April Thriller Roundup
Thrills around the world
Delving into the gritty underbelly of Belgrade, Serbia, a city burdened by a complex history, is Belgrade Noir. This anthology explores the lasting impact of invasion, occupation, and oppression, but also ventures into the unexpected with tales laced with dark humor and even the supernatural.
Staying in Eastern Europe, Kathleen Kent's Black Wolf transports us to Minsk in the USSR's final days. Melvina, a CIA spy disguised as a secretary, possesses an extraordinary ability – she never forgets a face. This unique talent takes a chilling turn when a serial killer stalks the city's women. All the while, she must evade the clutches of the KGB's notorious leader, the "Black Wolf."
Expect something different
The Bad Weather Friend in Dean Koontz's latest thriller/comedy/horror/fantasy/supernatural story is Spike, a 7 foot tall 'craggle', bequeathed to Benny Catspaw by an uncle. Spike, he promises, will rid Benny of his enemies, and although Benny is usually a cheerful guy, he's facing a run of bad luck, having lost his girlfriend, his job and his reputation. Koontz creates wonderfully quirky characters, and Benny, Spike and waitress turned PI Harper certainly fit this bill, and while this isn't hardboiled crime, it's a fun romp with plenty of humour and sparkle.
Katie Williams's My Murder throws the reader into a whirlwind of genres, blending suspense with science fiction, dark humor, and the ever-present influence of technology. The story centers around Lou, the 5th victim of a serial killer, who is shockingly brought back to life through a government cloning program. But My Murder isn't just about death and rebirth; it delves into the complexities of our relationship with technology, asking questions about dependence and humanity's place in a rapidly evolving world. Prepare for unexpected twists, surprising laughs, and a story that will keep you guessing.
Love under fire
Fans of Colleen Hoover and Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca will enjoy the secrets, romance and intrigue in The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor. Down on her luck after a failed novel and a break-up, Olivia, a struggling writer, leaps at a ghostwriting gig for a reclusive billionaire. Promised a fortune to document his family's dark secret tied to Daphne du Maurier, she heads to his Malibu mansion. Yet, Ash, the enigmatic widower, guards his truth jealously, fueling Olivia's suspicions. As their connection grows, Olivia stumbles upon a hidden truth, plunging her into a chilling mystery far stranger than anything she could write.
Last Night by Luanne Rice. When Maddie, a young mother fleeing a messy divorce is murdered and her child vanished, a detective, his coast guard commander brother and the woman's grieving sister search for clues at the lavish ocean front resort when she died. But when a blizzard locks them down, they must uncover the dark secrets and buried jealousies that tainted Maddie's past to find her killer.
Heroic measures
In The Ascent by Adam Plantinga, ex-cop Kurt Argento lands in a brutal Missouri prison after defending a young girl. There, a security malfunction unleashes chaos and Argento, with his fighting skills and unwavering idealism, becomes the unlikely protector for grad student Julie, the governor's daughter, and other trapped civilians. While in Hero by Thomas Perry bodyguard for the rich and famous Justine Poole gets involved in an unexpected and unwanted game of cat and mouse with a crime kingpin, when she prevents a brazen robbery of her clients.
The Year of the Locust the much anticipated second book from Terry Hayes, the author of I Am Pilgrim is everything that book was and more! Our hero Kane is the opposite of the James Bond style spy - he blends into any background, flies under the radar and certainly doesn't dabble at cards while drinking a martini. Instead he infiltrates the Denied Access Areas of the world including the desolate expanse where Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan collide, a lawless labyrinth where governments fear to tread. His mission: track down a potential CIA asset who holds intel crucial to the world's security. Like I Am Pilgrim, Locust definitely stretches the bounds of what is believable in this genre, but the pace and action kept me coming back for more, and Kane is such an appealing and intriguing character that I could forgive the very strange turn the book takes in the final quarter. One of the best thrillers you'll read all year.
Forget about stealing gold bullion, this is a race against nuclear meltdown! In Michael Caine's debut thriller, Deadly Game, DCI Harry Taylor and his crew at the Met face a terrifying challenge. A box of radioactive material has been stolen in a daring raid from a dump in Stepney. With the clock ticking and the threat of global devastation looming, Taylor and his team embark on a high-octane chase to recover the stolen goods before it's too late. Plenty of thrilling cliches but also a page turning read from the screen legend.
