Thriller Thursday - 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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It’s a COZY Thursday (12/19/13)

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Thursdays are usually reserved for hearty and heaping dishes of thrillers... And our policy has always been, the bloodier the better! But we’re feeling festive and just generally smiley—or in Anne the “Sweet Teeth” Spieth’s case, coated in flour and sugar thanks to her baking adventures—so, we’ve decided to swap our gruesome reads for a few picks from Macmillan’s cozier shelves:

HEIRS OF THE BODY by Carola Dunn
In this next book in the Daisy Dalrymple series, one of four potential claimants to the title of Lord Dalrymple dies a sudden, nasty death. Was it murder? It's up to Daisy to find out.

MURDER AND MOONSHINE by Carol Miller
This debut mystery set in the heart of moonshine country brims with Southern charm courtesy of our young heroine, Daisy. Working as a diner waitress, Daisy overhears lots of secrets, but not one as dangerous as the one old man Dickerson spills before he drops dead in the diner.

ROSEMARY AND CRIME by Gail Oust
Recently divorced, Piper Prescott has got a new lease on life. She's moved down to Georgia from the north and fulfilled a life long dream by opening a spice shop. But Piper’s grand opening goes awry when the local chef who’s agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed and Piper is suspect #1.

MURDER AS A SECOND LANGUAGE by Joan Hess
In the next Claire Malloy mystery, Claire now finds herself a married woman with free time on her hands. Attempts at volunteering and cooking don't do well, but when her husband Deputy Chief Peter Rosen asks for her help in a murder investigation, Claire finds she's right back where she belongs.

What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib.

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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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Thriller Thursday (11/7/13 Edition)

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Anne Spieth

We've got a jam packed #ThrillerThursday for you today:

AN OLD BETRAYAL by Charles Finch
In the seventh book of Finch’s bestselling Victorian mystery series, a case of mistaken identity has Charles Lenox playing for his highest stakes yet: the safety of Queen Victoria herself. Booklist called it, “A fine addition to this impressive series.”

THE RAVEN'S EYE by Barry Maitland
Maitland's latest in his DCI David Brock and DI Kathy Kolla of Scotland Yard series hit #8 on the November LibraryReads list! "Great recommendation for fans of Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, early Martha Grimes and Deborah Crombie.” —Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary NC

THE GOOD BOY by Theresa Schwegel
In Edgar Award–winner Schwegel's new "nail-biter" (Publishers Weekly), a young boy witnesses a shooting and goes on the run with the only friend he trusts—his dad's police dog.

A NASTY PIECE OF WORK by Robert Littell
Espionage writer Littell turns his talent to crime fiction in a novel that's "Brainy when it needs to be, arch at every conceivable opportunity and good-natured.” — Kirkus Reviews

BEFORE I BURN by Gaute Heivoll
Heivoll's novel is inspired by a real-life arson spree that deeply affected him as he grew up in Norway. In a starred, boxed review, Publishers Weekly called it, "A compulsively readable novel about identity and the increasingly blurred line between art and reality."

What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib. [...]

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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

What are you reading this #ThrillerThursday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib. [...]

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Thriller Thursday (10/17/13 Edition)

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Here's your weekly dose of #ThrillerThursday:

BEHIND THE SHATTERED GLASS by Tasha Alexander
If you prefer your historical mysteries with a touch of Downton Abbey, check out BEHIND THE SHATTERED GLASS, the eighth book in the series starring the lovely sleuth Lady Emily Hargreaves. "Fans will enjoy the series return to Anglemore Park and its cast of characters. Newcomers will relish the upstairs-downstairs plotlines and Lady Emily’s particular talent at interrogation." — Library Journal

CROOKED NUMBERS by Tim O'Mara
Raymond Donne’s former student Douglas Lee had everything going for him thanks to a scholarship to an exclusive private school in Manhattan, but all of that falls apart when his body is found below the Williamsburg Bridge with a dozen knife wounds in it. Now Ray must draw on his past as a cop to find the truth. “O’Mara never hits a wrong note in his suspenseful sequel to Sacrifice Fly.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

RUNNER by Patrick Lee
Lee’s explosive new thriller series starring retired special forces operative Sam Dryden has sold international rights in seven countries and the film rights were optioned by Warner Brothers (our personal casting suggestion: Channing Tatum). Dryden lives a quiet life—that is, until a young girl literally running for her life crashes into him on a seaside boardwalk in the middle of the night. After helping to evade her pursuers, he learns that she escaped from a secret government prison and only knows her name, Rachel, and that she has a mysterious skill that makes her very dangerous. Steve Berry, Lisa Gardner, and Lee Child all love RUNNER, and Library Journal called it “a high-tech thriller that’s hard to put down.”

Share your reads with us @MacmillanLib this #ThrillerThursday!

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Thriller Thursday (10/10/13 Edition)

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Happy #ThrillerThursday friends! There are only three weeks between now and Halloween! We're still working on our own costumes... But love being distracted by the many CAT costumes popping up everywhere -- oh, the horror!

spider cat

*What is your animal wearing for Halloween? Shmackies (Talia’s big-boned 6-year-old Tortoise shell cat) will be going to the Halloween parade as herself, again.

On to our #ThrillerThursday reads!

PAGAN SPRING by G.M. Malliet
"There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth... Malliet delivers all that." —-Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times on WICKED AUTUMN. Indeed, Agatha Award-winner Malliet does deliver again in her third entry in the series featuring the former spy turned cleric Max Tudor. If you love Agatha Christie and Louise Penny, read this now.

DYING IS MY BUSINESS by Nicholas Kaufmann
Kaufman mashes up action, horror and suspense a la Jonathan Maberry with this story starring an immortal hitman who is thrust into a supernatural adventure that will wreak mayhem over the five boroughs of New York. (Or as it's known here, Wednesday. KIDDING!). "...this smartly told series opener by Kaufmann brings new twists to many of the standard tropes of urban fantasy." – Library Journal

APPLE TREE YARD by Louise Doughty
In the tradition of Ian McEwan's SATURDAY, APPLE TREE YARD combines serious moral dilemma with the psychological suspense and dangerous eroticism found in the blockbuster thrillers “Unfaithful” and “Fatal Attraction.” Doughty, who was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, has crafted a character whose demise is excruciating to witness and impossible to look away from.

Share what you're reading with us @MacmillanLib this #ThrillerThursday. [...]

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Thriller Thursday (10/5/13 Edition)

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Anne Spieth

It's October! Or Rocktober, or Shocktober, depending who you're talking to. We're excited because it means extra horror and fright in our #ThrillerThursdays each week as we count down to all-terror-all-the-time Halloween week!

LET THE OLD DREAMS DIE by John Ajvide Lindqvist
"Having trouble handling the dead? This Halloween, you’ll have no better ally than John Ajvide Lindqvist." — BookPage. This classic short story collection from the internationally acclaimed author of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is “Gripping, cerebral, intriguing, enigmatic—like a puzzle you enjoy working on but may never solve.” — Kirkus Reviews

THE SÉANCE SOCIETY by Michael Nethercott
An unlikely pair of sleuths take on a murder case with a paranormal twist in Nethercott's debut novel, which Library Journal praised: "As relaxing as a game of Clue, Nethercott’s cozy debut set in 1956 Connecticut sparkles with a mix of W.B. Yeats and Elvis quotations, well-placed red herrings, and an endearing trio of protagonists. This delightful debut is sure to resonate with Rex Stout’s 'Nero Wolfe' fans."

SKATING UNDER THE WIRE by Joelle Charbonneau
Rebecca Robbins is back in the fourth delightful roller skating mystery, which "...is her best, combining the usual quirky characters with more romance and a surprising denouement." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Booklist Crime webinar

Can't get enough mysteries? Make sure to register for Booklist's "Red Hot Crime" webinar on Tuesday, October 29th. Talia "the terror" Sherer, your favorite mistress of mayhem will be highlighting her favorite mysteries.

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Thriller Thursday (9/19/13 Edition)

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Today marks the start of Bouchercon, the world’s leading convention for crime fiction writers and their adoring fans. Our own Steve Hamilton is the Toastmaster Guest of Honor and we've got three great books nominated for Anthony Awards:

Anthony Award nominees
Best Novel
THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY by Louise Penny
THE OTHER WOMAN by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Best First Novel
DON'T EVER GET OLD by Daniel Friedman

Congratulations to the nominees!

UPDATE: a HUGE congratulations to Louise Penny who won the Anthony Award for Best Novel at Bouchercon 2013, this past Saturday, 9/21. This is Louise Penny’s 4th consecutive and 5th overall Anthony Award!

Now on to our #ThrillerThursday picks:
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Thriller Thursday (9/12/13 Edition)

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Anne Spieth

Happy #ThrillerThursday friends! Today we'd like to tell you about three suspenseful, spine-tingling mysteries that just went on sale this week:

THE EDGE OF NORMAL by Carla Norton
The author of the #1 New York Times nonfiction bestseller PERFECT VICTIM (which the FBI have on their Behavioral Sciences Unit reading list), Norton makes her fiction debut with a perfectly crafted psychological thriller about a former kidnapping victim who must mentor and protect another young girl rescued from a similar situation. With three starred pre-publication reviews, THE EDGE OF NORMAL is a thriller with "the psychological depth of Jonathan Kellerman at his best.” (Booklist, starred review)

THE RED QUEEN DIES by Frankie Y. Bailey

Flash forward to the future: Albany 2019 where a street drug nicknamed "Lullaby" is all the rage. Originally used to treat soldiers with PTSD, it erases traumatic memories—including those of the star witness in a trial who now can't remember the crime. Biracial police detective Hannah McCabe faces similar perplexing problems as she attempts to solve the murders of three women, one of whom is a Broadway actress known as "The Red Queen." Now McCabe must sort through a tangled web of clues involving Alice in Wonderland to find the killer.

THE WRONG GIRL by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Award-winning and Boston Globe bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan continues her thrilling Jane Ryland and Jake Brogan series with a chilling new novel that explores a terrifying scenario: What if you didn’t know the truth about your own family? Boston reporter Ryland is tipped off that a respected adoption agency may be reuniting birth parents with the wrong children; meanwhile, detective Brogan's latest case is a domestic violence homicide resulting in two toddlers being shuttled into the foster care system. Then Brogan discovers an empty cradle at the murder scene. With a missing infant and a killer at large, Ryland and Brogan follow clues that threaten to blow the lid off an adoption agency scandal and lead them deeper into the heart of a foster care system in crisis.

Can't wait to find out what happens next? Neither can we! Share what you're reading this #ThrillerThursday with us @MacmillanLib. Stay suspenseful, friends! [...]

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