate history version of the Red Scare, LAPD detective and Holocaust survivor Morris Baker is investigating a double murder when he accidentally discovers a political plot that could shake Los Angeles to its core.

Cameos by: Walter Cronkite, John Huston, Wernher von Braun, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward R. Murrow.  

You might also like: suspenseful alternate history like Dennis Bock's The Good German or S.M. Stirling's Theater of Spies.
Contact your librarian for more great books!