Mystery / Thriller
Plot: In the second installment of Holland's Big Ray Elmore series, the titular sleuth investigates the remains of a young girl discovered at a construction site. Holland creates a page-turner of a story with equal parts Southern charm, grit, and tenderness.
Prose: Holland has a clear handle on storytelling and firmly establishes a vivid sense of place and character. Big Ray's narration no-nonsense narration will pull readers into the mystery.
Originality: Holland's distinctive protagonist with deep roots in his community and no false conceptions about human nature uplifts the more standard mystery elements.
Character/Execution: No characters are wasted in Holland's storytelling; rather, each feels organic to the setting and circumstances, with Big Ray being the most endearing and vivid of them all.
Plot: Brown's third novel in the Josh Ingram series features a complex, twisty storyline with sinister circumstances that are not as they appear. The author does a fine job keeping the reader on their toes and maintaining a fast-paced narrative.
Prose: Brown is a skilled writer, able to balance action, dialogue, and vivid description to keep readers turning pages.
Originality: This is a highly original work with an atmospheric setting, well-developed tension, and memorable characters that will stay in readers' minds long after they finish reading.
Character/Execution: There are numerous characters in this work, and the author does a fine job of establishing and differentiating between the key figures.
Plot/Idea: Houston's novel is a thriller running on all four cylinders—a nonstop, action-packed story where desperate measures are the only chances for survival.
Prose: Houston's meticulously detailed prose launches at a pace as intense as the danger her characters find themselves in. She builds intrigue and anticipation from start to finish without being overly verbose.
Originality: This is truly a one-of-a-kind story. Thrillers centered on planes usually use conflict amongst the passengers or a malfunction of the plane to drive the plot, but Houston has created a story in which the danger is as multi-layered as the protagonists being used to save the day.
Character Development/Execution: Houston expertly executes the development of the protagonists' background stories as insight into their current state of mind in dealing with extraordinary challenges. Her cast of passengers is not treated as extras; instead, each person is given a clear voice and persona that shines through in the face of imminent death.
Plot/Idea: The author has created a witty and endearing mystery in the backdrop of wedding plans. The two sisters seem to always land in the midst of mystery as they embark on adventures around the world. Carefully plotted and paced, this story does not disappoint as it unravels.
Prose: Witty and well-written, the story includes enough information from previous volumes to help the reader understand who the sleuths are and the details of their relationship. The plot is carefully thought out and executed.
Originality: Travel and mystery is always a good combination and the author does not disappoint the reader. Fans of Murder, She Wrote will reminisce.
Character Development/Execution: The characters are wise and charming, and the deep conversations among them help them develop.
Plot/Idea: This is a heartwarming story that will engage and entertain readers. Nordstrom clearly showcases Dave's growth through the course of the book, as he evolves from an impatient and uncertain mentor to self-composed and capable. Readers will welcome the novel's sense of fellowship as they become more familiar with the campers in Dave's care.
Prose: Nordstrom's characterization skills are persuasive, and his writing captures the individuality of the cast, adding to the book's refreshing and upbeat themes.
Originality: Camping with Aliens offers memorable characters who will stick with readers long after the story is finished, and the book's premise is highly creative.
Character Development/Execution: Nordstrom shines in his character development. Dave is skillfully drawn, full of predetermined—and inaccurate—judgments about people with disabilities, and his eventual transformation is both entertaining and rewarding. The characters with developmental disabilities are believable, endearing, and a testament to resilience.
Plot: Part confessional, part twisty-turny flashback, part spy novel, Muir's Gambit is a psychological thriller focused on two men: Russell Aiken and Nathan Muir, both cogs in a larger system of government intrigue and deception, as well as characters who first appeared in Beckner's Hollywood script for the 2001 film Spy Game. Fans will be delighted to see the original characters reunited.
Prose: Beckner's prose is adept and navigates the back-and-forth between the two men beautifully as they try to best one another in a high-stakes game of one-upmanship.
Originality: Spy novels can be a dime a dozen; however, what elevates Muir's Gambit is the author's deft attention to suspense and overall storytelling.
Character/Execution: Russell and Nathan are the crux of the story and the gateway to the rest of the plot. Their dialogue and deep personal connection make this work a true page-turner.
Plot/Idea: Stewart is a gifted storyteller, and the pacing and storyline of Devil's Backbone are pitch-perfect.
Prose: Breezy and addictive, the prose moves the story forward at a satisfying clip without sacrificing the intricacies of a complex plot. Amusing dialogue and observations are peppered throughout and seem wholly appropriate to the cast and environment.
Originality: This is an excellent example of a PI mystery with a quirky cast and the right amount of action. New ground is not broken with this novel, but it remains a worthy addition to the genre.
Character Development/Execution: Miami is a typical PI with an interesting backstory and a likable, if somewhat rough, exterior. The rest of the cast members, from the police on the island to Miami's indomitable assistant Lizzy, are expertly crafted.
Plot/Idea: Bishop's Endgame is the second in Beckner’s Aiken Trilogy and a follow-up to Muir's Gambit. Beckner originally conceived of the trilogy's characters in the screenplay he wrote for the 2001 film Spy Game. As fans of the film (and first book) may expect, this continuation is a dazzlingly fun espionage thriller.
Prose: The writing style manages to be simultaneously breakneck and cinematic, as well as esoterically detailed.
Originality: Beckner has a clear command of his characters and the universe he creates. Relentlessly energetic and off-beat, the right readers will embrace every word.
Character Development/Execution: Readers may indeed benefit from reading the previous book, but the characters nevertheless emerge as perfectly peculiar and just right for the exciting events that transpire.
Plot/Idea: Damien's novel is expeditious and intricately detailed. The storyline is impeccably and effortlessly crafted, including the several twists and turns along the way.
Prose: Damien's adeptly composed prose speaks to his extensive research on the content of the book. The writing is a perfect concoction of mystery, romance, drama, and adventure.
Originality: Despite containing all elements of a classic murder mystery and the vivid descriptions of unimaginable crimes, the light shed upon unchartered territories and insight into the life of rural America makes the novel stand out.
Character Development/Execution: The characters in Damien's The Gershwin Cutter are memorable and endearing. The seamlessly inserted backstories for the characters add to the novel's intensity. The shocking atrocities on the titular character are sure to move the readers to tears and the brief yet effective background on the villainous Wright siblings provides a better understanding of their convoluted mentality.
Blurb: A suspenseful and thought-provoking thriller, Damien's The Gershwin Cutter is sure to keep readers engaged with its surprising content and admirable composition.
Plot: Full of drama, intrigue, and intense emotion, Dark Was the Night grips readers from the first page and doesn't let up until the hard-hitting conclusion.
Prose: The author is clearly a gifted writer, able to convey debilitating fear, create tension, and to elicit a visceral response from readers. There's a fine balance of detail, dialogue, and action as the chilling story unfolds.
Originality: This is a highly original work with memorable characters and a distinctive plot line.
Character/Execution: The author does an excellent job with characterization, particularly with Lucie, whose paranoia and fear dominate the book.
Blurb: Gripping and suspenseful, Dark Was the Night will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Plot: The author has crafted an engaging storyline filled with intrigue, espionage, and danger. With verisimilitude and a clipped pace, the work explores the chilling circumstance involving a stolen nuclear weapon.
Prose: The author is clearly a professional-level writer and has crafted a ready-to-publish work. The prose flows smoothly with evocative descriptions and sound work choice.
Originality: The Chameleon is an original and distinctive work with memorable characters and believable, high-stakes circumstances.
Character/Execution: The author has a clear handle on character development, particularly with Jake and Fiona. Both are relatable and fully-formed individuals who humanize the more procedural aspects of this thriller.
Plot/Idea: This is a riveting storyline that will grip readers from the first pages, as Simon’s tortuous quest for the truth leads him to some of the most dangerous—and extraordinary—moments in his life. Zamot’s accelerated plot blends plenty of action with the perfect balance of romance, and readers will find the buildup to the end as satisfying as it is surprising.
Prose: Zamot clinches the story with crisp, foreshadowing prose that sheds light on his characters while advancing the lightning plot to its gripping end. The dialogue is effortlessly delivered in tense moments, although some of the romance development lags behind.
Originality: The Archer’s Thread is a breakneck thriller with a skillful blend of character development and high-risk confrontations. It also touches on themes of trauma and belonging that reverberate through the storyline.
Character Development/Execution: Simon Lyons takes center stage as a haunted protagonist searching for answers, and his distinctive skillset—part human and part supernatural—launches him straight into the crosshairs of multiple people, some villains and some antiheroes. His journey and romance with Kelly Austin will leave readers pensive and eager for future installments.
Plot: A Portion of Malice delivers a twisty, inventive, and unexpected mystery that presents challenging ideas and genre-bending developments.
Prose: Jeffries has a masterful prose style. Subtle clues are sprinkled throughout the work, while the author maintains tension and intrigue. Both deeply philosophical in nature and freshly entertaining, readers who enjoy a more literary thriller will find much to appreciate here.
Originality: The author provides an alluring blend of fantasy, mystery, and history.
Character/Execution: Jeffires presents a gratifying blend of original characters--notably, miserable journalist Emery Merrick who is tasked with ghostwriting a biography of a mysterious man at his darkest moment--and those from Biblical lore.
Plot: This debut novel has something for a variety of readers: adventure, a grand setting, training dogs, and outdoor gear surrounding a fast-paced mystery and a nightmarish past. Carter does not shy away from the needed details about the dogs or the unnecessary attributes of the Colorado setting. While intriguing, these details can slightly slow down the action throughout the novel.
Prose: Carter uses natural language to explain the dogs and their instincts. She manages to tackle many elements of the story with ease and has set the reader up for a new mystery to ensue.
Originality: Including plenty of information about training dogs and a grand Colorado setting that calls for adventure is refreshing.
Character/Execution: The female protagonist is sharp and quick-witted. She knows how to deal with dogs and people while working hard to put her past behind her. She tackles problems head-on, proving herself to be a solid role model for victims of trauma. The dogs will win over all readers with the ability to help solve a mystery as well as calm victims.
Plot: In the second installment of the Nick Tanner series, Cox again sets the story in the context of illegal game hunting. The author brilliantly blends elements of mystery and police procedural with that of animal welfare, adding welcome depth and emotion to the story.
Prose: The prose is fluidly written and very readable. The author does a solid job of interweaving landscape details into the narrative.
Originality: While the larger outline of an agent tracking down illegal trade in animals isn't brand new, the fish and wildlife angle makes for some freshness. The details about the featured animals add significant additional interest to the story.
Character/Execution: Nick Tanner is a compelling and memorable character, while allies and potential villains alike are convincingly drawn.
Plot: In this wholly engaging, quasi-post-apocalyptic mystery/thriller, after surviving a bloody pandemic, journalist Rags Goldner and her partner Flint decide to leave the big city for small-town life in the struggling Canary. However, what Rags discovers about Canary is a network of secrets and conspiracies--including the largest of all, about what truths lie behind the disappearance of teenagers in both the small town and across the country.
Prose: Bernstein's prose is engaging, entertaining, and hooks the reader almost immediately with a desire to know more about the eerie and disturbing (even by a post-pandemic metric) of Canary. Overall, a very well-told story that unfolds to the beat of thoughtful, plot-driven prose that rarely veers off track and keeps the reader wanting more.
Originality: Post pandemic and set in the near future (2030), Bernstein's world is just high-tech enough to be novel, yet still retains many of the disturbing (real life) threads of a society living on the edge of paranoia, uncertainty, and fear--aided and abetted by petty despots trying to seize power over an unwitting and apathetic public traumatized by a devastating global tragedy.
Character/Execution: Rags, as the central character, is given the most attention, although her primary purpose is quickly established as a woman hell-bent on finding the truth--both for herself, and for the larger "story" (a very hungry journalist trope). Overall, the townspeople (miserable Merry, downtrodden Piers, Rags's partner Flint, mysterious artist Louisa, et al.) are well-portrayed, even as they ultimately serve as set dressing to aid Rags in her quest for finding answers.
