Mystery / Thriller
Plot/Idea: Despite taking place over a relatively short period of time, the novel’s charged atmosphere is immersive and brings 1960s Civil Rights era Arkansas to vivid life. The crime is gripping, the subplots intense, and the pace lively.
Prose: Holland writes skilled dialogue that flows effortlessly, gradually building tension and drawing readers into the setting through nuanced character interactions and intriguing events.
Originality: This is a riveting portrait of Arkansas in the ‘60s, with subtle historical overtones and a compelling crime set up.
Character/Execution: The first-person narrator—police chief Elmore—is engaging, and Holland refines the story through his eyes, piece by piece, until the subplots come together in a satisfying, though shocking, ending.
Plot/Idea: Starting with an intriguing prologue, Santorelli establishes a captivating set of circumstances: a catastrophic event devastates Earth and a portal serves as the only escape from future cataclysm. Santorelli integrates timely discussions of environmental threats, global pandemics, and social discord, while offering believable sci-fi worldbuilding.
Prose: Santorelli's writing style is immediately engrossing. Despite the complexity of the events, the author blends thoughtfully presented exposition with character interactions. Readers will become quickly acclimated to the 'new normal' she explores.
Originality: While some aspects of the story pay homage to past works of sci-fi, The Reformed Man distinguishes itself through its unique setup and relatable conflicts.
Character/Execution: Santorelli introduces a broad cast of characters--from the morally dubious central figure hailed as a visionary hero, to the young men faced with an uncertain future, or none at all. Though the shifts between characters' viewpoints can be somewhat disorienting, the various perspectives effectively coalesce.
Plot/Idea: Down the Well kicks off with a chilling premise. In the aftermath of a devastating event that left dozens of corpses buried with soil in their stomachs, a lawyer notates a diary full of bizarre ramblings left amidst the bodies. The work alternates between the continued investigation into the happening and surreal passages from the diary.
Prose: The bulk of the diary is written in a potent, jarring style filled with disjointed musings, irreverent observations, and violent descriptions, fitting for the voice of the mysterious author in question. Readers may find the reading experience to be disorienting, but they are ultimately rewarded by the conclusion.
Originality: Down the Well has a uniquely creepy storyline that will immediately capture the reader's interest. The integration of a diary left behind at the scene of what may or may not be mass murder or a supernatural event, allows readers to feel as though they are active participants in the unfolding story.
Character/Execution: The central characters emerge in relationship to the diary itself, so they aren't afforded full interiority on their own terms; instead, they become extensions of the mystery at-hand. Fans of horror who enjoy being kept in the dark along with the protagonists will relish this outing.
Plot/Idea: When a neuropharmacologist creates a drug that can make any food into a highly addictive substance, warring interests fight to secure its access. Filled with lively action and adventure, Attack of the Food Zombies is a well-constructed, humorous, and highly readable mystery-thriller.
Prose: Meredith's outstanding prose shines in this novel, elevating what might have been a banal, overly allegorical thriller into a captivating piece. The author's writing pulls readers in and propels readers forward page after page.
Originality: While the plot is fairly predictable in some parts, and the analogy to today's world of over-processed foods, additives, and unhealthy eating habits is a bit over-wrought, the story remains smartly developed and thought-provoking.
Character/Execution: The characters in Attack of the Food Zombies are another highlight: they are complex, well-developed, and have quirks that endear them to readers. The romance between Lou and Chef Nonny is particularly charming, while Kane's development as he witnesses his invention transform into a Frankenstein's monster, is spot-on.
Blurb: When strange eating habits -- and bodies -- start piling up in Las Vegas, an unlikely trio of investigators team up to figure out what is happening. Fast paced and action-packed, Attack of the Food Zombies will captivate readers.
Plot/Idea: The third novel in the Nick Tanner series sees the fish and wildlife service special agent tracking down a major figure in a reptile bootlegging scam.
Prose: The prose sets the stage with lively and visceral descriptions, while snappy, impactful dialogue drives character interactions. Cox capably builds conflict and tension, and the novel's focus on animals lends the story enormous heart.
Originality: Cox integrates familiar procedural elements, but the swampy Mississippi setting, focus on animal trafficking, and dynamic lead, set the tale apart.
Character/Execution: In his third outing, Nick Tanner is as charmingly rugged, candid, and principled as ever. Cox populates the novel with nefarious characters whose sinister motives are realistically conveyed.
Plot/Idea: In The Big Tilt, Flanigan delivers a layered and fully immersive mystery. Private investigator Peter O'Keefe's work becomes personal when an old high school flame emerges with accusations against a mutual acquaintance and aspiring politician--and then dies of a suspicious overdose. Meanwhile, O'Keefe is being pursued by thugs bent on vengeance.
Prose: Despite some of the weighty material--sexual assault, drug addiction--the prose maintains a comfortable warmth and readability. Flanigan handedly establishes the circumstances with in-scene development, tense action sequences, dialogue, and effective exposition.
Originality: Flanigan uplifts familiar mystery elements with authentic characterization and a well-spun storyline with threads that gratifyingly coalesce.
Character/Execution: Flanigan brings the novel's characters to life. Though Peter O'Keefe's history of addiction and troubled relationships may first come across as a trope, the author explores his complexity in a manner that enhances his character. Readers will feel for Beverly--a victim and addict who's not fully defined by her affliction--and for Peter as he reflects on the changes the years have wrought.
Plot/Idea: Harrison offers up a timely and entertaining thriller that confronts the perils of misinformation on the eve of a pandemic. Through thinly veiled allusions to real-life news sources and a prominent web encyclopedia, the author assures that readers will become invested in the circumstances.
Prose: Harrison's writing chops are on full display, and effectively capture a moment in our recent collective history. The Editors also integrates passages from "Infopendium," often in various stages of editing, which amplifies the overlying notion that the 'truth' is often (to great detriment) being rewritten in real-time.
Originality: The author takes a unique approach to the weighty topic of online misinformation, injecting some welcome levity in the process.
Character/Execution: Making the good guys in the book be a little self-serving in their own right, lends them welcome depth (for example, Morgan keeps editing her dad's page to help salvage his reputation). Additional characters (like Deja and Yu Yan) may have benefited from additional growth. Ultimately, the work's greatest flaw may also be its strength: the topical issues explored may hit a little too close for comfort.
Plot/Idea: Pote continues the Ethan Cain series with another tense and action-filled mystery/thriller. Break Glass centers around an ancient scroll and the ensuing international struggles to claim it and unravel its meanings, though the storyline takes readers far beyond the expected.
Prose: Pote has a taut and efficient prose style that capably launches the layered plot forward. Readers will become quickly immersed in Pote's storytelling and far-flung settings, from the International Space Station to below the ocean's surface.
Originality: The author capably weaves together elements of archaeological mystery with international thriller to riveting, cinematic effect.
Character/Execution: The cast of characters is expansive and collectively contribute to the work's degree of verisimilitude, despite the extraordinary events. Ethan Cain is a formidable hero whose adventures--and the intriguing history introduced along the way--will leave a lasting impact on readers.
Plot/Idea: Turner’s debut is a technothriller centered around characters with complicated intentions and versatile skills, where alliances are questionable and manipulation is a powerful tool. Told in alternating perspectives between Evan and Lydia, circumstances throughout are challenging but lead to a satisfying ending.
Prose: Alternating character viewpoints helps readers track the complex relationships and maneuvering that happens throughout the novel. Turner's prose is easy to understand and draws readers in slowly, while capturing attention with the story's intrigue.
Originality: Mixing technology with people who have ill intentions creates tension and uncomfortable situations that will appeal to readers.
Character/Execution: Conniving characters with wavering alliances take center stage in this technothriller. Turner's characters think for themselves and are driven by external forces and will appeal to the emotions of readers as they attempt to break the system.
Plot/Idea: The adventure starts from the first pages in False Horizon and never lets up. The story's settings vary widely, but Pote avoids confusion by orienting readers to noteworthy locations at the start of certain chapters.
Prose: Pote's ability to describe the action is spot on, and his prose incorporates the necessary tech speak for the genre without slowing the story's pace.
Originality: The action in False Horizon takes place in several unusual locales—including Antarctica—that give the mystery an added edge.
Character/Execution: Ethan Cain is an intriguing character who keeps action moving at a breakneck speed. Secondary characters are well-developed and equally compelling, and their interactions are nuanced, with natural dialogue and engaging dynamics.
The Feather's Push: A Near-Future Speculative Fiction Thriller (Relented)
by Noel ZamotRating: 8.50
Plot/Idea: In The Feather's Push, a sequel to The Archer's Thread, Lieutenant Amber Drake discovers that she has developed a unique ability: in the aftermath of an accident, she can read and communicate emotions via touch. Meanwhile, Simon Lyons possesses the ability to see into the future. The author capably threads numerous elements together, including the perils of unchecked social media platforms and technology, to often riveting effect.
Prose: Zamot's prose is fine-tuned, energetic, and descriptive; the author succeeds in writing from multiple, distinct angles.
Originality: Though stories of enhanced abilities and AI are familiar, Zamot blends them together in new and unexpected ways. At times convoluted due to the work's many elements, the steady writing allows readers to keep track.
Character/Execution: Zamot succeeds in developing characters who are not only reduced to their exceptional traits. This noted, Amber's ethical conflicts relating to the uses of her heightened perceptions, are particularly well articulated.
Plot/Idea: The author has crafted a fast but evenly paced work which captivates the reader right out of the gate. This is a well-planned thriller that combines danger, adventure, and artificial intelligence.
Prose: The prose here is top notch. The author is able to skillfully intersperse technology with mystery and action to keep readers at the edge of their seats. The reader cannot help but get sucked into Adrian's story.
Originality: Concerns about AI are widespread, making this novel--while not entirely unique--highly timely and prescient.
Character/Execution: Adrian Pryor is a nuanced character who, despite his exceptional skills, remains relatable. Readers will appreciate the humanity and vulnerability he displays throughout the novel as he finds himself embroiled in a high-stakes hunt for stolen technology.
Plot/Idea: The Russian Woman kicks off a multilayered thriller series that seamlessly integrates espionage, international conflicts, and romance.
Prose: The prose text is eminently readable and immersive, with a graceful blend of exposition, in-scene development, dialogue, and character development.
Originality: While the political turmoil at the center of the novel is familiar territory, Lukeman crafts realistic scenarios with fast-paced action and a clear sense of the humanity at stake.
Character/Execution: While the number of characters may overwhelm readers, Lukeman capably blends characters' personal and biographical details with their broader political and social alliances. Michael Thorne emerges as a formidable character with enough complexity to keep readers invested. While the relationship between Michael and Anya unfolds somewhat hastily, readers are still likely to be swept up in their romantic tension.
Plot/Idea: The Tailor of Riga tells an explosive tale of a family of Jewish assassins throughout history, shifting from one generation’s adventurous exploits to the next.
Prose: The characters' speech suitably reflects the novel's era and local dialect, and Harries's prose elevates the story with a clear picture of time and place.
Originality: This generational tale of assassins stretching back 70 generations places its characters in some of history’s most eventful times and is filled with copious amounts of intrigue, adventure, history, and romance.
Character/Execution: Abram Isakowitsch, the eldest Isakowitsch family member, is a clever, fascinating individual whose traits are passed down through the generations. Villains like Jack the Ripper prove difficult opponents, even for this immensely skilled family of assassins.
Blurb: This action-packed, globe-trotting tale following several generations of a family of Jewish assassins will keep readers spellbound until the last page.
Plot/Idea: Phillips’s novel is quickly paced and very meticulously plotted. A seamless storyline depicts the devious machinations of a criminal set against a beautiful Northern California backdrop.
Prose: The prose is at once beautifully crafted and, when necessary, blunt and suspenseful. Main character Rocky’s first-person narration captures the character extremely well.
Originality: A classic murder mystery unfolds, but readers find an unconventional protagonist in the 55-year-old female boxer Raquel “Rocky” Nelson. This paired with the beautiful atmosphere and tension closing in from different parts of Rocky’s life set the novel apart.
Character/Execution: The characters in A Deadly Combo are memorable and convincing. Readers will find Rocky to be a clever yet flawed protagonist, and find the seemingly uncatchable murderer to be a villain to reckon with. Secondary characters serve the tale extremely well, coming across as essential puzzle pieces to the narrative.
Blurb: A compulsively page-turning mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Plot/Idea: In this well-researched work, the author has tackled two areas of interest: the Russian mafia and art. The plot is packed with action from the first page. Balter has worked hard to keep the action sequences smooth and even, blending into the unfolding narrative rather than disrupting it. Ending with a precarious situation, the work makes it clear there is more to come.
Prose: A strong voice paired with authentic dialogue is the strength of this novel. Dialogue and expressed thoughts are witty and engaging, resulting in characters that feel real on the page. The banter between the two best friends is especially genuine.
Originality: The mafia is a familiar area of focus for mysteries and thrillers. The book's concentration on the art world provides an intriguing dimension, while the integration of these two arenas makes for a fresh work of fiction.
Character/Execution: Characters range from evil, and entitled, to cunning and witty. They remain consistent in their actions, while also believably evolving from start to finish.
