There’s nothing like reading a great thriller in the heat of summer to send chills down your spine. Check out these books for immediate heat relief: THE DEAD WILL TELL by Linda Castillo Recommended by People Magazine! In Castillo’s latest electrifying Kate Burkholder mystery guaranteed to “keep suspense fans glued to their books and ereaders” (Library […]
Tag: cozy
Thriller Thursday (5/22/14 Edition)
It's gray and gloomy here today—in other words, perfect weather to stay in this #ThrillerThursday and read these books:
BOOTY BONES by Carolyn Haines
In Haines's latest “entertaining” (Booklist) Southern mystery, Sarah Booth Delaney and her fiancé, Graf, are looking forward to their romantic vacation. That is, until Sarah's asked to look into the murder of a treasure hunter.
THE STRANGER YOU KNOW by Jane Casey
Secrets from Maeve Kerrigan's colleague DI Josh Derwent's past come back to haunt him—and their latest investigation—in Casey's newest thrilling book in the series. “...the Maeve Kerrigan series [are] all solid police procedurals with exceptionally well-drawn characters whose relationships continue to develop in each entry. Derwent, a brilliant copper in Maeve’s eyes despite his numerous personality defects, serves as a foil and balance for her, and, with him at the center here, this novel attains further complexity in the interplay of the police-force members. Prime crime fiction.” — Booklist, starred review
RESISTANT by Michael Palmer
In his final book, New York Times bestselling author Michael Palmer brings his medical expertise to the forefront in a novel that brings our worst fears of hospital contamination to light. Can a doctor uncover the cure? “This exciting, fast-paced thriller culminates a successful writing career for Palmer, who, in October 2013, died unexpectedly at age 71. Palmer drew upon his own extensive expertise in emergency medicine for such best-selling novels as EXTREME MEASURES and THE FIRST PATIENT.” — Library Journal, starred review
Share your reads with us @MacmillanLib this #ThrillerThursday. [...]
Critters & Crime…
To continue our celebration of Booklist's Mystery Month, meet the many cats and dogs dutifully serving alongside our favorite detectives!
Team #Meow
THE CAT SITTER'S NINE LIVES by Blaize & John Clement
Pet-sitter and amateur sleuth Dixie Hemingway is back in this ninth installment of Blaize Clement's beloved cozy mystery series, now written by her son John. Dixie rescues a man from a car accident, and a day later strange things start to happen—the man she rescued claims to be Dixie's husband, a bookstore owner and his cat vanish, and a mysterious phone call from a new client lures her to a crumbling, abandoned mansion on the outskirts of town.
BLOOD RUBIES by Jane Cleland
In the ninth book in Cleland's mystery series featuring amateur sleuth/antiques appraiser Josie Prescott, celebrity chef Ana Yartsin—known for her Fabergé egg-shaped cakes, as well as the Fabergé Spring Egg snow globe—is planning the desserts for her friend Heather and Jason's upcoming wedding. When Josie arrives to appraise the snow globe, she finds it smashed and Jason dead.
Meet Jane Cleland at ALA Annual!
DOING IT AT THE DIXIE DEW by Ruth Moose
Winner of the Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel, Moose's Southern cozy features Beth McKenzie, a proprietor of a bed and breakfast called The Dixie Dew, where guests are being murdered.
THE BEST CAT BOOK EVER! by Kate Funk
OK, OK, it's not a mystery…. But it’s hilarious.
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Thriller Thursday (5/1/14 Edition)
May day, May day! We're desperately lost in these great new mysteries:
BLACK LIES, RED BLOOD by Kjell Eriksson
Swedish Detective Ann Lindell is excited about her new romance—that is, until her lover is identified as a suspect in a homeless man's murder...and disappears. “Eriksson, nominated five times for Sweden’s best crime novel award, effectively combines procedural and psychological detail in this involving mystery.” — Booklist
MURDER ON THE HOOF by Kathryn O'Sullivan
In this delightfully cozy sequel to FOAL PLAY, Fire Chief Colleen McCabe must find a murderer who is targeting actors in the local community theatre production. “An amiable mystery, sure to interest fans of Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott series, also set in North Carolina.” — Booklist
EVERY HIDDEN FEAR by Linda Rodriguez
In award-winner Linda Rodriguez's new Skeet Bannion mystery, the half-Cherokee heroine grapples with murder and tricky family ties. “A local bad boy returns to town, reveals long-held secrets, which results in his murder. Police officer Skeet must unravel a complicated family drama to save a teenager's life. This third engrossing title is set in Missouri, near Kansas City.” — Library Journal
What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib. [...]
Library Journal’s 2014 Mystery Preview
We loooove mysteries (the bloodier the better) and your patrons do, too! Our friend and Library Journal Mover & Shaker Kristi Chadwick recently wrote a mystery preview column for LJ and we're thrilled (pun intended) that it includes so many of our titles:
BAD COUNTRY by CB McKenzie
On sale November 4, 2014
The newest winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize, this Arizona-set debut mystery stars a Native American rodeo cowboy–turned–private investigator.
BOOTY BONES by Carolyn Haines
On sale May 20, 2014
In Haines's 14th charming Sarah Booth Delaney mystery, Sarah and her fiance Graf's island vacation goes disastrously awry when she's asked to solve the murder of a treasure-hunter.
BROADCHURCH by Erin Kelly
On sale September 2, 2014
This brilliant novelization of the hit television show Broadchurch follows Detectives Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller as they search for a young boy's killer in a quiet British seaside town.
CRADLE TO GRAVE by Eleanor Kuhns
On sale June 17, 2014
In the next Will Rees mystery from Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America competition winner Kuhns, Rees is stunned to learn a Shaker friend of his has been accused of kidnapping and murder.
FATAL ENQUIRY by Will Thomas
On sale May 13, 2014
Thomas is an Oklahoma librarian whose Barker & Llewellyn series, set in Victoria’s England, have won him a devoted following. His latest has the duo trying to figure out a reluctant ally's real motives.
FIVE by Ursula Archer
On sale December 9, 2014
Two Austrian detectives must investigate a series of murders committed by a killer who tattoos map coordinates on his victims in a twisted geocaching game.
FROZEN DEAD by Bernard Minier
On sale August 12, 2014
A suspenseful and chilling murder mystery set in a high-security asylum for the criminally insane and the snowy mountains of the French Pyrénées.
INVISIBLE CITY by Julia Dahl
On sale May 6, 2014
In Dahl's accomplished debut, young journalist Rebekah Roberts finds herself drawn into her mother's tight-knit world when she's assigned to cover the murder of an Hasidic Jew.
LAND OF SHADOWS by Rachel Howzell Hall
On sale June 10, 2014
Homicide detective Elouise “Lou” Norton tries to connect a teen’s death with her own sister’s disappearance.
MIDNIGHT PLAN OF THE REPO MAN by W. Bruce Cameron
On sale October 28, 2014
A repo man's ordinary life is turned upside down when he starts hearing the voice of a dead realtor in his head.
MURDER AT THE BRIGHTWELL by Ashley Weaver
On sale October 14, 2014
An exquisite seaside resort, an eccentric group of British aristocrats on holiday, and rich 1930s detail lay the setting for this fantastic Golden Age–style debut mystery by young librarian Weaver.
WINK OF AN EYE by Lynn Chandler Willis
On sale November 18, 2014
The first woman to win the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Competition in over 10 years, Willis's debut features PI Gypsy Moran who gets roped into a case of murder and police corruption in Texas.
Some titles are available on Edelweiss now—get whitelisted and start reading!
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Thriller Thursday (3/6/14 Edition)
Today we've got a super-sized #ThrillerThursday with mysteries to satisfy every reader, from cozies to psychological suspense and more!
PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
A March 2014 Library Reads pick! "Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)." — Booklist, starred review
THE BLACK-EYED BLONDE by Benjamin Black
Black's "pitch-perfect recreation" of Raymond Chandler's incomparable private eye Philip Marlowe goes "beyond mere thoughtful homage" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) when a seductive young heiress asks Marlowe to find her former lover. "Great fun for Chandlerians." — Booklist
CITY OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT by Rhys Bowen
In the 13th entry of Bowen's New York Times bestselling historical series, Molly Murphy and her infant son are in Paris where she unexpectedly gets entangled in the murder of an Impressionist artist. "Molly is a smart, feisty heroine who admirably defends her investigation to a very skeptical Sûreté. Though placed a decade or so earlier, this breezy historical mystery will appeal to fans of Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple and Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs." — Booklist
THE PLAYER by Brad Parks
In the latest book in Parks' award-winning series, Carter Ross investigates a suspicious disease, but it takes him down a path that leads directly into the arms of the local mob boss. "Parks, a gifted storyteller (with shades of Mark Twain, or maybe Dave Barry), shows his mastery of the comic absurd behind serious journalism in his fifth outing." — Library Journal, starred review
WRECKED by Tricia Fields
"Fields’ third Josie Gray outing is emotionally taut, building to a breathtaking climax and portraying, in the process, the danger inherent in a Texas border town and presenting Josie, previously wary of commitment, with new challenges. More fine southwestern crime fiction by an author who clearly loves the locale." — Booklist, starred review
PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
“Edgar-winner DeSilva melds moral dilemmas with a suspenseful plot in his third novel featuring Providence, R.I.–based reporter Liam Mulligan, his best yet.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Mulligan’s character, played off the vicissitudes of his job, is skillfully layered and engaging. DeSilva, who worked for decades at the AP, won an Edgar for Best First Novel for ROGUE ISLAND (2010). He knows of what he writes.” — Booklist, starred review
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Thriller Thursday (2/13/14 Edition)
Our winter woes continue: the wind is howling like a banshee on top of the Flatiron and North Carolina is buried in snow! Good thing we've got our mysteries to keep us company on this chilly #ThrillerThursday:
WHERE MONSTERS DWELL by Jørgen Brekke
Two gruesome murders take place half a world apart in Virginia and Norway and are somehow connected to The Book of John—a journal bound in human skin written by a sixteenth century serial murderer from Norway. "The buildup to each murder is extraordinarily well done and almost unbearably suspenseful. On the whole, the novel lives up to the edginess of this genre. Brrrr." — Booklist
THE DEALER AND THE DEAD by Gerald Seymour
"A war crime propels this stellar thriller from Edgar-finalist Seymour. How Seymour develops these characters and manipulates them until they all end up in Vukovar is a testament to his talent and skill." — Publishers Weekly, starred & boxed review
"The Bosnian conflict was spectacularly cruel. Two decades on, it continues to spur headlines and to provide potent plotlines for novelists. It’s fitting that Seymour, one of the finest contemporary espionage novelists, shines his unique light on it." — Booklist, starred review
MURDER IN THE AFTERNOON by Frances Brody
In Brody's newest Kate Shackleton novel, Kate must help a family find a man who's presumed dead after he went missing from the local stone quarry. "The bucolic setting of the village of Great Applewick and the period atmosphere add authentic touches to this finely drawn traditional mystery with multiple storylines." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
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Thriller Thursday (2/6/14 Edition)
Happy #ThrillerThursday to these great new mysteries celebrating a #BookBday this week:
DOING HARM by Kelly Parsons
“As a medical thriller, this skillfully wrought debut gets high marks for building tension to a breathtaking climax." – Library Journal, starred review. Even TV star Joel McHale ("The Soup," "Community") loves it!
WHO THINKS EVIL by Michael Kurland
"This latest in Kurland’s novels about the notorious Professor Moriarty—Sherlock Holmes’ most clever adversary—makes for fun reading. Calling Moriarty the hero of these books might stretch the meaning of 'hero' a bit too far—he’s still the evil man we’ve always known him to be—but he’s a fine sleuth and sure makes for a compelling protagonist. Splendid stuff." – Booklist
MISS DIMPLE PICKS A PECK OF TROUBLE by Mignon F. Ballard
"This cozy historical is perfect for World War II buffs interested in the home front scene." – Library Journal
"Ballard infuses emotion and empathy into a very intelligent, believable mystery. Fans of Rhys Bowen may also appreciate this appealing and engagingly written series." – Booklist
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Thriller Thursday (10/24/13 Edition)
Our #ThrillerThursday picks are a bit cozier this week (it's getting cold out!), but enjoyable all the same:
ACCUSED by Lisa Scottoline
The ladies from the Rosato & Associates law firm are back! Mary DiNunzio is now a partner(!) and engaged(!!) and has an unexpected new client: thirteen-year-old Allegra Gardner, who believes the man accused of her sister's murder is innocent. "This is a long-awaited, solid entry into a terrific series that should appeal to fans of Sheldon Siegel, Rose Connors, and Steve Martini." — Booklist
OUTLAW by Mark Sullivan
This high-stakes thriller continues the adventures of former CIA operative and master thief Robin Monarch (after ROGUE), who must rescue the U.S. Secretary of State and foreign ministers from China and India, who have been kidnapped. "Sullivan has created a fine adventure-thriller hero in Monarch, who fits perfectly into the Ludlum or Vince Flynn mode. The action and the surprises are nonstop. Readers will demand the next one in the series, pronto." — Booklist
NEVER LAUGH AS A HEARSE GOES BY by Elizabeth Duncan
Who can resist a mystery involving libraries?!! Duncan's fifth book in the Penny Brannigan series "is a pleasing update of the 'body in the library' standard. In the time-honored tradition of village cozies, Duncan provides structure, subtle clues, rampant gossip, and a satisfying conclusion." — Library Journal, starred review
DUCK THE HALLS by Donna Andrews
In Meg Langslow's 16th mystery, she's tasked with finding an alternate venue for her church's holiday events while simultaneously finding a killer after a series of escalating pranks leaves another church member dead. "Andrews leavens the action with her trademark humor, including dueling Christmas dinners and an extravagant—and extravagantly funny—live nativity scene." —Publishers Weekly
What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib. [...]
Starred Reviews for A Fatal Winter
Agatha Award-winning author G.M. Malliet is getting great reviews for her charming second Max Tudor cozy, A FATAL WINTER!
Max Tudor—Anglican priest, former MI5 agent, and village heartthrob—is investigating two deaths at Chedrow Castle. But his growing attraction to Awena Owen complicates his case, as does the recent arrival at Chedrow Castle of a raucous group of long-lost, greedy relatives, any one of whom has a motive for murder...
"Agatha Christie fans will relish Malliet’s delicious second Max Tudor novel. [...] Clever deduction and a logical fair-play solution are enhanced by the author’s wry humor." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"This series shines for its wit, well-drawn characters, pitch-perfect dialog, and intricately structured puzzle. [...] For Louse Penny fans, of course, but also for those who crave a well-done Golden Age-style mystery." -Library Journal (starred review)
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