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Review

Deadly Animals

by Willy Williams

Fourteen-year-old Ava Bonney has a curiosity about dead things. She keeps a secret roadkill body farm in an abandoned garden near the local motorway and likes to sneak out of her flat in the dead of night to note the decomposition rates of her finds. But on this particular evening in May 1981, she discovers the putrefying body of her classmate Mickey Grant, who disappeared from a local disco two weeks ago. “Ava knew him as an unpleasant boy, a bully you couldn’t walk past without him saying something spiteful. When he went missing, Ava hadn’t cared.” But she telephones the police and, not wanting to reveal her unusual hobby, disguises her voice as Mrs. Poshy-Snob, a woman with a low voice and flawless diction. When he interviews Ava during his inquiries, Detective Sergeant Seth Delahaye is impressed by the teen’s intelligence and self-possession. Signs point to a monstrous serial killer at work after Ava and her best friend John find another mutilated corpse, that of a six-year-old boy. In alternating chapters, Tierney’s compelling narrative follows Ava’s and Delahaye’s separate investigations until the two threads braid into a chilling climax. Ava’s precocity may remind readers of Alan Bradley’s 11-year-old amateur sleuth, Flavia de Luce, but Ava uses her morbid studies to escape an unhappy home life, and her territory is not a cozy English village but the gritty, impoverished suburb of Rudery, South Birmingham. Selected as a finalist in the Daily Mail First Novel competition, this astonishing, beautifully written debut is creepy, gruesome, and heartbreaking. One of the best thrillers of the year.

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Review

Cold Burn

by Jeff Ayers

Brace yourself. Landau (pseudonym for authors Jeff Ayers and Jon Land) is back with a new National Parks-based thriller, and it’s even more breakneck-speed than the last. This time, several mysteries entwine, starting with the fate of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) workers who disappear after the reader follows their every panicked move as an avalanche descends on them at the Lamplugh Glacier in Alaska’s Glacier Bay. Michael Walker, a special agent with the National Parks Investigative Services Branch, hero of Leave No Trace (2024) is dispatched to find them, working with Tlingits, Natives whose animosity toward white outsiders has been well earned. At the other end of the country, a USGS intern is found dead, his cause of death seemingly impossible. And the crew of a U.S. Navy submarine finds itself in terrible peril, the claustrophobia and fear seeping off the pages. There are several highlights here, in addition to the fast-paced, dangerous subplots: a respectful look at the Tlingits and their ways, with a show of force by the tribe creating knife-edge suspense near book’s end; a young Tlingit woman, Amka Reynolds, whose scientific know-how and dedication to her community will make her a reader favorite; and the continued look, in protagonist Walker, at a disabled character with a physically active career, realistically hampered at times but getting on with it. For fans of Landau, outdoorsy thrillers, and stories about the effects of technology (you’ll see).

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Review

A Bird in the Hand: The First George and Molly Palmer-Jones Novel

by Danise Hoover

Cleeves, well noted for Vera, Shetland, and others, first wrote a very different series of mysteries that are soon to be newly available in the United States. George and Molly Palmer-Jones are our amateur sleuths. George, retired from the Home Office (we don’t really know what he did while working), and Molly, a retired social worker, make a wonderful team. Steady, trustworthy, George, with authority; warm, sweet, Molly with the ability to get people to talk to her, make an excellent alternative to the police that no one seems to value. Tom French, a young and seemingly popular leader of the local “twitching” community, a group that travels to find rare birds, is found murdered. The father of a local asks George to look into it. The body has been moved and it is not apparent how or why. George, a birdwatcher himself, can maintain a connection to the astonishing rivalries and intrigues involved in this rabidly passionate community, the members of which travel great distances and endure privations at the merest hint of a rare-bird sighting. The lives and personalities of Cleeves’s characters are complicated and unexpectedly overlapping, and while Molly quietly seeks to understand the human aspect of the crime, George travels for information. This is a wonderful example of the genre. The characters are strong and beautifully drawn, and the landscape integral to the story. Best of all, there is a message from the author discussing her circumstances when writing this and critiquing a work that she obviously loves. Happy to say, there will be more to come.

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Review

I Died for Beauty

by Brian Kenney

Amanda Flower’s Emily Dickinson series just keeps getting better and better. It’s 1857 and Amherst, Massachusetts is experiencing one of the worst winters anyone can remember. Along with the freezing cold is the fear of chimney fires, and indeed an out-of-control blaze in Kelley Square, the Irish section of town, kills a young family, with the eight-year-old daughter, Nora Rose, the sole survivor. But the blaze has suspicious origins, and Emily and her maid Willa take it upon themselves to investigate. There is a lot going on in this novel, but it is all handled with great deft. Emily’s ongoing reliance upon Willa sets the maid apart from the other household staff, fostering jealousy. The marriage of Emily’s brother, Austin, and his wife,, Susan, continues to deteriorate. Women’s role in society, especially in marriage, is a source of ongoing debate. The future of the now-orphaned Nora Rose, an Irish Catholic girl in a largely Protestant town, and with no relatives, upsets the Dickinson household. Meanwhile, Willa’s own love life takes a dramatic turn. A great choice for book groups, which will appreciate both the book’s breadth and depth. Readers who enjoy this title may also like Mariah Fredericks’s The Wharton Plot and Kate Khavari’s A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons.

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Review

Claire, Darling

by Brian Kenney

Yes, her childhood was terrifying, with a mother who made Mommie Dearest seem like milquetoast. But, these days, Claire has really got it together. Now she’s 30, with a job in PR that she always wanted and a fiancé, Noah, who’s handsome and loving; life couldn’t be better. Even her horrible mother died a few months ago, freeing Claire, although leaving her nothing in her will. Until one day when she decides to drop off lunch for Noah at his office—it’s their anniversary—and the receptionist won’t let her in. In fact, she claims that Noah hasn’t worked there in three months. Whaaaat? That night, Noah doesn’t show up at the apartment they share. He’s not picking up her calls. Not answering her texts. In the days to come, and with the help of her friend Sukhi, Claire tracks Noah through every channel possible, getting repeatedly blocked along the way and transforming from a happy young woman to a stalker, obsessed with the beautiful blonde woman who keeps showing up in Noah’s socials. A psychological thriller that will delight readers who enjoy fiction that’s thoughtful but also reads like a rocket. If you appreciated Kimberly McCreight’s Like Mother, Like Daughter, you may well like this.

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Review

If Two Are Dead

by Jeff Ayers

Luke Conway and his wife, Carrie, are moving from LA back to Clear River, Texas, where they grew up, so they can help Carrie’s father, who is gravely ill. For police officer Luke, it is a chance to escape a shooting that has traumatized him, and he’s now a county deputy. Carrie has baggage as well, but she is heading towards it. When she was a high-school junior, she was the sole survivor of an incident that left two girls dead and her with a chip in her skull. She barely survived and can’t remember any details of that day. One evening, while off-duty, Luke appears to hit someone while driving home in the pouring rain. Inspecting the area provides no evidence of a body, so he leaves and doesn’t report it. Luke tells himself that he hit a tree branch, but deep down, he knows he hit someone and decides to keep it a secret. Carrie arrives in town to find a not-so-warm welcome and soon learns that some there believe she killed the two girls years ago and is faking amnesia. Luke and Carrie need each other’s support, but running from the truth only makes matters worse for their marriage and their lives. Mofina generates suspense in unexpected ways and crafts a compelling, genius story that ends in a manner not even savvy readers will see coming. His background as a newspaper reporter allows him to craft realistic characters who face overwhelming odds. Harlan Coben and Alex Finlay fans should already have Mofina on their to-read pile, and this one is another guaranteed bestseller.

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Review

The White Fortress

by Jeff Ayers

Gerard Fox and his wife, Willa, are sailing to the city of Dubrovnik in the Adriatic Sea in 1351 when adventure and danger again call them into action. They meet another couple, Petar and Jelena, on board during the journey and become fast friends. When Gerard rescues Jelena from drowning, Petar and Jelena reveal the real reason for leaving their home. Their son, Niko, was kidnapped by a ruthless nobleman who wants the city where they are from, Ston, for himself. The parents must give access to the invading horde or have Niko die. Gerard and Willa cannot say no to helping their new friends, even if it means delaying their trip to England to restore Gerard’s good name. It also appears that an old prophecy holds the key to their participation and what pitfalls stand in the way. The answers lie in Marco Polo’s lost journals. Boyd and Beth Morrison smoothly blend non-stop action, despicable villains, and medieval history into another compelling read, their best one yet. Gerard and Willa are a marvelous couple who could easily fit into modern times. A shot of Clive Cusller, a dash of Diana Gabaldon (minus the time travel), and a bit of Steve Berry make this series essential for any adventure or history fan.

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Review

You Have Gone Too Far

by Henrietta Thornton

O’Connor’s latest Ireland-set novel is darker than her previous titles, but will still work for her many fans. Steadfast, kind veterinarian Dr. Dimpna Wilde is back, and this time life in her hometown, tourist hot-spot Dingle, Co. Kerry, is repeating itself in a macabre way. Only locals remember that 29 years ago, a cult centered around two men’s obsession with pregnant women ended in death and the men being sent to prison. They’re out now, and horrifyingly seem to be at it again, as a pregnant woman is found dead in a bog near the town and another is missing. A local child has been snatched, too, and Dimpna’s love interest, Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien, is on the case, desperate to find the missing locals. An officer who worked the previous case threatens to destroy this one with her fixation on the just-released men. The best and the worst of small-town life come together here to great effect, and the nail-biting chronicle of the missing duo’s ordeal, with the pregnancy clock ticking, makes for an engrossing read that’s topped off by an exciting, satisfying ending. A realistically portrayed deaf protagonist adds texture to the story. While you’re waiting for this terrific read, watch a documentary with elements of similarity: Gloriavale: New Zealand’s Secret Cult.

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Review

The Retirement Plan

by Brian Kenney

This marvelous tale of marriages that go awry and of friendships that save the day is certain to be one of the funniest crime stories of 2025. Four couples—close friends for 30 years—look forward to their retirement in Florida, their days idle and carefree. To guarantee even more money, the husbands, working off a tip, draw down their life savings and invest them in funds that quickly disappear—leaving them broke and their marriages even more miserable. But when one of the husbands dies, the wives are shocked to discover he left behind a life-insurance policy worth a whopping seven figures. In fact, the wives discover, all their husbands have identical policies. But what’s the use of life insurance when the men could live another 20 years? So the women decide to take matters in their own hands, or at least the hands of an accomplished hitman. But will the husbands be able to outplay their wives? Full of great characters who bring their own fun to the party, this book is perfect for readers who have enjoyed Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, The Author’s Guide to Murder, and A Serial Killers’ Guide to Marriage

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Review

Eat, Slay, Love

by Brian Kenney

Three women, who couldn’t be more different, come together over a man—known as Zander, Zachary, Xavier and more—whom they hate a great deal and love, perhaps, just a little. Marina is a former chef, now a full-time mom, who’s recently divorced and quite broke, but is enjoying rediscovering love with Xavier. Lilah is a withdrawn librarian who wins the lottery—literally. With funds pouring into her account, and falling in love with a man who is now her fiancé, Xavier, life couldn’t get any better. Then there’s Opal, the oldest of the trinity and a well-known health guru whose history with Xavier—confidence man, liar, thief, and lover—extends back the farthest. How the three women come together, and slowly learn to trust one another, is an absolute delight. But what to do with Xavier, currently a hostage in Marina’s basement, is even more of a laugh riot. Until it isn’t, and the book takes a very dark turn indeed. For all who loved Cohen’s Bad Men and Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Club Murder.

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