Killer Instinct by James Patterson & Howard Roughan
Release Date: September 9th
Dr. Dylan Reinhart and Detective Elizabeth Needham–now known to audiences from the top-rated CBS series–reunite to stop the most sinister plot against New York City since 9/11.
The murder of an Ivy League professor pulls Dr. Dylan Reinhart out of his ivory tower and onto the streets of New York, where he reunites with his old partner, Detective Elizabeth Needham. As the worst act of terror since 9/11 strikes the city, a name on the casualty list rocks Dylan’s world. Is his secret past about to be brought to light?
As the terrorist attack unfolds, Elizabeth Needham does something courageous that thrusts her into the media spotlight. She’s a reluctant hero. And thanks to the attention, she also becomes a prime target for the ruthless murderer behind the attack.
Dylan literally wrote the book on the psychology of murder, and he and Elizabeth have solved cases that have baffled conventional detectives. But the sociopath they’re facing this time is the opposite of a textbook case. There’s no time to study for the test he’s about to give them. And if they fail, they die.
Why you should be excited about it: Patterson has no shortage of story ideas, and with a well-stocked fleet of co-authors in hand to help him churn them out, you’ll see his name pop up a few times on this list. For this one, specifically, at the heart of the story is a murder mystery that involves all kinds of trouble in NYC. Plus, it’s the second book in this young series—it’ll be fun to see if this franchise can take off the same way so many others have under Patterson’s watch.
Release Date: September 10th
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King, the most riveting and unforgettable story of kids confronting evil since It—publishing just as the second part of It, the movie, lands in theaters.
In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”
In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.
As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good vs. evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win.
Why you should be excited about it: It’s Stephen King. Check that. It’s a new book from Stephen King. Honestly, do you need to know anything else? (The correct answer, by the way, is no.)
The Titanic Secret by Clive Cussler
Release Date: September 10th
When Isaac Bell attempts to decipher the forbidding deaths of nine men, he encounters a secret so powerful it could dictate the fate of the world in this riveting thriller by the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.
A century apart, NUMA Director Dirk Pitt and detective Isaac Bell team up to unlock the truth about the most famous maritime disaster of all time.
In the present day, Pitt makes a daring rescue from inside an antiquated submersible in the waters off New York City. His reward afterwards is a document left behind a century earlier by legendary detective Isaac Bell–a document that re-opens a historical mystery…
In 1911, in Colorado, Isaac Bell is asked to look into an unexplained tragedy at Little Angel Mine, in which nine people died. His dangerous quest to answer the riddle leads to a larger puzzle centered on byzanium, a rare element with extraordinary powers and of virtually incalculable value. As he discovers that there are people who will do anything to control the substance, Isaac Bell will find out just how far he’ll go to stop them.
Why you should be excited about it: Welcome back Jack Du Brul, who previously co-authored seven books with Cussler, all of which were part of his Oregon Files series. Now Du Brul is back in the co-writing chair, but with a new series as the duo brings back Issac Bell, who is my favorite Cussler character not named Dirk Pitt. Bell was last seen in the 2017 novel The Cutthroat, and after sitting out 2018, it’s good to see him back on the case. Also, without giving anything away—this book is really well done. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Robert B. Parker’s The Bitterest Pill by Reed Farrel Coleman
Release Date: September 10th
The opioid epidemic has reached Paradise, and Police Chief Jesse Stone must rush to stop the devastation in the latest thriller in Robert B. Parker’s New York Times-bestselling series.
When a popular high school cheerleader dies of a suspected heroin overdose, it becomes clear that the opioid epidemic has spread even to the idyllic town of Paradise. It will be up to police chief Jesse Stone to unravel the supply chain and unmask the criminals behind it, and the investigation has a clear epicenter: Paradise High School. Home of the town’s best and brightest future leaders and its most vulnerable down-and-out teens, it’s a rich and bottomless market for dealers out of Boston looking to expand into the suburbs.
But when it comes to drugs, the very people Jesse is trying to protect are often those with the most to lose. As he digs deeper into the case, he finds himself battling self-interested administrators, reluctant teachers, distrustful schoolkids, and overprotective parents . . . and at the end of the line are the true bad guys, the ones with a lucrative business they’d kill to protect.
Why you should be excited about it: No, Coleman doesn’t channel Parker’s voice as well as other estate-hired authors Mike Lupica and Ace Atkins, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, Reed is a helluva writer and his hard-boiled style suits Jesse Stone and this series well. His last book was maybe his best Stone novel so far, so expect this one to be great as well.
Release Date: September 24th
An unprecedented and terrifying bioterrorism plot threatens to kill millions in the midst of a divisive presidential election in this new thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series.
A toxic presidential election is underway in an America already badly weakened by internal divisions. While politicians focus entirely on maintaining their own power and privilege, ISIS kidnaps a brilliant French microbiologist and forces him to begin manufacturing anthrax. Slickly produced videos chronicling his progress and threatening an imminent attack are posted to the Internet, intensifying the hysteria gripping the US.
ISIS recruits a Mexican drug cartel to smuggle the bioweapon across the border, but it’s really just a diversion. The terrorist organization needs to keep Mitch Rapp and Irene Kennedy distracted long enough to weaponize a deadly virus that they stumbled upon in Yemen. If they succeed, they’ll trigger a pandemic that could rewrite the world order.
Rapp embarks on a mission to infiltrate the Mexican cartels and track down the ISIS leader who he failed to kill during their last confrontation. But with Washington’s political elite increasingly lined up against him, he knows he’ll be on his own.
Why you should be excited about it: I’m just going to say it . . . if you read only one book this entire season, hell if you read just one book in 2019, make it this one. Mills has been a brilliant choice to take over for the late Vince Flynn, and under his care, Mitch Rapp—our two-time winning Most Lethal Character in the Thriller Genre—has continued to flourish. That’s excellent for readers and terrible news for bad guys everywhere. Speaking of which, for the first time since Mills stepped in, one of the villains here is a politician who plays a prominent role during the most divisive presidential election in American history. That gives Lethal Agent an old-school Vince Flynn feel, and there’s a clear nod to earlier books in the series like Memorial Day and Separation of Power. Bottom line: Don’t miss this book for anything.
Trained to Hunt by Simon Gervais
Release Date: September 24th
No limits. No rules. No mercy. Can one man take down an entire drug cartel?
Former Army Ranger Pierce Hunt is second-guessing his decision to join a CIA hunter-killer team that will take him far away from his daughter. But when a new performance-enhancing drug kills four football players—including his daughter’s boyfriend—settling down becomes the last thing on Hunt’s mind.
When Anna Garcia, Hunt’s lover and head of the largest drug cartel in Miami, becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, the stakes become even more personal. Not convinced that Anna is capable of such extremes, Hunt looks far and wide for evidence to exonerate her and stop a vicious enemy who plans to flood the US market with an addictive new drug. Outgunned, outmanned, and out of time, Hunt is the country’s last hope to stop a deadly new drug from making countless new victims.
Why you should be excited about it: Gervais has fast become one of the rising talents on the thriller scene, and his new series is a real step up from his Mike Walton days, no offense to the former covert field operator. This one packs a triple-dose of action with a hearty shot of suspense for good measure—but it’s Gervais’ growth as a writer that stands out, as he continues to flash major potential that should have top-tier characters like Scot Harvath and Court Gentry making room at the top of the genre.
Sins of the Fathers by J.A. Jance
Release Date: September 24th
Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont is drawn into an intriguing, and shockingly personal, case in this superb tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.
Former Seattle homicide cop, J. P. Beaumont, is learning to enjoy the new realities of retirementdoing morning crossword puzzles by a roaring fireplace; playing frisbee with his new dog; having quiet lunches with his still working wife. But then his past comes calling.
When a long ago acquaintance, Alan Dale, shows up on Beau’s doorstep with a newborn infant in hand and asking for help locating his missing daughter, Beau finds himself faced with an investigation that will turn his own life upside down by dragging his none-too-stellar past onto a roller-coaster ride that may well derail his serene present. It turns out that, even in retirement, murder is still the name of J. P. Beaumont’s game.
Why you should be excited about it: Jance is a true pro, and one of the most successful writers on this list. Over the course of her brilliant career, she’s juggled multiple hit series over the mystery and thriller genres. I read this one a few weeks ago and thought it was as good as anything she’s written over the last five years I’ve been covering her stuff.
Release Date: September 24th
The murder of a small-time drug dealer snowballs into the most complex case ever faced by Joe Gunther and his VBI team.
It is said a bright and clear bomber’s moon is the best asset to finding one’s target. But beware what you wish for: What you can see at night can also see you. Often with dire consequences.
Bomber’s Moon is Archer Mayor’s latest entry in the Joe Gunther series and it may just be his best yet.
Two young women form the heart of this tale. One, an investigative reporter, the other a private investigator. Uneasy allies from completely different walks of life, they work together―around and sometimes against Joe Gunther and his VBI cops―in an attempt to connect the murders of a small town drug dealer, a smart, engaging, fatally flawed thief, and the tangled, political, increasingly dark goings on at a prestigious prep school.
While Gunther and the VBI set about solving the two murders, Sally Kravitz and Rachel Reiling combine their talents and resources to go where the police cannot, from working undercover at Thorndike Academy, to having clandestine meetings with criminals for their insider’s knowledge of Vermont’s unexpectedly illicit underbelly.
But there is a third element at work. A malevolent force, the common link in all this death and chaos, is hard at work sowing mayhem to protect its ancient, vicious, very dark roots.
Why you should be excited about it: Mayor’s 30th Joe Gunther book is another solid outing from the veteran New York Times bestseller. This time around, Gunther is investigating a pair of murders—and readers can expect plenty of misdirection and suspense along the way. I love the noir-ish vibe to these books, and Mayor knows how to hold readers’ attention.
All The Devils by Barry Eisler
Release Date: September 24th
A search for a pair of serial rapists leads Livia Lone down the darkest and most dangerous trail of her life in a pulse-pounding thriller by New York Times bestselling author Barry Eisler.
Ten years ago, the daughter of Homeland Security Investigations agent B. D. Little vanished into thin air. So did seven other girls—the crimes all bearing the same signature characteristics.
Now the disappearances have begun again. And Agent Little’s efforts to investigate are being blocked by forces far above his pay grade. Desperate, he turns to Seattle sex-crimes detective Livia Lone, the most obsessive hunter of predators Little knows.
Livia will need that obsessiveness, and a lot more. Because the two men Little is pursuing are fearsome. Both Special Forces veterans with a dozen tours in Iraq between them. Both sadists and serial rapists. And one, the congressman scion of the vice president of the United States—a man who will use all his power to protect his son’s secrets and further his own ambitions.
The conspirators have all the assets and all the angles. And every reason to believe they’ll evade justice, as they always have before.
They don’t understand that for Livia Lone, justice is only a guideline. Revenge is the rule.
Why you should be excited about it: Eisler is such a versatile writer . . . whether it’s deliciously-dark or all-out action, he simply can’t miss right now. His last book saw his two series protagonists, assassin John Rain and police officer Livia lone, finally team-up. Now, the author is pivoting back to a Livia solo book, delivering one of his most engrossing thrillers to date.
Bloody Genius by John Sandford
Release Date: October 1st
Virgil Flowers will have to watch his back–and his mouth–as he investigates a college culture war turned deadly in another one of Sandford’s “madly entertaining Virgil Flowers mysteries” (New York Times Book Review).
At the local state university, two feuding departments have faced off on the battleground of science and medicine. Each carries their views to extremes that may seem absurd, but highly educated people of sound mind and good intentions can reasonably disagree, right?
Then a renowned and confrontational scholar winds up dead, and Virgil Flowers is brought in to investigate . . . and as he probes the recent ideological unrest, he soon comes to realize he’s dealing with people who, on this one particular issue, are functionally crazy. Among this group of wildly impassioned, diametrically opposed zealots lurks a killer, and it will be up to Virgil to sort the murderer from the mere maniacs.
Why you should be excited about it: Now twelve books into his Lucas Davenport spinoff series, readers know exactly what they’re getting with one of Sandford’s Virgil Flowers book. Expect a great mystery, top-notch writing, a vivid setting, and, of course, some solid one-liners.
Release Date: October 1st
International bestselling author Patricia Cornwell delivers pulse-pounding thrills in a series featuring a brilliant and unusual new heroine, cutting-edge cybertechnology, and stakes that are astronomically high.
On the eve of a top secret space mission, Captain Calli Chase detects a tripped alarm in the tunnels deep below a NASA research center. A NASA pilot, quantum physicist, and cybercrime investigator, Calli knows that a looming blizzard and government shutdown could provide the perfect cover for sabotage, with deadly consequences.
As it turns out, the danger is worse than she thought. A spatter of dried blood, a missing security badge, a suspicious suicide—a series of disturbing clues point to Calli’s twin sister, Carme, who’s been MIA for days.
Desperate to halt the countdown to disaster and to clear her sister’s name, Captain Chase digs deep into her vast cyber security knowledge and her painful past, probing for answers to her twin’s erratic conduct. As time is running out, she realizes that failure means catastrophe—not just for the space program but for the safety of the whole nation.
Why you should be excited about it: I am really excited about this new series from Corwell. First of all, kudos to the Thomas & Mercer publicity and marketing team, who put together one of the best media kits I’ve ever seen—complete with a space pen and other swag. Truthfully, I didn’t even read the plot description before I dove into this one, so I took in the entire story head-on with no preconceived notions . . . and was totally blown away. The beginning is a tad slow, as Cornwell introduces her new characters and the world they operate in, but eventually, things really take off. I enjoyed the sci-fi elements, but at its heart, Quantum is a mystery, and a really good one at that.
The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
Release Date: October 1st
A woman trying to outrun her past is drawn to a coastal village in Maine—and to a string of unsolved murders—in this novel of romance and psychological suspense from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.
“Suspenseful, sexy, and soulful.”—J. R. Ward, bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series
After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remote village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodie’s Watch.
In that isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace . . . until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.
Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his world—and into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captain’s ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village don’t want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodie’s Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work? A killer who is even now circling closer to Ava?
Why you should be excited about it: Gerritsen turns in an exciting supernatural thriller here, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner calls a “spine-tingling tale of a lone woman, an old house, and all the secrets everyone tries to hide.”
Empire of Lies by Raymond Khoury
Release Date: October 1st
Empire of Lies is a sweeping thriller in the tradition of The Man in the High Castle, Fatherland, and Underground Airlines from New York Times bestselling author Raymond Khoury.
“The best what-if thriller for a long, long time―makes you think, makes you sweat, and makes you choose, between what is and what might have been.”―Lee Child
Istanbul, 1683: Mehmed IV, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, is preparing to lay siege to Vienna, capital of the Holy Roman Empire, when a mysterious visitor arrives in his bedroom―naked, covered in strange tattoos―to deliver a dangerous, world-changing message.
Paris, 2017: Ottoman flags have been flying over the great city for three hundred years, ever since its fall―along with all of Europe―to the empire’s all-conquering army. Notre Dame has been renamed the Fatih Mosque. Public spaces are segregated by gender. And Kamal Arslan Agha, a feted officer in the sultan’s secret police, is starting to question his orders.
Rumors of an impending war with the Christian Republic of America, attacks by violent extremists, and economic collapse have heightened surveillance and arrests across the empire. Tasked with surveying potential threats, Kamal has a heavy caseload―and conscience.
When a mysterious stranger―naked, covered in strange tattoos―appears on the banks of the Seine, Kamal is called in to investigate. But what he discovers is a secret buried in the empire’s past, a secret the Sultan will do anything to silence.
With the mysterious Z Protectorate one step behind, Kamal, together with Nisreen―a fierce human rights lawyer―is caught up in a race across the empire and time itself―a race that could change their world, or destroy it.
Empire of Lies is being published as “The Ottoman Secret” in the UK.
Why you should be excited about it: Check out this blurb from Jack Reacher’s creator, Lee Child: “The best what-if thriller for a long, long time―makes you think, makes you sweat, and makes you choose, between what is and what might have been.” If that ain’t enough, Khoury is a phenomenal writer who never takes a book off. Fans of Steve Berry will especially want to check this one out.
A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie
Release Date: October 8th
New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder that simmers beneath the surface of a tranquil Cotswolds village.
Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages.
Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of one of London’s largest and most influential newspapers. The centerpiece of this glorious fall getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional cuisine but using fresh local ingredients. Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could make Viv a star.
But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—or, perhaps, with Beck House itself.
Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her?
Why you should be excited about it: Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are back in Crombie’s follow-up to her 2017 novel, The Garden of Lamentations. After more than a year between books, fans of this series will surely be ready to jump back into the thick of it with Crombie’s characters as they investigate a series of untimely deaths that just might be connected.
Release Date: October 8th
A novice naval aviator grows into a hero in this gripping and authentic World War II adventure by master storyteller P. T. Deutermann
Lieutenant Bobby Steele, USN, is a fresh-faced and eager naval aviator: a “Nugget,” who needs to learn the ropes and complex procedures of taking off and returning safely to his aircraft carrier. A blurry night of drinking lands him in an unfamiliar bed aboard the USS Oklahoma; later that day, the Japanese destroy Pearl Harbor. After cheating death and losing his friend in this act of war, the formerly naive Steele vows to avenge the attack.
Flying sea battle after battle, Steele survives the most dangerous air combat in World War II, including Midway, is shot down twice, rescued twice, and eventually leads a daring mission to free prisoners from a secluded Japanese POW camp. Packed with authentic military action on land and at sea in the Pacific Theatre of WWII and featuring a memorable protagonist based on a true-life hero, The Nugget is a first-class adventure by a former commander whose family served in the Pacific.
Why you should be excited about it: Deutermann’s latest is one of the better World War II-era thrillers to hit stores over the last several years. Though he’s been one of the more underrated writers in the game for a while, readers are starting to realize that Deutermann can bring it—which he certainly does here.
Release Date: October 15th
The newest legal thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham. This masterfully plotted, perfectly paced novel confirms that Grisham remains America’s favorite storyteller.
In the small north Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk as he worked late one night. The killer left no clues behind. There were no witnesses, no real suspects, no one with a motive. The police soon settled on Quincy Miller, a young black man who was once a client of Russo’s.
Quincy was framed, convicted, and sent to prison for life. For twenty-two years he languished in prison with no lawyer, no advocate on the outside. Then he wrote a letter to Guardian Ministries, a small innocence group founded by a lawyer/minister named Cullen Post.
Guardian handles only a few innocence cases at a time, and Post is its only investigator. He travels the South fighting wrongful convictions and taking cases no one else will touch. With Quincy Miller, though, he gets far more than he bargained for. Powerful, ruthless people murdered Keith Russo, and they do not want Quincy exonerated.
They killed one lawyer twenty-two years ago, and they will kill another one without a second thought.
Why you should be excited about it: It’s a new John Grisham book . . . that kind of says it all. Not enough? Okay, I thought The Rooster Bar was barely average, which was right on the heels of the truly disastrous Rogue Lawyer, which, let’s be honest, was a short story collection and not a true novel. That said, Grisham righted the ship in a big way with The Reckoning, and he certainly had other hits—The Whistler, Camino Island, Gray Mountain, to name a few—sprinkled in over the last few years. There’s no question that Grisham is the greatest master of the legal thriller the genre has ever seen, and while he had a few misses over the years, the word is that he hit his mark with this one.
A Book of Bones by John Connolly
Release Date: October 15th
Private Investigator Charlie Parker returns in this heart-pounding thriller as he seeks revenge against the darkest forces in the world, from the internationally bestselling author of the acclaimed The Woman in the Woods.
He is our best hope.
He is our last hope.
On a lonely moor in northern England, the body of a young woman is discovered. In the south, a girl lies buried beneath a Saxon mound. To the southeast, the ruins of a priory hide a human skull.
Each is a sacrifice, a summons. And something in the darkness has heard the call.
Charlie Parker has also heard it and from the forests of Maine to the deserts of the Mexican border, from the canals of Amsterdam to the streets of London, he will track those who would cast the world into darkness.
Parker fears no evil—but evil fears him.
With John Connolly’s signature “blend of crime and supernatural horror” (Crime Reads), A Book of Bones is a terrifying and suspenseful thrill ride that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Why you should be excited about it: Charlie Parker is a great character who anchors a strong, deep, and versatile cast that Connolly has developed over the course of sixteen previous books. Lately, his series has embraced supernatural elements more so than in earlier books, but Connolly does it so well that fans of straight procedurals and mysteries shouldn’t have any issues diving into this one.
The Night Fire by Michael Connelly
Release Date: October 22nd
Harry Bosch and LAPD Detective Renée Ballard come together again on the murder case that obsessed Bosch’s mentor, the man who trained him—new from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly
Back when Harry Bosch was just a rookie homicide detective, he had an inspiring mentor who taught him to take the work personally and light the fire of relentlessness for every case. Now that mentor, John Jack Thompson, is dead, but after his funeral his widow gives Bosch a murder book that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD 20 years before — the unsolved killing of a troubled young man in an alley used for drug deals.
Bosch brings the murder book to Renée Ballard and asks her to help him find what about the case lit Thompson’s fire all those years ago. That will be their starting point.
The bond between Bosch and Ballard tightens as they become a formidable investigative team. And they soon arrive at a worrying question: Did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?
Why you should be excited about it: Nobody is hotter than Michael Connelly right now, who continues his red-hot streak by teaming Harry Bosch back up with newcomer Renee Ballard, an LAPD detective who first appeared as the lead in The Night Show. An instant fan-favorite, Renne has taken on the role of co-protagionist with Bosch, who thanks to the Amazon-produced show starring Titus Welliver (isn’t he brilliant at bringing Harry to life on the screen?), has never been more popular.
The Deserter by Nelson DeMille
Release Date: October 22nd
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille, writing with his son, screenwriter Alex DeMille, delivers a blistering new thriller featuring a brilliant and unorthodox Army investigator, his troubling new partner, and their hunt for the Army’s most notorious—and dangerous—deserter.
When Captain Kyle Mercer of the Army’s elite Delta Force disappeared from his post in Afghanistan, a video released by his Taliban captors made international headlines. But circumstances were murky: Did Mercer desert before he was captured? Then a second video sent to Mercer’s Army commanders leaves no doubt: the trained assassin and keeper of classified Army intelligence has willfully disappeared.
When, a year later, Mercer is spotted in Caracas, Venezuela by an old army buddy, top military brass task Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division fly to Venezuela and bring Mercer back to America—preferably alive. Brodie knows this is a difficult mission, made more difficult by his new partner’s inexperience, by their undeniable chemistry, and by Brodie’s suspicion that Maggie is reporting to the CIA.
With ripped-from-the-headlines appeal, an exotic and dangerous locale, and the hairpin twists and inimitable humor that are signature DeMille, The Deserter is the first in a timely and thrilling new series from an unbeatable team of true masters: the #1 New York Times bestseller Nelson DeMille and his son, award-winning screenwriter Alex DeMille.
Why you should be excited about it: Look, can we all just agree that the world is a better place with one of DeMille’s smartass characters cracking sarcastic one-liners? I know a lot of fans, after DeMille’s The Cuban Affair, really hoped that his next book would bring back the cocky, smart-mouthed John Cory. Instead, we’re getting another standalone with the potential to become a new series. DeMille—who lost his wife to cancer last September—has had a hard year. I think it’s awesome to see him collaborating with his son, an award-winning screenwriter in his own right, and there’s no question that The Deserter is one of the most anticipated books set to come out this fall.
A Cruel Deception by Charles Todd
Release Date: October 22nd
In the aftermath of World War I, nurse Bess Crawford attempts to save a troubled former soldier from a mysterious killer in this eleventh book in the beloved Bess Crawford mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd.
The Armistice of November 1918 ended the fighting, but the Great War will not be over until a Peace Treaty is drawn up and signed by all parties. Representatives from the Allies are gathering in Paris, and already ominous signs of disagreement have appeared.
Sister Bess Crawford, who has been working with the severely wounded in England in the war’s wake, is asked to carry out a personal mission in Paris for a Matron at the London headquarters of The Queen Alexandra’s.
Bess is facing decisions about her own future, even as she searches for the man she is charged with helping. When she does locate Lawrence Minton, she finds a bitter and disturbed officer who has walked away from his duties at the Peace Conference and is well on his way toward an addiction to opiates. When she confronts him with the dangers of using laudanum, he tells her that he doesn’t care if he lives or dies, as long as he can find oblivion. But what has changed him? What is it that haunts him? He can’t confide in Bess—because the truth is so deeply buried in his mind that he can only relive it in nightmares. The officers who had shared a house with him in Paris profess to know nothing—still, Bess is reluctant to trust them even when they offer her their help. But where to begin on her own?
What is driving this man to a despair so profound it can only end with death? The war? Something that happened in Paris? To prevent a tragedy, she must get at the truth as quickly as possible—which means putting herself between Lieutenant Minton and whatever is destroying him. Or is it whoever?
Why you should be excited about it: While most might pick Inspector Rutledge as Todds’ best series protagionist—and for good reason, as the Scotland Yard detective is a great character—I’ve always been drawn to Bess Crawford. Truth is, we’ve seen a lot of investigators, detectives, and so on and so forth, but tell me another franchise built around a nurse set just after World War I. Beth is unique, and she’s been developed really well over ten previous books. This time around, she’ll be trying to save a troubled soldier . . . and my money says she’ll come up aces.
Agent Running in the Field by John le Carre
Release Date: October 22nd
A new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author John le Carré
Nat, a 47 year-old veteran of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, believes his years as an agent runner are over. He is back in London with his wife, the long-suffering Prue. But with the growing threat from Moscow Centre, the office has one more job for him. Nat is to take over The Haven, a defunct substation of London General with a rag-tag band of spies. The only bright light on the team is young Florence, who has her eye on Russia Department and a Ukrainian oligarch with a finger in the Russia pie.
Nat is not only a spy, he is a passionate badminton player. His regular Monday evening opponent is half his age: the introspective and solitary Ed. Ed hates Brexit, hates Trump and hates his job at some soulless media agency. And it is Ed, of all unlikely people, who will take Prue, Florence and Nat himself down the path of political anger that will ensnare them all. Agent Running in the Field is a chilling portrait of our time, now heartbreaking, now darkly humorous, told to us with unflagging tension by the greatest chronicler of our age.
Why you should be excited about it: “[Le Carré’s] novels are so brilliant because they’re emotionally and psychologically absolutely true, but of course they’re novels.” —New York Times Book Review. That’s a pretty good line, and Times’ Book Review is spot on with this one. While I’d argue that Daniel Silva is the best right now, le Carre is the greatest spy novelist ever. There’s little doubt about that, but if we’re honest, he hasn’t replicated the success he saw earlier in his career back when he was dazzling readers with The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Yeah, A Legacy of Spies was terrific, but part of that was the nostalgia factor kicking in due to the return of beloved characters. You won’t find George Smiley or Peter Guillam here. Instead, the nearly 88-year-old le Carre is introducing a new hero to tackle a number of current real-world issues. That’s both daring and exciting, and it’ll be fun to see how readers take to the new lead character.
Release Date: October 29th
In the next highly anticipated installment of Lee Child’s acclaimed suspense series, Jack Reacher comes to the aid of an elderly couple . . . and confronts his most dangerous opponents yet.
“Jack Reacher is today’s James Bond, a thriller hero we can’t get enough of.”—Ken Follett
“This is a random universe,” Reacher says. “Once in a blue moon things turn out just right.”
This isn’t one of those times.
Reacher is on a Greyhound bus, minding his own business, with no particular place to go, and all the time in the world to get there. Then he steps off the bus to help an old man who is obviously just a victim waiting to happen. But you know what they say about good deeds. Now Reacher wants to make it right.
An elderly couple have made a few well-meaning mistakes, and now they owe big money to some very bad people. One brazen move leads to another, and suddenly Reacher finds himself a wanted man in the middle of a brutal turf war between rival Ukrainian and Albanian gangs.
Reacher has to stay one step ahead of the loan sharks, the thugs, and the assassins. He teams up with a fed-up waitress who knows a little more than she’s letting on, and sets out to take down the powerful and make the greedy pay. It’s a long shot. The odds are against him. But Reacher believes in a certain kind of justice . . . the kind that comes along once in a blue moon.
Why you should be excited about it: Part of the lure to Child’s series is that this hulking drifter can make his way around the country, never stopping in the same place twice. That opens the door for a new setting each time out, and theoretically, creates a freshness with each book. But, over time, Child has fallen into a bit of a formulaic approach. Don’t get me wrong, that formula works (and most every mega-bestselling author is guilty of the same thing), but we’ve seen Reacher stroll into town, grab a cup of coffee, then inadvertently find all kinds of trouble. It’s exciting, and readers love seeing Reacher Jack-up small-town bad guys, sure. But what makes this book awesome is that Child finally delivers a worthy opponent for Reacher to unleash on, and the end result does not disappoint.
Double Crossfire by Anthony J. Tata
Release Date: October 29th
Tata takes you inside a brilliantly conceived, brutally executed plot to overthrow our government—from within . . .
“How do you overturn an election?” It’s a question that has obsessed presidential candidate Jamie Carter ever since her loss to businessman and political neophyte President Jack Smart. In spite of the election results, she’s determined to take what she sees as her rightful place in the White House—through any means possible. First, she establishes residency in North Carolina. Then, when the state’s Pro Tem of the US Senate is found dead, she is appointed to his position by her friend, the governor. Now, there are only three people who stand in her way: the Speaker of the House, the Vice President, and the President himself . . .
The countdown begins. The assassins are ready. But when one of them tries to kill the CIA Director under Jake Mahegan’s watch, the plan is momentarily disrupted. Jake is able to prevent one murder—but the conspiracy is too big, and too insidious, to stop now. Senator Jamie Carter is the mastermind behind one of the bloodiest coups ever conceived. Her highly trained killers are closing in on all the president’s men. And the course of American history will be changed forever—on Assassination Day . . .
Why you should be excited about it: Tata is by far, without a doubt, the most underrated thriller novelist working today . . . and it’s not close. He’s been putting out world-class thrillers for years now, and his latest is some of his finest writing to date. If you enjoy Mark Greaney, Brad Thor, or Jack Carr—you have to check out Tata’s stuff.
The Accomplice by Joseph Kanon
Release Date: November 5th
From “master of the genre” (The Washington Post) Joseph Kanon, a heart-pounding and intelligent espionage novel about a Nazi war criminal who was supposed to be dead, the rogue CIA agent on his trail, and the beautiful woman connected to them both.
Seventeen years after the fall of the Third Reich, Max Weill has never forgotten the atrocities he saw as a prisoner at Auschwitz—nor the face of Dr. Otto Schramm, a camp doctor who worked with Mengele on appalling experiments and who sent Max’s family to the gas chambers. As the war came to a close, Schramm was one of the many high-ranking former-Nazi officers who managed to escape Germany for new lives in South America, where leaders like Argentina’s Juan Perón gave them safe harbor and new identities. With his life nearing its end, Max asks his nephew Aaron Wiley—an American CIA desk analyst—to complete the task Max never could: to track down Otto in Argentina, capture him, and bring him back to Germany to stand trial.
Unable to deny Max, Aaron travels to Buenos Aires and discovers a city where Nazis thrive in plain sight, mingling with Argentine high society. He ingratiates himself with Otto’s alluring but wounded daughter, whom he’s convinced is hiding her father. Enlisting the help of a German newspaper reporter, an Israeli agent, and the obliging CIA station chief in Buenos Aires, he hunts for Otto—a complicated monster, unexpectedly human but still capable of murder if cornered. Unable to distinguish allies from enemies, Aaron will ultimately have to discover not only Otto, but the boundaries of his own personal morality, how far he is prepared to go to render justice.
“With his remarkable emotional precision and mastery of tone” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Joseph Kanon crafts another compelling and unputdownable thriller that will keep you breathlessly turning the pages.
Why you should be excited about it: Along with le Carre, Kanon is one of the all-time greats, and the fact that the two of them are putting new books out just two weeks apart is special for readers. Add in Robert Harris and Alan Furst (below), and this fall is a dream season for spy enthusiasts everywhere.
Red Specter by Andrews and Wilson
Release Date: November 5th
It’s strike—and counterstrike—as John Dempsey takes the fight to the Russians in a riveting Tier One Thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of American Operator.
When shadow warrior and former Tier One Navy SEAL John Dempsey goes undercover to meet with a Vory arms dealer, he thinks he’s laying the groundwork to penetrate the Russian criminal underground. Instead, he walks into a trap orchestrated by Zeta, the secret Russian task force behind a recent assassination attempt on the US President. For Dempsey and his team, the only way out is to lay waste to the Russians, putting a target on Ember’s back.
With Ember pitted against Zeta, a dangerous game of strike and counterstrike ensues—sanctioned in the halls of the Kremlin and the White House but disavowed to the world. As the line between espionage, counterterrorism, and spec ops blurs, Ember is ordered to eliminate their ultimate adversary, which means taking the fight against Zeta to Russian soil. But like a phoenix risen from the Cold War embers, Zeta is more capable than anyone imagines, and the Russians retaliate with an operation that will find Dempsey and task force Ember battling for survival.
Why you should be excited about it: These guys do not get enough credit, period. Jack Dempsey is one of my favorite heroes in the genre today, and nobody packs more action into their books than Andrews & Wilson. This time around, the capable Tier One operator is throwing down with the Russians, sparking a bloody fight as two heavyweights collide in the shadows. It’s Ember—the top-secret American task force—verses Zeta—Russia’s equivalent, and the group behind a recent presidential assassination. Trust me, this one’s not to be missed.
Release Date: November 5th
Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon are back with a new adventure in this thrilling suspense novel in Clive Cussler’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Juan Cabrillo and his team of expert operatives return in this latest entry in Clive Cussler’s Oregon Files series. Aboard the Oregon, one of the most advanced spy ships ever built, they face new challenges and nemeses as they undertake another dangerous mission.
Why you should be excited about it: Boyd Morrison has done a fine job co-writing with Cussler, and in their latest thriller, Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon are forced to take on an advanced spy ship that can match them step-for-step.
A Christmas Gathering by Anne Perry
Release Date: November 5th
A cold case adds an extra chill to the holiday season as bestselling author Anne Perry whisks readers to an elegant home in the English countryside for a Christmas of secrets, soul-searching, and forgiveness.
As beautiful as it may be, their friends’ country house is not where Lady Vespasia wishes to spend Christmas with her new husband, Victor Narraway. She’d have preferred a relaxing holiday at home with him—especially as Victor, former head of the London Special Branch, seems to be hiding undercover dealings with the other guests who have gathered at the spacious estate.
As tensions grow, the young and beautiful Iris Watson-Watt becomes the center of several men’s focus. Unbeknownst to Vespasia, Iris carries a sensitive package that she must pass to Victor in the hope of unmasking a British traitor. While Victor plots his moves, he is reminded of a similar case from twenty years before, when a young Frenchwoman also carried a clandestine message—one that resulted in her murder, unsolved to this day. Victor has always been tormented by his failure to protect her, and now, with all eyes on Iris, Victor must act fast before history repeats itself.
With the joy of Christmas at risk of being forgotten and Vespasia feeling alone with a distracted husband, Victor must ultimately learn to forgive himself in order to save both his country and the spirit of the holiday.
Why you should be excited about it: If you find yourself feeling festive just ahead of the holidays, Anne Perry is dropping a chilling Christmas mystery before Thanksgiving that should help those craving a whodunit get their fill well before the punkin’ pie and Turkey is served, or old St. Nick slides his rotund self down the chimney.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel
Release Date: November 5th
From the New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes another page-turning look inside one family’s past as buried secrets threaten to come to light.
Be careful who you let in.
Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.
She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.
Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.
Why you should be excited about it: Lisa Jewel has been killin’ it lately. I really enjoyed her last book, Watching You, and certainly have high expectations for this one. Those readers who loved A.J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window, but are disgusted with the recent allegations about Finn and are thus reluctant to support him ever again with sales, should sink their book-buying budget into Jewel. She’s more talented and has a deep backlist of top-notch stuff too.
Twisted Twenty-Six by Janet Evanovich
Release Date: November 12th
This isn’t just another case. This is family.
How far will Stephanie Plum go to protect the one person who means the most to her? The stakes have never been higher in this latest adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.
Grandma Mazur has decided to get married again – this time to a local gangster named Jimmy Rosolli. If Stephanie has her doubts about this marriage, she doesn’t have to worry for long, because the groom drops dead of a heart attack 45 minutes after saying, “I do.”
A sad day for Grandma Mazur turns into something far more dangerous when Jimmy’s former “business partners” are convinced that his new widow is keeping the keys to a financial windfall all to herself. But the one thing these wise guys didn’t count on was the widow’s bounty hunter granddaughter, who’ll do anything to save her.
Why you should be excited about it: Evanovich is one of the best for a reason. Stephanie Plum is a heavyweight too, and her return is always one of the biggest reading events of the fall.
The Andromeda Evolution by Michael Crichton and Daniel H. Wilson
Release Date: November 12th
Fifty years after The Andromeda Strain made Michael Crichton a household name—and spawned a new genre, the technothriller—the threat returns, in a gripping sequel that is terrifyingly realistic and resonant.
The Evolution is Coming.
In 1967, an extraterrestrial microbe came crashing down to Earth and nearly ended the human race. Accidental exposure to the particle—designated The Andromeda Strain—killed every resident of the town of Piedmont, Arizona, save for an elderly man and an infant boy. Over the next five days, a team of top scientists assigned to Project Wildfire worked valiantly to save the world from an epidemic of unimaginable proportions. In the moments before a catastrophic nuclear detonation, they succeeded.
In the ensuing decades, research on the microparticle continued. And the world thought it was safe…
Deep inside Fairchild Air Force Base, Project Eternal Vigilance has continued to watch and wait for the Andromeda Strain to reappear. On the verge of being shut down, the project has registered no activity—until now. A Brazilian terrain-mapping drone has detected a bizarre anomaly of otherworldly matter in the middle of the jungle, and, worse yet, the tell-tale chemical signature of the deadly microparticle.
With this shocking discovery, the next-generation Project Wildfire is activated, and a diverse team of experts hailing from all over the world is dispatched to investigate the potentially apocalyptic threat.
But the microbe is growing—evolving. And if the Wildfire team can’t reach the quarantine zone, enter the anomaly, and figure out how to stop it, this new Andromeda Evolution will annihilate all life as we know it
Why you should be excited about it: My understanding is that, though he seems credited on the dust jacket, Crichton himself contributed nothing to this book. Unlike past unfinished manuscripts his estate uncovered, this one comes fully from another author—though it is very much a sequel to Crichton’s iconic novel, The Andromeda Strain. Not all estate writers live up expectations, with many failing to fill the shoes of the legendary author they’re trying to replace. That said, it can happen. Kyle Mills has done an extraordinary job stepping in for Vince Flynn, continuing his Mitch Rapp saga with great success and acclaim. Obviously, the pressure is high for Wilson, and it’ll be fun to see Crichton’s story continue through someone else’s point of view.
Guilty Not Guilty by Felix Francis
Release Date: November 19th
New York Times-bestselling author Felix Francis returns with another nail-biting thriller in the Dick Francis tradition.
It is said that everyone over a certain age can remember distinctly what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated, or that Princess Diana had been killed in a Paris car crash, but I, for one, could recall all too clearly where I was standing when a policeman told me that my wife had been murdered.
Bill Russell is acting as a volunteer steward at Warwick races when he confronts his worst nightmare–the violent death of his much-loved wife. But, the aftermath proves much worse when he is accused of killing her and then hounded mercilessly by the media. Losing his job and in danger of losing his home too, Bill’s life begins to unravel completely. Even his best friends turn against him, thinking him guilty of the heinous crime, despite the lack of any compelling evidence.
As Bill sets out to clear his name, he finds that proving one’s innocence isn’t easy. He believes he can track down the true culprit, but can he prove it before he becomes the murderer’s next victim? Guilty Not Guilty is a journey of greed and jealousy set against the grief of personal tragedy, with many a twist and turn along the way.
Why you should be excited about it: As a writer, he’s lived in the shadow of his father, Dick Francis, for most of his career. That all changed a few years back, with Felix making a name for himself with his own brew of suspense-filled mysteries. His last book, Crisis, was very strong. Let’s see if he can top that in 2019.
A Minute to Midnight by David Baldacci
Release Date: November 19th
FBI Agent Atlee Pine returns to her Georgia hometown to reopen the investigation of her twin sister’s abduction, only to encounter a serial killer beginning a reign of terror, in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.
FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s life was never the same after her twin sister Mercy was kidnapped–and likely killed–thirty years ago. After a lifetime of torturous uncertainty, Atlee’s unresolved anger finally gets the better of her on the job, and she finds she has to deal with the demons of her past if she wants to remain with the FBI.
Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum head back to Atlee’s rural hometown in Georgia to see what they can uncover about the traumatic night Mercy was taken and Pine was almost killed. But soon after Atlee begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered, her face covered with a wedding veil–and the first killing is quickly followed by a second bizarre murder.
Atlee is determined to continue her search for answers, but now she must also set her sights on finding a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. But in a small town full of secrets–some of which could answer the questions that have plagued Atlee her entire life–digging deeper into the past could be more dangerous than she realizes . . .
Why you should be excited about it: Atlee Pine is a great new character. Not that Baldacci was hurting for star power, with bestselling series protagonists in John Puller, Amos Decker, and Will Robie already thriving. Pine, though, is a legit star in her own right, and maybe his best character so far.
Tom Clancy Code of Honor by Marc Cameron
Release Date: November 19th
As President of the United States, Jack Ryan has faced many challenges, but none have been as personal as this and never has he been this helpless in the face of evil in the latest entry in Tom Clancy’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Father Pat West, S.J. was a buddy of the young Jack Ryan when they were both undergraduates at Boston College. Father West left a comfortable job in the philosophy department at Georgetown to work with the poor in Indonesia. Now he’s been arrested and accused of blasphemy against Islam.
President Ryan is desperate to rescue his old friend, but he can’t move officially against the Indonesians. Instead he relies on the Campus team to find out who is framing the priest.
There’s one other twist to the story. President Ryan discovers a voicemail on his private cell phone from the priest warning about a coming attack against America…
Why you should be excited about it: It’s rare for an estate author to replace a legend without much dropoff in quality. It’s almost unheard of for that to occur twice—and yet that’s exactly what’s happened since Tom Clancy’s passing, with Mark Greaney flawlessly continuing Jack Ryan’s story before giving way to Marc Cameron, who has done an amazing job with the last two books. This time around, President Ryan must find a way to help a life-long friend who was arrested in Indonesia for spreading blasphemy against Islam. Of course, when you’re the leader of the free world, getting involved in a personal matter is hard to do without starting an international situation—so Jack will have to operate carefully. Throw in a possible attack on American soil, and Cameron has all the makings of another must-read thriller.
The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts
Release Date: November 19th
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Year One and Of Blood and Bone concludes her stunning new trilogy praised as “A match for end-of-the-world classics like Stephen King’s The Stand.”
After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her young years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined to save even those who have been complicit with this evil out of fear or weakness―if, indeed, they can be saved.
Strengthened by the bond she shares with her fellow warrior, Duncan, Fallon has already succeeded in rescuing countless shifters and elves and ordinary humans. Now she must help them heal―and rediscover the light and faith within themselves. For although from the time of her birth, she has been The One, she is still only one. And as she faces down an old nemesis, sets her sights on the enemy’s stronghold, and pursues her destiny―to finally restore the mystical shield that once protected them all―she will need an army behind her.
Why you should be excited about it: Nora Roberts is one of the most famous, best-selling novelists alive today, and she’s done some of her most underrated writing within this series.
Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes by Ace Atkins
Release Date: November 19th
In the latest thriller featuring the legendary Boston PI, Spenser heads to the City of Angels to meet old friends and new enemies in a baffling missing person case that might shake Tinseltown to its core.
Gabby Leggett left her Boston family with dreams of making it big as a model/actress in Hollywood. Two years later, she disappears from her apartment. Her family, former boyfriend, friends–and the police–have no idea where she is and no leads. Leggett’s mother hires Spenser to find her, with help of his former apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, now an L.A. private eye.
Spenser barely has time to unpack before the trail leads to a powerful movie studio boss, the Armenian mob, and a shadowy empowerment group some say might be a dangerous cult.
It’s soon clear that Spenser and Sixkill may be outgunned this time, and series favorites Chollo and Bobby Horse ride to the rescue to provide backup. From the mansions of Beverly Hills to the lawless streets of a small California town, Spenser will need to watch his step. In Hollywood, all that glitters isn’t gold. And not all those who wander are lost.
Why you should be excited about it: Atkins has done a fine job continuing Parker’s iconic character, and with tons of hype building around Spenser thanks to the forthcoming moving coming to Netflix (starring Mark Wahlberg), it’ll be interesting to see how he continues to develop the Boston-based PI moving forward.
The Second Sleep by Robert Harris
Release Date: November 19th
From the internationally best-selling author of Fatherland and the Cicero Trilogy–a chilling and dark new thriller unlike anything Robert Harris has done before.
1468. A young priest, Christopher Fairfax, arrives in a remote Exmoor village to conduct the funeral of his predecessor. The land around is strewn with ancient artefacts–coins, fragments of glass, human bones–which the old parson used to collect. Did his obsession with the past lead to his death?
Fairfax becomes determined to discover the truth. Over the course of the next six days, everything he believes–about himself, his faith, and the history of his world–will be tested to destruction.
Why you should be excited about it: As noted above, John le Carre and Joseph Kanon both have books coming out this fall. Harris’ is the third highly-anticipated espionage thriller set to hit bookstores, and after a really fantastic last outing (Munich, 2018), expectations are crazy high for this one. Might this finally be the book that tops An Officer and a Spy? We’ll know soon enough!
Criss Cross by James Patterson
Release Date: November 25th
A killer with all the skills of a master detective has made Alex Cross the subject of his deranged “investigation.”
In a Virginia penitentiary, Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, witness the execution of a killer they helped convict. Hours later, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. A note signed “M” rests on the corpse. “You messed up big time, Dr. Cross.”
Was an innocent man just put to death? Alex soon realizes he may have much to answer for, as “M” lures the detective out of the capital to the sites of multiple homicides, all marked with distressingly familiar details — details that conjure up decades-old cases. Details that conjure up Cross family secrets. Details that make clear that M is after a prize so dear that — were the killer to attain it — Alex’s heart would no longer have reason to beat
Why you should be excited about it: Alex Cross remains a stalwart character of the thriller genre, and Patterson has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Under Occupation by Alan Furst
Release Date: November 26th
From “America’s preeminent spy novelist” (The New York Times) comes a fast-paced, mesmerizing thriller of the French resistance fighters working secretly and bravely to defeat Hitler.
Occupied Paris, 1942. Just before he dies, a man being chased by the Gestapo hands off a strange-looking document to the unsuspecting novelist Paul Ricard. It looks like a blueprint of a part for a military weapon, one that might have important information for the Allied forces. Ricard realizes he must try to get it into the hands of members of the resistance network.
As Ricard finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into anti-Nazi efforts, and into increasingly dangerous espionage assignments, he travels to Germany and along the escape routes of underground resistance safe houses, to spy on Nazi maneuvers. When he meets the mysterious and beautiful Leila, a professional spy, they begin to work together to get crucial information out of France and into the hands of the Allied forces in London.
Why you should be excited about it: John le Carre, Joseph Kanon, Robert Harris . . . and then Alan Furst. If Frederick Forsyth could have put a book out, we’d have one from all the greats this year. Amazing, really, and fans of espionage thrillers should savor these next few months because chances are, we’ll never see another iconic run like this again. At the very least, it’ll be a long, long time.
Active Measures by Marc Cameron
OLD ENEMIES NEVER DIE
Cuba and the United States are in talks to normalize relations, something the old guard on the Communist-controlled island has vowed to stop—by any means necessary. Zayda de la Guardia, a rogue general in the Cuban security services, has gotten his hands on a nuclear weapon lef tover from the Cold War. He plans to launch it on Miami, an attack that could kill millions. There’s just one thing standing in his way: special agent Jericho Quinn and his team have traveled undercover to Cuba to unravel de la Guardia’s plot before it ignites a nuclear holocaust. Thrown into a secret prison, pursued by assassins, and trapped on the tiny island during one of the worst hurricanes of the century, Quinn and his crew must survive a trial by fire to prevent an international confrontation that would make the Cuban Missile Crisis look like a fistfight.
Why you should be excited about it: Cameron has back-to-back thrillers in November, with Jack Ryan up first, followed by the eighth book in his own series. Quinn is a great character, and Cameron has done a really solid job bringing him along. It’s been a while since the last book (Field of Fire, 2017) came out, so it’ll be nice to catch back up with Jericho and see what kind of trouble he can get himself into this time around.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and pens a monthly thriller column for CrimeReads. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.