|
THE 9th GIRL by Tami Hoag (Psychological Thriller)
The ninth unidentified body to turn up in Minneapolis in 2012 is nicknamed Jane Doe 9. Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska take on the case and discover a shocking fact: This victim has been found without any identifiable characteristics, except for those that peg her as an adolescent girl. Before the investigation is through, the case will take the two detectives deep into the life and death of a teenage girl who wanted nothing more than to be “normal.” Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
AFTER HER by Joyce Maynard (Fiction)
Loosely inspired by the Trailside Killer case that terrorized Marin County, California, in the late 1970s, AFTER HER is a poignant, suspenseful and painfully real family saga that traces a young girl's first explorations of sexuality, the loss of innocence, the bond shared by sisters, and the tender but damaged relationship between a girl and her father that endures even beyond the grave. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
APPROACHING THE SPEED OF LIGHT by Victoria Lustbader (Fiction)
Jody is a likable young man getting by in New York City at the turn of the millennium. On the surface, he seems to have it together. But a secret history has left him scarred and broken inside, lacking faith in the future or himself. Jody’s buried secrets hold him back until his trajectory crosses the path of three very different women, who, in their own ways, hold out the tantalizing possibility of healing, connection…or self-destruction. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
BILLBOARD MAN by Jim Fusilli (Thriller)
Following the brutal murder of his wife, a man finds himself swept into a world of violence and danger. Freed by an unexpected savior, he is still a haunted man who remains the target of his estranged daughter’s scorn. But as he succumbs to sordid temptation and is accused of murder, he must find the real killer to clear himself. He is unaware, though, that his nemesis, a Wall Street power broker, has unleashed a killer on his trail --- and the trail of his daughter. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
THE BONE SEASON by Samantha Shannon (Urban Fantasy)
In the year 2059, several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister than even Scion. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
BONES OF THE LOST by Kathy Reichs (Thriller)
While investigating a mysterious hit-and-run that claimed the life of a teenage girl, Temperance Brennan must also examine a bundle of Peruvian dog mummies confiscated by U.S. Customs. A Desert Storm veteran named Dominick Rockett stands accused of smuggling the objects into the country. Could there be some connection between the trafficking of antiquities and the trafficking of humans? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BOOKSTORE by Deborah Meyler (Fiction)
When Mitchell van Leuven captures Esme Garland’s heart, life seems truly glorious. Before she has a chance to tell Mitchell about her pregnancy, however, he ends their relationship. He eventually recants his criticism, and his passion and promises are hard to resist. But if Esme gives him a second chance, will she, like the struggling bookstore at which she works, lose more than she can handle? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
THE BOY ON THE WOODEN BOX by Leon Leyson (Memoir)
Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only 10 years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man named Oskar Schindler who saved Leon’s life, and the lives of his mother, his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list --- a list that became world-renowned: Schindler’s List. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
BREWSTER by Mark Slouka (Historical Fiction)
Wracked by guilt over his older brother’s childhood death, 16-year-old Jon Mosher turns his rage into victories running track. Meanwhile, Ray Cappicciano is trying to take care of his baby brother while staying out of the way of his abusive father. Jon and Ray form a tight friendship, but it’s not until Ray falls in love with Karen Dorsey that the three friends begin to dream of breaking away from Brewster for good. Freedom, however, has its price. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
COMPOUND FRACTURES by Stephen White (Psychological Thriller)
In this riveting conclusion to Stephen White’s Alan Gregory series, the Boulder psychologist is forced to acknowledge that the perils that may bring him to his knees are not the dangers he recognizes, nor are they orchestrated by the nemesis he has long feared. Instead, he is confronted by unexpected threats from unanticipated adversaries and by intimate betrayal from those who have been closest to him. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
DECEIVED: A Hannah Smith Novel by Randy Wayne White (Mystery/Thriller)
A private museum devoted solely to Florida’s earliest settlers and pioneers has been announced, and many of Hannah Smith’s friends and neighbors in Sulfur Wells are being pressured to make contributions. The problem is, the whole thing is a scam. And when Hannah sets out to uncover whoever is behind it, she discovers that things are even worse than she thought. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE DYING HOURS: A Tom Thorne Novel by Mark Billingham (Mystery)
Tom Thorne becomes convinced that a spate of suicides among the elderly in London are something more sinister. His concerns are dismissed by the Murder Squad he was once part of and he is forced to investigate alone. Now, unable to trust anybody, Thorne risks losing those closest to him as well as endangering those being targeted by a killer unlike any he has hunted before. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND by Jojo Moyes (Fiction)
Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything to see her husband again. Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner is. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE HIGHWAY by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
Two sisters set out across a remote stretch of Montana road, and it is the last time anyone hears from them again. Cody Hoyt, who has just lost his job as police investigator, begins the drive south to the girls’ last known location. Meanwhile, his former rookie partner, Cassie Dewell, discovers that Gracie and Danielle Sullivan aren’t the first girls who have disappeared in this area. This majestic landscape is the hunting ground for a killer whose viciousness is outmatched only by his intelligence. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HUMAN REMAINS by Elizabeth Haynes (Psychological Thriller)
Police analyst Annabel wouldn't describe herself as lonely. Her work and the needs of her aging mother keep her busy. But Annabel is shocked when she discovers her neighbor's decomposing body in the house next door, and she is appalled to think that no one, including herself, noticed the woman's absence. Annabel sets out to investigate, despite her colleagues' lack of interest, and discovers that such cases are frighteningly common in her hometown. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
IMPOSSIBLE ODDS: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six by Jessica Buchanan and Erik Landemalm, with Anthony Flacco (Memoir)
IMPOSSIBLE ODDS chronicles the mutual journey of Jessica Buchanan and her husband, Erik Landemalm, during the torturous months when Jessica was kidnapped at gunpoint and held for ransom by a band of Somali pirates. Together they relate the events prior to the kidnapping, the drama of Jessica’s fight to stay alive, and Erik’s efforts to bolster and support the hunt for her while he acted as liaison between their two families, the FBI, professional hostage negotiators, and the United States government. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
KIND OF CRUEL by Sophie Hannah (Psychological Thriller)
Amber Hewerdine suffers from chronic insomnia and, as a last resort, decides to visit a hypnotherapist. Under hypnosis, she hears herself saying “Kind, cruel, kind of cruel,” words that awaken a vague memory. Two hours later, Amber is arrested for the brutal murder of a woman she’s never heard of, and the only way she can clear her name is by remembering exactly where she has seen those words. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE LAST WORD: A Spellman Novel by Lisa Lutz (Mystery)
After Isabel Spellman's hostile takeover of her family's firm, her employees are the furthest thing from congenial...and Izzy finds herself struggling to pay the bills, even though she's now the one running Spellman Investigations. But when she is accused of embezzling from a former client, the stakes become immense. If Izzy gets indicted, she could lose her PI license and the Spellman family’s livelihood, not to mention her own freedom. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.
LET ME GO: An Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell Novel by Chelsea Cain (Thriller)
Escaped serial killer Gretchen Lowell is back, and detective Archie Sheridan’s nemesis and sometimes lover has something special in mind for him, something she’s been planning for a very long time. With time running out, and the life of someone close to Archie on the line, Archie knows his only chance is to give Gretchen exactly what she wants. But Gretchen will prove more horrifying and unpredictable than Archie could ever imagine. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
MARCH, Book One written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell (Graphic Novel Memoir)
Opening on the morning of President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, MARCH is a vivid first-hand account of Congressman John Lewis's lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis's personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Reviewed by John Hogan.
MIDNIGHT by Kevin Egan (Legal Thriller)
When Judge Alvin Canter quietly expires in his chambers on December 31st, his loyal clerk and secretary know their jobs will vanish at closing time --- unless they can conceal the judge’s death until after midnight. Neither Tom Carroway nor Carol Scilingo can afford to be out of work, and they both have secrets they’re desperate to keep hidden. They plan to make it look like the judge died at home on New Year’s Day, but when other people get involved, Tom and Carol find themselves over their heads in an increasingly dangerous conspiracy. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
NECESSARY LIES by Diane Chamberlain (Historical Fiction)
Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina, in a time of state-mandated sterilizations and racial tension, NECESSARY LIES tells the story of two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. A social worker and a 15-year-old are thrown together and must ask themselves: how can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong? Reviewed by Alexis Burling.
NEVER GO BACK: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child (Thriller)
In his latest novel, Lee Child throws Jack Reacher for a loop that will change the man forever and send him into his most perilous mission yet. Finally arriving in Virginia, hoping to see the woman he spoke to on the phone in 61 HOURS, Reacher finds himself drafted back into the Army and facing a case that digs deep into his past --- and has personal ramifications that could change him for life. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl (Literary Thriller)
Ashley Cordova’s death is ruled a suicide, but veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley’s life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive cult-horror-film director Stanislas Cordova. For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
PICTURE PERFECT: The Jodi Arias Story: A Beautiful Photographer, Her Mormon Lover, and a Brutal Murder by Shanna Hogan (True Crime)
When Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias met at a convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, neither realized that they were about to embark on a tumultuous, tempestuous frenzy of sexual attraction and obsession that ultimately would leave one of them dead and the other behind bars in a scandal that was anything but "picture perfect." Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
THE REASON I JUMP: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida, translated by KA Yoshida and David Mitchell (Memoir)
Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart and self-aware 13-year-old boy with autism, THE REASON I JUMP demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. He shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
THE RETURN by Michael Gruber (Thriller)
A shattering piece of news awakens Richard Marder’s buried desire for vengeance, and with nothing left to lose, he sets off to punish the people whose actions changed his life. He and his old army buddy, Patrick Skelly, raise the stakes far beyond anything he could have envisioned. As they head toward an apocalypse of their own making, Marder learns that good motives and sense of justice can’t always protect the people a man loves. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE RETURNED by Jason Mott (Thriller)
In their old age, Harold and Lucille have settled comfortably into life without their son, who died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. But then one day, Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep --- still eight years old. All over the world, people's loved ones are returning from beyond. The Hargraves are forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
SANDRINE'S CASE by Thomas H. Cook (Mystery/Thriller)
Samuel Madison always wondered what Sandrine saw in him. On the surface, their relationship and marriage seemed perfectly tranquil. But then one night, Sandrine is found dead in their bed and Samuel is accused of her murder. As the truth about their often tumultuous relationship comes to light, Samuel must face a town and media convinced of his guilt, a daughter whose faith in her father has been shaken to its core, and astonishing revelations about his wife that make him fall in love with her for a second time. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
STRONG RAIN FALLING: A Caitlin Strong Novel by Jon Land (Thriller)
A pitched gun battle forces fifth Generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong and her lover, Cort Wesley Masters, down a winding trail through the past and the present with danger at every turn. Along the way, they will confront terrible truths dating all the way back to the Mexican Revolution and the dogged battle Caitlin’s own grandfather and great-grandfather fought against the first generation of Mexican drug dealers. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
TAMARACK COUNTY by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)
As a blizzard swells just days before Christmas, the car belonging to the wife of a retired local judge is discovered abandoned on a rural road. When the beloved pet dog of a friend is found decapitated, private investigator Cork O’Connor begins to detect a startling pattern of ominous incidents throughout the area. Then Cork’s son is nearly killed, and he knows this is no trick of his imagination. Someone is spinning a deadly web in Tamarack County. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
TELL NO LIES by Gregg Hurwitz (Thriller)
Daniel Brasher finds an envelope in his department mailbox --- one intended for someone else that was placed in his slot by accident. Inside it is an unsigned piece of paper, a note that says only “admit what you’ve done or you will bleed for it. you have 'til november 15 at midnite.” The deadline has already passed, and the person to whom the envelope was addressed was brutally murdered. But this first warning is only the beginning. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
TRAGIC by Robert K. Tanenbaum (Thriller)
A villainous union leader is willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to protect his corrupt longshoremen’s union. When a whistleblower tries to clean up the system, the leader sees his way of life threatened by this bold newcomer. He orders an open hit contract to kill the man, which is carried out by three of his underlings. Soon the law picks up on the trail, and Marlene Ciampi and Butch Karp team up to expose the man for the fraud and murderer that he is before the body count increases. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
TUMBLEDOWN by Robert Boswell (Fiction)
James Candler seems to be well on the road to success at age 33. But the reality is that he’s falling in love with another woman, he’s underwater on his mortgage, and he’s put his hapless best friend in charge of his signature therapeutic program. And his clients are struggling in their own hilarious, heartbreaking ways to keep their lives on track. How can he help them if he can’t help himself? Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
UNLEASHED: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Andy Carpenter’s accountant, Sam Willis, receives a phone call from Barry Price, a high school friend he hasn’t spoken to in years, pleading for help with something too frightening to discuss on the phone. Barry needs Sam’s financial acumen and Andy's legal expertise, but by the time Sam makes it to Barry's house, Barry has already taken off on a private airplane headed somewhere. They soon learn that Barry’s plane has crashed and come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
|
