#thrillerthursday (7/13/17)

It’s #thrillerthursday and we’re reading:

The Devil’s Muse by Bill Loehfelm

“A rookie New Orleans cop discovers that regular rules don’t apply during Mardi Gras, when a shooting sets off a cascading series of violent events. Loehfelm doesn’t need showy murders or gory scenes to writes crime stories with grit that stay lodged in your brain and get under your skin in the best possible way.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Coughlin remains the star here—she’s still one of the most compelling figures in crime fiction—but this time, the focus is on cops working together; it’s a procedural in the best sense of the word, and it evokes Ed McBain at the top of his game. ” — Booklist, starred review

Dark Water by Parker Bilal

“Bilal’s sixth (City of Jackals, 2016, etc.) again plants a seed of suspense as an entree into a nuanced look at an unfamiliar culture.”–Kirkus Reviews

“The relentless pacing and meticulously descriptive prose make this a page-turner.”–Publishers Weekly

Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo

A July 2017 Library Reads pick!

“Castillo once again weaves the particularities of the Amish mindset into a complex mystery that will leave you crying with pity or seething with rage.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Castillo works in fine details and insight into Amish life, but this is no gentle read—there is plenty of tension and some good red herrings that will keep any mystery reader satisfied.” — Booklist

“Thrilling… Castillo skillfully sets each scene, compelling readers to fear the raging stream, sense the tension in a room, and yes, even smell the manure.” — Publishers Weekly

The Third Nero by Lindsey Davis

“Davis has never been better at using actual political turmoil in the service of a page-turning plot than in her fifth novel set in first-century Rome featuring freelance investigator Flavia Alba (after 2016’s The Graveyard of the Hesperides)… Davis successfully maintains a high level of tension throughout.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

Another Man’s Ground by Claire Booth

“Appealing… Booth’s affectionate treatment of the decent and shrewd people of Branson and Worth makes this a series worth following.”–Publishers Weekly

Moskva by Jack Grimwood

“This is the first thriller by the speculative-fiction writer also known as Jon Courtenay Grimwood, and it demonstrates that great storytelling is not bound by genre. The jacket cover proclaims Moskva to be Fatherland meets Gorky Park. That’s not a bad comparison, though the body count suggests a little bit more of Child 44. Recent events make this tale of Russian intrigue especially timely. As one character ominously says, “We might have lost the Cold War. . . . we intend to win the thaw.””–
Booklist, starred review