"Sure-Bet" Thrillers

Coben, Harlan. Just One Look.

A seemingly innocuous twenty-year-old photograph turns Grace Lawson's peaceful life upside down when her husband, Jack, mysteriously vanishes with the photograph and unanswered questions threaten her marriage and everything she knows. Human and realistic female protagonist as well as relentless suspense mixed with intelligent mystery—hard to put down. Coben is also known for his Myron Bolitar mystery series. All of Coben's stand-alones are superb-- Gone for Good, The Innocent, No Second Chance, Tell No One, and his latest, The Woods

Kevin, a clever criminal specializing in identity theft, reunites with his father, who has just been released on parole, and his dad's girlfriend, Collette, a talented grifter determined to con her way into high society, to pull off one last scam, but the consequences of their actions are unimaginable. If novels featuring quirky characters on the grift have an appeal, then this is a fascinating, funny, beautifully written addition to the genre. Readers will find themselves drawn into the intriguing lives of this delinquent outlaw family as they form and reform alliances and journey along their crooked path toward a surprising finish.

Trapped in a job he hates, Adam Cassidy, a young employee at a high-tech corporation, is caught attempting to manipulate the system and is offered a choice--prison, or spying at the headquarters of their competitor, Trion Systems. Seat-of-your-pants action…if you love spy games & business intrigue, this is for you.

In this hilarious fable of decency adrift in the world, a dying man's clairvoyant prophesies about his grandson, Jimmy Tock, reveal five terrifying and horrific events, occuring on five different days at different periods in his life, that will turn the young man's world upside down. This novel is also an exuberant parody of literary and cinematic pop-fiction conventions. That neither Jimmy nor any of the other characters could possibly be real doesn’t prevent them from being richly sympathetic, and as with many a movie masterpiece, the story’s fundamental ridiculousness doesn’t prevent it from being emotionally powerful and thought-provoking.

Called by critics as Mystic River impressive, this book contains characters, family dynamics, and a time period that are all sharply rendered and tightly tied to the overriding theme of innocence betrayed. But perhaps MacDonald’s most impressive accomplishment is her uncanny ability, much like Donna Tartt’s in The Little Friend, to vividly re-create the wonder, humor, and fears of childhood. Twenty years after her early 1960s military father is forced to choose between loyalties in the wake of a local murder, Madeleine begins to understand the case's implication and launches a search for the killer.

The search for a rare fossil leads to death and a deadly secret. This absorbing science-based thriller puts Michael Crichton to shame. If science and suspense as a mix attracts you…

CONSPIRACIES (Appeal to Dan Brown's fans...Da Vinci Code)

Baldacci, David. The Camel Club

Witnessing a murder, conspiracy theorist Harry Stone steals a crucial piece of evidence from the scene and is subsequently pursued. Baldacci is a master at building suspense, and the conclusion of this novel will leave readers breathless. Followed by the equally engaging The Collectors.

This Vatican thriller is an intriguing and timely book at the election of the new pope. Asking the question did Pope John Paul II reveal the full Fatima secret in 2000? Author of The Amber Room & The Romanov Prophecy. (Russian suspense). Both The Templar Legacy and The Alexandria Link feature Cotton Malone, a former U.S. Justice Department agent turned Copenhagen bookseller.

When several people are burned to death during the theft of a religious artifact, Gray Pierce, a new member of the U.S. SIGMA force, pursues a clandestine fraternity of alchemists who would use the artifact to establish a new world order. First in the Sigma Force series. Excellent entertainment and rollicking action.

ESPIONAGE

Silva, Daniel. The Kill Artist.

First in the Gabriel Allon series introduces the reader to an amazing and compelling character set in the not so distant past. The Israeli intelligence chief recalls two former agents to eliminate a top Palestinian terrorist. The former agents were once lovers and their pasts and their enemies come back to haunt them as the terrorist begins his campaign of murder. All of the books in this series are breathless espionage escapades mixing art restoration with life-threatening intrigue.

In 1941, Calvin Cormack teams up with MI5 officer Walter Stilton to find Wolfgang Stahl, an American spy masquerading as an SS officer, but Cormack must enlist the aid of Sergeant Troy of Scotland Yard after his partner turns up dead. This is the first Frederick Troy novel. Lawton meshes comedy and suspense with skill and energy, and seamlessly mixes fictional creations with real characters like H.G. Wells and Winston Churchill producing a distinctive, vigorous novel of wartime suspense. The second is Black Out, and the third is Old Flames.

A young man in Bulgaria in 1938 witnesses his brother's death as a result of being kicked by a gang of thugs. He vows vengeance against Fascism and flees to Moscow, where he is trained as an agent of the NKVD, precurser of the KGB. He is soon caught up in many missions around Europe and becomes a hunted man. An engaging writer, Furst deploys communists, fascists, and Americans in Europe's theater of war and supports the action and romance with well-researched detail. Or try Kingdom of Shadows or The Polish Officer.

Third in the Paul Christopher series, Christopher begins to investigate the assassination of John Kennedy in 1963, thinking it results from the Vietnamese assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem. Originally released in 1975, this cautionary tale and timeless beautifully written classic captures the history, time and place of the Cold War.

Unremarkable American scientist A.J. Lewinter triggers a series of high-stakes events when, during an academic conference in Tokyo, he contacts the KGB with an offer to defect, a proposal neither country can be sure is genuine. Littell's first in this category is politically sophisticated, literate and versatile in its range.
Or try The Sisters, in which Littell brilliantly weaves quirky characters and puzzle-piece vignettes into an intricate, bizarre and highly entertaining tale.
Or Legends. Struggling with disjointed memories about his past identities with the CIA, former field agent turned private detective Martin Odum wonders if he can trust his CIA psychiatrist and struggles to retain a hold on his sanity.

LEGAL THRILLERS

Connelly, Michael. The Lincoln Lawyer.

Connelly (Harry Bosch series) moves into John Grisham territory with his first legal thriller. Mickey Haller, whose office is in an automobile, defends a seemingly innocent client. Sardonically humorous and people are “real.” Superb pacing and characterizations.

LEGAL THRILLS: If patron has already read this--suggest Ellis, Horn, Lashner, Reuland, Roosevelt, Schaffer that follow...

Ellis, David. In the Company of Liars.

A legal thriller told in reverse so the story starts at the end and leads to a shocking opening, this is one roller-coaster ride of a read. Author of Jury of One & Life Sentence.

Investigating the disappearance of a Senate Intelligence Committee staffer in the hope of salvaging his reputation, former White House lawyer Philip Barkley teams up with a retired detective and follows a trail of murder victims dating back generations. Sophisticated political novel and legal thriller contains memorable characters, a wonderfully labyrinthine plot, and a genuinely surprising ending. Also by this author: In Her Defense.

When Joey Cheaps is murdered less than twenty-four hours after telling Victor Carl a twenty-year-old secret, Victor decides to investigate, but soon finds his own life threatened. Fourth Victor Carl novel--no need to read in order--this is one of the best. Author has a rich, sometimes poetic style, but he leavens his prose with humor that fluctuates between morbid and whimsical. Not only is this is an extremely good crime novel, it is laugh out loud funny. It vaults Lashner into the upper reaches of the hardboiled universe, along with George Pelecanos, Dennis Lehane, and a very few others. Also by Lashner in the series: Hostile Witness, Veritas, Fatal Flaw, Falls the Shadow, and Marked Man.

In this bold, blackly comedic thriller, a jaded Brooklyn district attorney, Andrew Giobberti investigates a troubling murder--the killing of a young girl--that threatens to reopen old wounds in regard to the death of his own daughter. Reuland's irreverent take on antihero Gio is a refreshing dash of candor in the genre, granting credibility to a story whose racing pace has an addictive effect. Subtle characterizations, moral ambiguities, graceful prose. Followed by Semiautomatic.

This debut is not a Grisham knock-off, "Law" as a theme is prominent so legal terms and concepts abound so this isn’t breezy reading; thought-provoking is a much more accurate description. A group of attorneys is assigned to two controversial and difficult cases, a pro bono death penalty case in Virginia and a class action lawsuit against a Texas chemical plant following an on-site explosion that killed dozens of workers.

Reluctant California public defender Gordon Seegerman (Barry Manilow aficionado) takes on a misdemeanor flasher case, a case being prosecuted by the woman who had broken his heart, which becomes complicated by the disappearance of his client. Schaffer’s strength definitely lies in character development, and Gordon’s bandmates ("Barry X and the Mandys") provide the best moments in the story. Fans of mainstream legal thrillers won’t know what to make of Gordon, but those who like quirky comedy (daffy, delightful humor) mixed with mystery will feel right at home here. Followed by I Right the Wrongs.

LONE JUSTICE (heroes who work with & sometimes in spite of law enforcement)

Child, Lee. One Shot: A Jack Reacher Novel.

A man who despises ex-military investigator Reacher must rely on Reacher’s help after he is accused of shooting five people. Superior thriller shows Child at the top of his game—excellent series—good intro to the character and author’s style. Series begins with Killing Floor. Latest is Bad Luck and trouble. Not necessary to read in order.

Armed with electric fingertips, a terrorist plans to turn a cruise ship into a floating bomb. The reclusive Thorn, a ship employee, must work against the clock to sabotage the plan. May appeal to Clancy and Patrick Robinson readers. First in the Thorn series is Under Cover of Daylight.

This first in the Repairman Jack series is a riveting read and a startling introduction to a compelling character. Jack is a loner who survives below the radar screen of the law and government agencies. He fixes things for people—he fixes situations that the legal system could not or would not address. Even though his last girlfriend left him because of what he does, the reader likes Jack because he is courageous, innovative, and compassionate. Readers who want a modern-day adventure hero will forgive the fairly predictable plot and ending because Wilson’s prose is entertaining and his characters lively and sympathetic. This thriller will appeal to horror lovers who like Dean Koontz because of the mythological/supernatural nature of the evil Jack must combat, and to anyone who likes a rapidly paced plot that explodes all over the pages. In this book, Jack is hired to recover a mysterious stolen necklace, reputed to be accompanied by an ancient curse and encounters a secret world of magic and winged Bengali demons. Followed by Legacies, Conspiracies, and All the Rage.

SERIAL KILLERS

Gerritsen, Tess. The Apprentice.

It's a boiling summer in Boston. Adding to the city's woes is a series of shocking crimes that end in abduction and death. The pattern suggest "the Surgeon," serial killer Warren Hoyt. But Hoyt is behind bars, so this time it's a copycat killer. Detective Jane Rizzoli is on the case, determined to finally end Hoyt's influence. Second in Jane Rizzoli series. Sequel to The Surgeon. Do not need to read in order, but you may want to for character continuity.

When her sister is killed during a scientific study, an anthropologist fakes her own suicide and hides in Miami to prevent herself from becoming the latest victim in a string of ritualistic murders. This intelligent thriller builds tension from the first page. Gruber’s understanding of African witchcraft stands fully behind an exciting narrative populated by distinctly drawn characters such as Jane, who is also haunted by the awful murder of her sister and now finds herself confronting a shaman up to his bloody elbows in ritual murder. This book has movie potential written all over it, which is no criticism of its depth--simply a compliment to its strong and colorful story line. First in the Jimmy Paz series, followed by Valley of Bones.

Detective Reuben "Diego" Montoya must team up with the prime suspect in a murder case to catch a serial killer who is keeping New Orleans in the grip of fear, an investigation that leads them to an abandoned asylum where unspeakable evil awaits them. Ms Jackson is at the top of her game in this cleverly plotted suspense novel. When you feel the hairs on your arms raise you know it's superb. Fourth Reuben Montoya, need not read in order.

When a killer who stalks crime writers murders her boyfriend, a prominent author, Professor Fiona Cameron is on the case, using her computer knowledge to hunt him down. A gripping read with layers of plot complexity, heart-stopping suspense, and guts and gore aplenty.

Pediatrician and coroner Dr. Sara Linton, her ex-husband and chief of police Jeffrey Tolliver, and detective Lena Adams are on the case when a sadistic rapist and murderer begins targeting women in Grant County. This is an accomplished first novel that melds a riveting plot with a brutally graphic portrait of a sexual sadist. Sara and Lena are tough, complicated, and smart, and Jeffrey is a man who knows he has made mistakes but has found a way to live with them. Second in the series is Kisscut. Do not need to read in order, but you may want to for character continuity.

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library - - lme