thriller - Macmillan Library

Thriller Thursday (1/16/14 Edition)

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Anne Spieth

We've got a super-sized Thriller Thursday for you today (and stay tuned for very exciting just-announced mystery-related news!):

THE HARLOT'S TALE by Samuel Thomas
In "Thomas’s superior second whodunit set in 17th-century York" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), midwife Bridget Hodgson investigates a series of murders she thinks are being committed by someone under the influence of a fanatical preacher. "Historical-mystery readers will enjoy this well-plotted story featuring an assortment of strong women." – Booklist

APPLE TREE YARD by Louise Doughty
A woman in the wrong place, at the wrong time with the wrong man—evocative of the psychological suspense and dangerous eroticism found in the blockbuster thrillers “Unfaithful” and “Fatal Attraction.” "Shocking, seductive, and wickedly intense, the latest literary work from top British author and columnist Doughty is a knockout novel with thriller undertones." – Booklist

DEAD TO ME by Cath Staincliffe
British TV screenwriter and CWA Award winner Staincliffe's latest mystery pairs a team of unlikely detectives hunting a murderer. "Most reminiscent of television’s Cagney & Lacey series, the novel—a prequel to a popular British television programs, Scott & Bailey—should appeal to readers who enjoy female buddy books like Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series and Lisa Scottoline’s Rosato & Associates legal thrillers." – Booklist, starred review

BAD WOLF by Nele Neuhaus
In the next book in the internationally bestselling series that began with SNOW WHITE MUST DIE, Inspectors Kirchhoff and von Bodenstein work two seemingly unrelated cases that converge in a scandalous twist. "Fans of Jo Nesbö's gritty thrillers will enjoy the intricacies of the plot." – Library Journal

NYPD PUZZLE by Parnell Hall
In Hall's 15th(!) Puzzle Lady mystery, Cora Felton storms New York City, only to find herself the key suspect in a murder. Including new puzzles by Will Shortz, solving for 4-DOWN is just as satisfying as finding out whodunnit. "Between Hall’s snappy dialogue and Will Shortz’s puzzles, comic mystery buffs have plenty to enjoy." – Publishers Weekly

SNOWBLIND by Christopher Golden
Survivors of a blizzard twelve years ago are being haunted by the memories of those who died. Booklist called it, "Great fodder for a dark and snowy night" and horrormeister Stephen King decreed, "Throw away all those old ‘it was a dark and stormy night’ novels; this one is the real deal.”

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For Your Consideration: March LibraryReads titles

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Anne Spieth

Happy Monday to our dear librarian pals,

We’d like to remind y’all that the February 1 deadline to nominate March 2014 publications for the next LibraryReads list is just around the corner!

Get thee to edelweiss! Download a DRC, read it, love it and nominate it! REPEAT!

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer

International politics are at play as an Egyptian agent, an American analyst, a CIA agent, and a bereaved wife all converge on Cairo to find out why a diplomat was assassinated.

"THE CAIRO AFFAIR is an elegant, elaborate clockwork of mystery and deception that should draw readers in and keep them on tenterhooks as they try to figure out what is really making it all tick." — Publishers Weekly, boxed signature review

"It has become de rigeur to compare Steinhauer to le Carré, but it’s nearly time to pass the torch: for the next generation, it’s Steinhauer who will become the standard by which others are measured." — Booklist, starred review

SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler

Butler's debut novel about the relationship between four friends in a small Midwest town was selected by the ABA for the Spring 2014 Indies Introduce program.

"The hearty Midwest, which thrums and beats through tiny Little Wing, Wisconsin-an Anytown, USA, if there ever was one-assumes the whole soul of Butler's fetching debut. Readers can feel the winter cold on the other side of the neon sign and hear the peanut shells crunching underfoot." — Booklist

TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green

From the New York Times bestselling author of ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART comes a riveting new novel about the events leading up to one woman's affair—and its aftermath.

"A SCARLET LETTER for the 21st century." — Kirkus Reviews

PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth

"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

I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

"In a departure from her series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir, Iceland’s queen of suspense combines modern crime detection with mysticism to chilling effect. Nordic mystery writers can raise goosebumps as few others can, and Sigurdardottir shows she’s one of the best." — Booklist, starred review

Let’s not forget the buzz that’s been building for this gem.

THE HAVEN by Carol Lynch Williams

For the teens at The Haven, the world beyond the towering stone wall that surrounds the premises is a dangerous unknown and always has been since the hospital was established in the year 2020. It was built to help control the Disease that claims limbs and lungs-and memories-but what if it's not the safe place it claims to be? Award-winning YA novelist Williams' new novel is "Deliciously enigmatic." — Kirkus Reviews

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

Go beyond the book and read this Publishers Weekly interview with DeSilva.

For more March LibraryReads title suggestions, view our collection on Edelweiss. Happy reading and happy nominating!

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Stars for I REMEMBER YOU

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Anne Spieth

TGIF! We hope y’all survived the polar vortex on the couch under a blanket with a good book and steaming mug of cocoa. (No? There's your weekend plan. You’re welcome.)

Today we've got a great ghost story with two early starred reviews and love from readers: I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir.

Partly based on a true story, this supernatural thriller weaves together two separate tales–a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman who was obsessed with the doctor's vanished son and three friends who are disturbed by a presence while renovating a rundown house in an isolated village–into an unforgettable read.

"In a departure from her series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir, Iceland’s queen of suspense combines modern crime detection with mysticism to chilling effect. Sigurdardottir skillfully builds the early ominous warnings...as the unexplained becomes terrifying. Nordic mystery writers can raise goosebumps as few others can, and Sigurdardottir shows she’s one of the best." – Booklist, starred review

"Sigurdardottir has written an excellent and seriously scary mystery with tangible and supernatural elements that will appeal to fans of John Ajvide Lindqvist (LET THE RIGHT ONE IN)." – Library Journal, starred review

Get whitelisted on Edelweiss and read I REMEMBER YOU.

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Thriller Thursday (12/5/13 Edition)

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Everyone's in holiday mode, but murder and mayhem never rest!

Here are some of our recent #ThrillerThursday favorites to add to your reading wish list:

GOING DARK by James W. Hall
Thorn’s newly discovered son, Flynn, has naively fallen in with a group of extreme environmental activists who want to shut down a nuclear plant. When Thorn learns that some of the activists have far more violent intentions, he must intervene to try to save his son's life.
"Hall shifts among the skillfully drawn characters, each uncertain of which ends justify extreme means, as the action races toward a literally explosive climax at the nuclear plant. The result is both thoughtful and white-knuckle tense." – Publishers Weekly, starred review

SHOOT THE WOMAN FIRST by Wallace Stroby
In the third book in the Crissa Stone series, the professional thief has stolen a drug lord's money and is on a mission to deliver part of the take to the needy family of one of her slain partners. Hot on Crissa's heels are the drug kingpin’s lethal lieutenants and a former Detroit cop with his own deadly agenda.
"Crissa Stone is emerging as one of the more compelling female criminals in mystery fiction. Stroby nails this taut, gripping contest between well-matched opponents." – Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE SPOOK LIGHTS AFFAIR by Marcia Muller & Bill Pronzini
MWA Grand Masters Muller and Pronzini return to San Francisco in 1865 with new cases for John Concannon and Sabina Carpenter. Sabina investigates a disappearance of a debutante one foggy night, while John looks for the robber who stole $35,000 from Wells Fargo.
"Historical mystery readers will enjoy this well-researched story from a pair of always reliable genre veterans." – Booklist

ONCE UPON A LIE by Maggie Barbieri
In a dramatic departure from her Murder 101 series, Maggie Barbieri has written a gripping novel about one burnt out mother's desperate determination to protect her family's future by facing down her past. What starts out as a standard suburban mystery evolves into an unexpectedly riveting tale of ordinary cruelty and complicated heroism.
"...Barbieri skillfully avoids tipping her hand until the last possible moment, leaving readers both breathless and unnerved by the novel’s conclusion." – Publishers Weekly, starred & boxed review

What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib. And don't forget to share your #libfaves13 (especially if they're mysteries)!

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Three stars for RUNNER!

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Welcome back, friends! We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving break like we did. We're more than happy to shake off the tryptophan coma with some great news:

Patrick Lee’s explosive new thriller RUNNER has scooped up THREE starred advance reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, plus a great one from Kirkus Reviews:

“Lee’s precise detailing of technology and medical science recalls the best of Tom Clancy and Robin Cook, while his believable hero adds a Jack Reacher vibe.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Tension mounts right from the start in this nonstop action-packed narrative and seldom flags….All in all, it’s a high-tech thriller that’s hard to put down.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Thriller fans, especially those drawn to conspiracies and espionage, will enjoy the cutting-edge weapons development, the anxiety-ridden showdown between cunning and technology, and the compellingly connected characters.” — Booklist, starred review

"Readers who pick up Lee’s latest should be prepared to miss their favorite television shows, since they won’t put this book down long enough to watch them.” — Kirkus Reviews

Most recently, RUNNER was named a March Indie Next pick!

RUNNER is the first in a new series starring retired special forces operative Sam Dryden. It's sold international rights in seven countries and the film rights were optioned by Warner Brothers with director Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6) attached. It's one of Anne's personal favorites of the season and if you've heard her talk about it recently at book buzzes, then you know she's very vocal about her casting suggestion (Channing Tatum).

Publishers Weekly interviewed Patrick Lee about the book (Dec. 30 issue):

PW: What was your inspiration for RUNNER and Sam Dryden?
PL: The idea’s initial germ was a protagonist protecting a character who seems entirely vulnerable, but who may turn out to be very dangerous. Sam Dryden emerged as a balance between two things I was looking for in a main character: someone who’s ordinary, and yet is capable of dealing with fairly dangerous situations. So his background is military, including time spent doing things off-the-books that he’s not entirely proud of. But all of that is several years behind him when this series begins.

PW: Why are your novels heavy on technology, à la Tom Clancy?
PL: That grew out of my own interest in technology, and how quickly things are changing around us. I think it’s about 99% good (self-driving cars, potentially improved medical treatments because of genome sequencing) and maybe 1% bad (tech forecasters aren’t optimistic about the future of privacy).

PW: How do you conduct your research?
PL: Pretty often I just draw upon knowledge I’ve already encountered when reading for fun. I love reading nonfiction by writers like Jared Diamond, Richard Dawkins, and Carl Sagan. Bill Bryson is another favorite.

PW: What did you base the mind control in RUNNER on?
PL: The mind-control/mind-reading part is made up, but most of the technical dialogue about how DNA works is based on real science. I tried to make the concept feel plausible by comparing it to abilities that really exist in nature, like the capability of salamanders to regrow limbs. Some scientists think our own ancient ancestors, hundreds of millions of years ago, could regrow limbs, too, and that the DNA instructions for doing so might still exist in us, long-since switched off by more recent genes. I liked the idea of framing mind reading that same way: as a scary thing buried deep in the genetic toy box, which science has managed to dig out.

PW: How close is RUNNER to becoming a movie?
PL: Warner Brothers has bought the film rights. I should probably err on the side of caution as far as talking about it, but some of the people involved at this point are Pouya Shahbazian, Justin Lin, and Adam Cozad. I’m crossing all digits that can be crossed.

PW: What’s next?
PL: The sequel to RUNNER, still untitled. It takes place a couple years after the events of RUNNER, and I probably shouldn’t reveal too much else. Plus I’m still writing it, so everything is subject to change.

If you haven't read it yet, don't wait. Get whitelisted and download your review copy today. Then nominate it for LibraryReads (the deadline for the February list is January 1, 2014).

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NYPL Mystery Book Buzz 2013

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Today Anne is presenting all the latest and greatest Mystery titles at the New York Public Library Book Buzz (9:30-noon EST). We don't want anyone to feel left out, so here’s what she’ll be talking about:

AN OLD BETRAYAL by Charles Finch
The seventh book in Finch’s bestselling Victorian mystery series, starring his intelligent and charming sleuth extraordinaire Charles Lenox.

ONCE UPON A LIE by Maggie Barbieri
In a dramatic departure from her Murder 101 series, Barbieri has written a riveting mystery about one burnt out mother's desperate determination to protect her family's future by facing down her past.

MURDER AND MOONSHINE by Carol Miller
A debut mystery set in the heart of moonshine country and brimming with Southern charm courtesy of our heroine Daisy, a young diner waitress.

ROSEMARY AND CRIME by Gail Oust
Murder comes well-seasoned in this charming new cozy series featuring Piper Prescott, a small-town Georgia spice shop owner/spunky amateur sleuth.

THE ORPHAN CHOIR by Sophie Hannah
A standalone psychological suspense novel that is “Absolutely haunting, in every sense of the word.” — Booklist, starred review

SNOWBLIND by Christopher Golden
Survivors of a blizzard twelve years ago are being haunted by the memories of those who died. Stephen King said, "Throw away all those old ‘it was a dark and stormy night’ novels; this one is the real deal.”

APPLE TREE YARD by Louise Doughty
A woman in the wrong place, at the wrong time with the wrong man—evocative of the psychological suspense and dangerous eroticism found in the blockbuster thrillers “Unfaithful” and “Fatal Attraction.”

BAD WOLF by Nele Neuhaus
The next book in the internationally bestselling series that began with SNOW WHITE MUST DIE.

THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry
A couple are restarting their lives five years after their son died in a tragic accident. But is the son really dead?

DOING HARM by Kelly Parsons
In this highly anticipated debut thriller from board-certified urologist Parsons, a doctor is about to get his dream job at a Boston hospital when he learns his patient’s mysterious death was caused by a sociopath he knows.

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.

PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
Rachel and Clara are two best friends who drift apart—until Rachel's job as a crime reporter leads her back to Clara, who turns out to be the missing person at the police press conference Rachel is covering.

THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL by Vaughn Entwistle
Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde team up to investigate the future death of a medium at a manor in the English countryside.

NOTORIOUS by Allison Brennan
Brennan launches a new series starring investigative reporter Max Revere, a tough-as-nails lady with with her own TV show and a knack for solving cold cases.

RUNNER by Patrick Lee
An explosive new thriller series starring retired special forces operative Sam Dryden. Library Journal called it “a high-tech thriller that’s hard to put down.”

DEAD WATER by Ann Cleeves
The eagerly awaited new entry in Ann Cleeves' popular mystery series set in the Shetland Islands, now airing on BBC as the television series Shetland.

DON’T EVER LOOK BACK by Daniel Friedman
The sequel to the Edgar Award-nominated debut DON'T EVER GET OLD, starring feisty octogenarian Buck Schatz. This time Buck is trying to finish some unsolved robberies from his past.

FROM THE CHARRED REMAINS by Susanna Calkins
In the next charming historical mystery featuring chambermaid Lucy Campion, a dead body is discovered in the wreckage of the Great Fire of London—only the victim didn't perish in the blaze.

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
International politics are at play as an Egyptian agent, an American analyst, a CIA agent, and a bereaved wife all converge on Cairo to find out why a diplomat was assassinated.

DESTROYER ANGEL by Nevada Barr
In the next book in the Anna Pigeon series, Anna must rescue her four friends from armed thugs while on a camping trip with no access to the outside world and limited resources.

KEEP QUIET by Lisa Scottoline
New York Times bestseller Scottoline's new thriller about a father making a split-second decision to save his son—and the consequences that follow.

Want a briefer, more adorable version? Click here to download the handout. To those attending, see you soon! [...]

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Halloween Horror Week – Wicked Wednesday!

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Anne Spieth

More vintage from the vault: this time Early Word has Talia's recommendations in a feature called Terror With Sherer:

IN WITH THE DEVIL: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene

CURTAINS: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training by Tom Jokinen

SHUTTER ISLAND by Dennis Lehane

DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER by Jeff Lindsay

How you get the pie out cat
While Talia’s got the scares, Anne’s got the sweets. Today’s the bake-off at work. She entered the Pumpkin Granola Truffles. Wish her luck! [...]

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Halloween Horror Week – Terrifying Tuesday!

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Today's the day of the Booklist "Red Hot Crime" webinar! Join your favorite mistress of mayhem, Talia "the terror" Sherer, at 1pm Central Time to find out what mysteries are keeping her up late at night. There's still time to sign up--click here to RSVP.

Talia's Gory Bits

If you can't wait until then, make sure to check out Talia's Favorite Gory Bits feature on Booklist for some classic backlist choices:

Cat lobster

EVIL AT HEART by Chelsea Cain

FLESH HOUSE by Stuart MacBride

SHAKE THE DEVIL OFF by Ethan Brown

THE GARGOYLE by Andrew Davidson

SNOW ANGELS by James Thompson

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Friday FREE (Sampler) Day!

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Did you know our friends at St. Martin's Press love librarians?

It's true. They care about you SO much that they created a sampler featuring excerpts from 20 of their favorite Fall 2013 titles. It's a calorie-free buffet for #librariansonly!

Click here to download your copy.

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Thriller Thursday (10/24/13 Edition)

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Anne Spieth

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

Tag: thriller