MOST ANTICIPATED EARLY 2022 CRIME BOOKS
New Crime Fiction Releases, January - March 2022
A new year is upon us, and there’s only one way to kick off 2022 here on CBTB: by celebrating some of the outstanding crime books that the year has in store for us!! To ring in 2022, I’m thrilled to share my picks for most-anticipated crime books releasing in January, February, and March 2022! As always, there are way too many crime books I’m excited about this year for me to put them all into one blog post, so I’ll be divvying the year up into a few different “most-anticipated” lists for you to peruse. Today I want to focus on crime books I’m particularly excited about that will be published in the first three months of this year—and boy oh boy, there are a lot of them. From the return of CBTB favorite authors (Lars Kepler! Camilla Sten! Stephanie Wrobel! and so many more!!) to the release of international crime books I’ve been online-stalking ever since I first heard of their publications overseas, from serial killer thrillers and cult stories to seafaring suspense and private investigator mysteries, there’s a little bit of something for everyone on today’s list. 2022 is already shaping up to be another outstanding year for new crime fiction, and I can’t wait to embark on a new year of crime fiction exploration with you all!
As always, I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to every single one of you who takes the time to read this blog post. This community means the world to me, and I truly can’t wait to share another year of reading adventures with you all. Without further ado, on to the books! Read on for my picks for most-anticipated early 2022 crime fiction!
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RECKLESS GIRLS by Rachel Hawkins
Available January 4, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
I’m all about escapist reads these days, and if that sounds up your alley as well, Rachel Hawkins’ seafaring suspense novel RECKLESS GIRLS is the early-2022 book for you! I devoured RECKLESS GIRLS a couple of months ago, relishing the immersive, wanderlust-worthy world Hawkins crafts in her book’s pages. This book is pure fun to read, from its mysterious and cinematic setting (a desolate, remote island with a very dark history), intriguing cast of characters, and paradise-turned-deadly plot. This one has a bit of a romance element to it—not usually my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it in this case! RECKLESS GIRLS is a perfect choice for any reader who wants pure escapism and seafaring suspense.
About the Book:
ONE ISLAND
Beautiful, wild, and strange—Meroe Island is a desolate spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. It’s the perfect destination for the most adventurous traveler to escape everything... except the truth.
SIX VISITORS
Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey—one filled with sun-drenched days and intoxicating nights. But as it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in, sending them on a dangerous spiral of discovery.
COUNTLESS SECRETS
When one person goes missing and another turns up dead, the remaining friends wonder what dark currents lie beneath this impenetrable paradise—and who else will be swept under its secluded chaos. With its island gothic sensibility, sexy suspense, and spine-tingling reimagining of an Agatha Christie classic, Reckless Girls will wreck you.
A FLICKER IN THE DARK by Stacy Willingham
Available January 11, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Any crime novel involving a protagonist who is connected to (or, even better, related to!) a serial killer is one I have to read—and that’s exactly the kind of story Stacy Willingham gives readers in her debut thriller, A FLICKER IN THE DARK. In this crime novel, a psychologist whose father confessed to multiple murders finds the events of her past repeating themselves when a local teenage girl goes missing. I love stories involving psychologist protagonists, and I can’t wait to experience the unique spin on a serial killer story that Stacy Willingham gives readers in her debut novel.
About the Book:
When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.
Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?
From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last page.
THE MIRROR MAN by Lars Kepler
Available January 18, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
If you’ve been around Crime by the Book for a little bit, you will already know how much I absolutely love Swedish husband-and-wife crime writing duo Lars Kepler. Kepler’s newest serial killer thriller THE MIRROR MAN is my new favorite book of theirs, and if you’re in the market for a dark, gritty, gripping serial killer story to devour this winter, look no further! You’ve come to the right place. THE MIRROR MAN is Kepler’s most psychologically-complex story yet, a thriller that centers around unmasking a mysterious (and brutal) villain whose identity, once revealed, genuinely shocked me. Kepler’s books are not for the faint of heart, but if you (like me!) love really dark, sinister serial killer stories, THE MIRROR MAN is outstanding. Pick this one up if you love TV shows like Mindhunter or Criminal Minds. (Bonus: this book can easily be read as a standalone - no need to have prior experience with Kepler’s work!)
About the Book:
Sixteen-year-old Jenny Lind is kidnapped in broad daylight on her way home from school and thrown into the back of a truck. She’s taken to a dilapidated house, where she and other girls face horrors far beyond their worst nightmares. Though they’re desperate to escape, their captor foils everyone of their attempts.
Five years later, Jenny’s body is found hanging in a playground, strung up with a winch on a rainy night. As the police are scrambling to find a lead in the scant evidence, Detective Joona Linna recognizes an eerie connection between Jenny’s murder and a death declared a suicide years before. And when another teenage girl goes missing, it becomes clear to Joona that they’re dealing with a serial killer—and his murderous rampage may have just begun.
GREENWICH PARK by Katherine Faulkner
Available January 25, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Domestic suspense can be hit or miss for me, so I truly mean it when I say: Katherine Faulkner’s GREENWICH PARK is a top-notch example of the domestic suspense genre. This dark, spine-tingling story explores the sinister “friendship” that develops between two women who meet in a prenatal class. Protagonist Helen has it all—and Rachel, an unpredictable soon-to-be-mother, seems to want a piece of it. As the two women find their lives increasingly entangled, readers get hints that a dark and terrible secret is underpinning both of their lives and tying them inextricably together. This is a disturbing, propulsive story that delves into the darkest corners of its characters lives, and I absolutely loved it. Fans of Lisa Jewell and B.A. Paris will relish this sinister domestic suspense story.
About the Book:
Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way (after years of trying)—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class and meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be. Rachel doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.
But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.
THE THERAPIST by Helene Flood
Available February 1, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
There are two books on this list that I’ve been online-stalking ever since I first saw them published overseas, and THE THERAPIST is one of them! This debut Norwegian crime novel centers around a psychologist who begins to question her own sanity. That plot sounds immediately appealing to me, but even better, the author herself brings professional expertise to this story: Helene Flood is a psychologist who works at Norway’s National Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress. I absolutely love crime novels that incorporate psychology and center around characters working in the field, and I am beyond excited to see what Helene Flood brings to this story! I have truly been counting down the days until THE THERAPIST gets a U.S. release for quite a while now, and I can’t wait to devour this book as we get closer to its U.S. publication in February.
About the Book:
At first it's the lie that hurts.
A voicemail from her husband tells Sara he's arrived at the holiday cabin. Then a call from his friend confirms he never did.
She tries to carry on as normal, teasing out her clients' deepest fears, but as the hours stretch out, her own begin to surface. And when the police finally take an interest, they want to know why Sara deleted that voicemail.
To get to the root of Sigurd's disappearance, Sara must question everything she knows about her relationship.
Could the truth about what happened be inside her head?
THIS MIGHT HURT by Stephanie Wrobel
Available February 22, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Press pause on reading this blog post and pre-order Stephanie Wrobel’s outstanding sophomore thriller THIS MIGHT HURT right now. I loved Stephanie’s debut thriller DARLING ROSE GOLD, but trust me when I tell you, she’s upped the ante on her own work in THIS MIGHT HURT. This accomplished psychological thriller delves into the world of a “wellness retreat” that seems more like a cult than anything else. It’s a gripping story of a woman determined to save her sister from the trap she seems to have fallen into, and a spine-tingling tale of a community that won’t let its members go without a fight. If you love cult stories, books centered around compelling female characters, or just plain excellent suspense fiction, THIS MIGHT HURT is an absolute must-read. This will without a doubt be one of my favorite books of the year!
About the Book:
Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.
Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.
The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.
And then she found Wisewood.
On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.
Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.
THE PARIS APARTMENT by Lucy Foley
Available February 22, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Any new Lucy Foley book would be reason to celebrate, but I’m particularly excited about Lucy’s 2022 release THE PARIS APARTMENT, which blends Parisian charm with a sinister tale of an apartment building that’s holding many dangerous secrets within its walls. I’m betting I’m not the only one who recently loved the TV show Only Murders in the Building, and if you were a fan of it too, you’ll love THE PARIS APARTMENT! This book is quite a bit different from Foley’s previous two releases—yes, it’s primarily focused on one location, but it’s not a locked room mystery the way Foley’s previous two books were—but it’s riveting and engrossing in its own right. Think: a blend of Only Murders charm, plus the sinister Gothic atmosphere of Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door. Brimming with wanderlust-worthy Parisian style, laced with Gothic atmosphere, and filled with the dark secrets of its characters, this suspense novel is one you won’t want to miss!
About the Book:
Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.
The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.
The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge
Everyone's a neighbor. Everyone's a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.
THE HARBOR by Katrine Engberg
Available February 22, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Katrine Engberg’s excellent detective series has become a must-read for me over the last couple of years, and I’m so excited that her newest series installment THE HARBOR is finally coming to the US this spring! Katrine’s crime series follows two detectives—Jeppe and Anette—who work for the police force in Copenhagen, Denmark. Katrine’s books have the immersive sense of place and gritty atmosphere of their Nordic Noir counterparts, but these books stand out from the pack thanks to their quirky, vivid characters. There are great mysteries to be found within these stories, but I honestly think my favorite part of my time spent reading Katrine’s books has been getting to know Jeppe, Anette, and their colleagues. Readers who love character-driven mysteries and want to “armchair travel” to Denmark will want to check these books out!
About the Book:
When fifteen-year-old Oscar Dreyer-Hoff disappears, the police assume he’s simply a runaway—a typically overlooked middle child doing what teenagers do all around the world. But his frantic family is certain that something terrible has happened. After all, what runaway would leave behind a note that reads:
He looked around and saw the knife that had stabbed Basil Hallward. He had cleaned it many times, till there was no stain left upon it. It was bright and glistened. As it had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter’s work, and all that that meant. It would kill the past, and when that was dead, he would be free.
It’s not much to go on but it’s all that detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner have. And with every passing hour, as the odds of finding a missing person grow dimmer, it will have to be enough.
THE VERIFIERS by Jane Pek
Available February 22, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
A mystery novel about a young woman who’s a lifelong mystery reader and gets recruited to work at an online-dating detective agency? Sign. Me. Up. Jane Pek’s THE VERIFIERS introduces readers to Claudia Lin, an amateur sleuth whose life gets turned upside down when a client of hers has an unusual and dangerous request. THE VERIFIERS centers around a decidedly modern concept—a private detective agency that can be hired to investigate people on dating apps. Now, anyone who has ever had any experience with the world of online dating can probably immediately imagine just how useful this kind of service would be. I’ve never read a mystery novel involving anything remotely like this, and I can’t wait to see what this story has to offer! I also am always on board for a crime novel that features a protagonist who loves mysteries themselves, and I can’t wait to get to know Claudia and go on this adventure with her.
About the Book:
Claudia is used to disregarding her fractious family’s model-minority expectations: she has no interest in finding either a conventional career or a nice Chinese boy. She’s also used to keeping secrets from them, such as that she prefers girls—and that she's just been stealth-recruited by Veracity, a referrals-only online-dating detective agency.
A lifelong mystery reader who wrote her senior thesis on Jane Austen, Claudia believes she's landed her ideal job. But when a client vanishes, Claudia breaks protocol to investigate—and uncovers a maelstrom of personal and corporate deceit. Part literary mystery, part family story, The Verifiers is a clever and incisive examination of how technology shapes our choices, and the nature of romantic love in the digital age.
THE NIGHT SHIFT by Alex Finlay
Available March 1, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Do you ever pick up a book not really sure what to expect, and end up completely obsessed with it?! That was my experience with Alex Finlay’s sophomore thriller THE NIGHT SHIFT, which I read on a whim last month and absolutely loved. This thriller has major appeal for those of us who love 90’s nostalgia—if you loved that aspect of Riley Sager’s Survive the Night, you’ll love that element of this book, too. (To be clear, this book is quite different from Survive the Night in a lot of ways, but the 90’s nostalgia is an absolute commonality!) This unique spin on a serial killer story takes readers deep into the heart of a mysterious series of crimes in the present day that harken back to a spree killing at a Blockbuster in 1999. Twisty, gripping, and character-driven, this is a top notch thriller that you’ll want to read in one sitting. THE NIGHT SHIFT is a genuine thrill ride with a tender heart at its core.
About the Book:
“The night was expected to bring tragedy.” So begins one of the most highly-anticipated thrillers in recent years.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.
In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who’s convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.
Twisty, poignant, and redemptive, The Night Shift is a story about the legacy of trauma and how the broken can come out on the other side, and it solidifies Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the world of thrillers.
LIKE A SISTER by Kellye Garrett
Available March 8, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
One of spring 2022’s buzziest crime books, Kellye Garrett’s LIKE A SISTER is already earning praise from some of the biggest names in crime fiction—and I can’t wait to devour this twisty thriller for myself! Praised as “equal parts charm and heartbreak” (Laura Lippman) and “smart with twists you never see coming” (Walter Mosley), this crime novel follows a woman who refuses to believe the police and the media’s narrative about her half-sister’s tragic and untimely death. The deeper our protagonist delves into the mystery, the more dangerous her quest for justice for her sister becomes. LIKE A SISTER sounds timely, relevant, and gripping, and I can’t wait to delve in. (Tell me this book’s first line doesn’t immediately grab you: “I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she’d died from the New York Daily News.” Consider me intrigued!)
About the Book:
When the body of disgraced reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her 25th birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. It’s a tragedy, certainly, but not a crime.
But Desiree’s half-sister Lena Scott knows that can’t be the case. A graduate student at Columbia, Lena has spent the past decade forging her own path far from the spotlight, but some facts about Desiree just couldn’t have changed since their childhood. And Desiree would never travel above 125th Street. So why is no one listening to her?
Despite the bitter truth that the two haven’t spoken in two years, torn apart by Desiree’s partying and by their father, Mel, a wealthy and influential hip-hop mogul, Lena becomes determined to find justice for her sister, even if it means untangling her family’s darkest secrets—or ending up dead herself.
REPTILE MEMOIRS by Silje Ulstein
Available March 15, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
Remember how I said there were two books on this list I’d been online-stalking for a while? This is the second one! REPTILE MEMOIRS by Silje Ulstein is another Norwegian crime novel that earned major buzz upon its publication abroad, and it’s finally coming to the U.S. this March! REPTILE MEMOIRS is set in the beautiful town of Ålesund, which was actually the very first place I ever visited on my first trip to Norway way back in the day (pre-CBTB!). It’s been quite a while since I was last there, and I’m so excited to armchair travel back through REPTILE MEMOIRS. Not only does the setting sound instantly-intriguing, but this plot sounds genuinely unlike anything else I’ve read in ages. (Keep reading below to see what I mean.) REPTILE MEMOIRS promises to be one of the most original and unique crime stories of the spring, and I can’t wait to dive in.
About the Book:
Liv has a lot of secrets. For her, home is the picturesque town of Ålesund, perched on a fjord in western Norway. One night, in the early-morning embers of a great party in the basement apartment she shares with two friends, Liv is watching TV, high on weed, and sees a python on an Australian nature show. She becomes obsessed with the idea of buying a snake as a pet. Soon Nero, the baby Burmese python, becomes the apartment's fourth roommate. As Liv bonds with Nero, she feels extremely protective, like a caring mother, and she is struck by a desire that surprises her with its intensity. Finally she is safe.
Thirteen years later, in the nearby town of Kristiansund, Mariam Lind goes on a shopping trip with her eleven-year-old daughter, Iben, who angers her mother by asking for a magazine one too many times. Mariam storms off, leaving Iben in the shop and, expecting her young daughter to find her own way home, heads off on a long calming drive. When she returns home in the evening, her husband is relieved to see her but terrified that Iben isn't also there. Detective Roe Olsvik is assigned to the case of Iben's disappearance; he has just turned sixty and is new to the Kristiansund police department. As he interrogates Mariam, he instantly suspects her—but there is much more to this case and these characters than their outer appearances would suggest.
A biting and constantly shifting tale of family secrets, rebirth, and the legacy of trauma, Reptile Memoirs is a brilliant exploration of the cold-bloodedness of humanity, and the struggle to mend broken lives and families.
THE BOOK OF COLD CASES by Simone St. James
Available March 15, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
I feel like I almost don’t need to explain myself on this one… but just in case anyone reading this has never tried a Simone St. James book before, allow me a couple sentences to convince you to give her work a try! Believe it or not, back in the day, I hated crime novels involving anything remotely supernatural or otherworldly. Then I began reading two authors whose work changed my mind—one of whom was Simone St. James. (The other was C.J. Tudor, in case anyone is curious!) Simone St. James writes the most deliciously dark, wildly entertaining crime stories that blend earthly mysteries with supernatural scares in the most perfect of ways. I can’t properly express what a huge fan I am of her work, and how thankful I am to her books for pushing me outside my comfort zone and helping me learn to appreciate crime books that incorporate the supernatural. Simone’s 2022 release THE BOOK OF COLD CASES sounds utterly fantastic: it involves a true crime blogger who gets more than she bargained for when she begins interviewing a woman acquitted of two cold case murders.
About the Book:
In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect—a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.
Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases—a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.
They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?
NINE LIVES by Peter Swanson
Available March 15, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
I’ve already had the pleasure of reading Peter Swanson’s outstanding new crime novel NINE LIVES, and it’s now my new favorite Swanson book! This clever and utterly unique crime novel draws inspiration from a classic of the genre—Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None—and weaves a gripping, thoroughly surprising tale that nods to one of crime fiction’s greatest classics while also paving its own inventive path. This story centers around a group of strangers who receive a list in the mail with their names on it…and soon discover that it might just be a “kill list.” No one in this book is safe, and readers will be glued to the pages as Swanson unspools his deliciously dark and wickedly clever take on one of Christie’s greatest works. (If you’ve never read And Then There Were None, you can absolutely still appreciate this book—but I’m betting it will inspire you to read Christie’s classic once you finish it! And for And Then There Were None fans out there, this one is an absolute must-read. You’ll love the ways both obvious and subtle that NINE LIVES pays tribute to Christie’s work.)
About the Book:
Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it in the mail. Nothing else, just a list of names on a single sheet of paper. None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. They dismiss it as junk mail, a fluke—until very, very bad things begin happening to people on the list.
First, a well-liked old man is drowned on a beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine. Then, a father is shot in the back while running through his quiet neighborhood in suburban Massachusetts. A frightening pattern is emerging, but what do these nine people have in common? Their professions range from oncology nurse to aspiring actor, and they’re located all over the country. So why are they all on the list, and who sent it?
FBI agent Jessica Winslow, who is on the list herself, is determined to find out. Could there be some dark secret that binds them all together? Or is this the work of a murderous madman? As the mysterious sender stalks these nine strangers, they find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, wondering who will be crossed off next…
A HARMLESS LIE by Sara Blaedel
Available March 22, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
This one is a no-brainer! Sara Blaedel’s books have been a part of CBTB since the very beginning, and I’m so excited for the return of her series protagonist Louise Rick in A HARMLESS LIE. I’m especially excited about this book because it sounds like it’s going to show us a new side of Louise—and it sounds like it will be a great choice for readers who are new to this series to pick up, too. Past Louise Rick books have featured Louise in various professional capacities, whether working as a homicide detective or as part of a missing persons task force, but A HARMLESS LIE delves into Louise’s family life and shows her first and foremost as a sister, not as a police officer. I’m so excited to read this one and explore a new facet of Louise’s character!
About the Book:
Detective Louise Rick is on a beach in Thailand when the panicked call from her father comes through. Louise′s beloved brother, Mikkel, has attempted suicide. His wife, Trine, left him days earlier, walking out the door one day with no warning and leaving Mikkel devastated.
Louise rushes home to Osted, the small, insular Danish town where she grew up and where Mikkel still lives. But the more Louise learns about Trine—a devoted wife and the mother of two young children—and her state of mind in the days before she left Mikkel, the more Louise begins to wonder whether Trine really meant to leave him. Or whether something much darker may have taken place.
As the local police begin to suspect that Mikkel may have had a hand in Trine’s disappearance, Louise struggles to clear his name but is forced to confront some hard truths: Small towns always hide secrets. The past always comes back to haunt you. And lies are never harmless.
THE RESTING PLACE by Camilla Sten
Available March 29, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
I was obsessed with Camilla Sten’s US debut THE LOST VILLAGE last year, and I’ve been counting down the days until her next release ever since! THE RESTING PLACE is described by the publisher as “Crimson Peak meets The Sanatorium” which, if you know me or follow me on social media, you will know is kind of my ideal mash-up. (Can we have a moment for how underrated Crimson Peak is??) THE RESTING PLACE looks like the Gothic, horror-tinged, locked room-inspired suspense story of my dreams, and I am currently having to exercise all my self-control not to just give up on this blog post and start reading this book immediately. If this one is anything like Camilla Sten’s last book, I’m betting this will end up being one of my 2022 favorites! If you love “chillers” (aka crime books that blend earthly suspense with touches of horror and supernatural thrills), check this one out immediately.
About the Book:
Deep rooted secrets.
A twisted family history.
And a house that will never let go.
Eleanor lives with prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize a familiar person's face. It causes stress. Acute anxiety.
It can make you question what you think you know.
When Eleanor walked in on the scene of her capriciously cruel grandmother, Vivianne’s, murder, she came face to face with the killer—a maddening expression that means nothing to someone like her. With each passing day, the horror of having come so close to a murderer—and not knowing if they’d be back—overtakes both her dreams and her waking moments, thwarting her perception of reality.
Then a lawyer calls. Vivianne has left her a house—a looming estate tucked away in the Swedish woods. The place her grandfather died, suddenly. A place that has housed a chilling past for over fifty years.
Eleanor. Her steadfast boyfriend, Sebastian. Her reckless aunt, Veronika. The lawyer. All will go to this house of secrets, looking for answers. But as they get closer to uncovering the truth, they’ll wish they had never come to disturb what rests there.
THE LONG WEEKEND by Gilly Macmillan
Available March 29, 2022
Why I’m Excited:
If you love authors like Clare Mackintosh and Alice Feeney, you need to be reading Gilly Macmillan. Gilly is the author of spine-tingling suspense novels including WHAT SHE KNEW and THE NANNY, and this spring, she returns with what I think is her most impressive psychological thriller yet. THE LONG WEEKEND is an intricately woven tale of a group of friends tied together by secrets and bound for tragedy. I devoured this book in a couple of sittings, and have been left marveling at Gilly’s masterful command of this complex-yet-binge-worthy story. What begins as a locked in-style suspense story (a group of women whose “girl’s trip” takes a dangerous turn when they receive a threatening letter and find themselves stranded due to a storm) expands into a deeply sinister and shocking story of obsession, manipulation, and murder. There are some truly terrific reveals and twists in this book that I genuinely never saw coming, and the entire story is woven together masterfully. I truly think this is Gilly Macmillan’s best book yet.
About the Book:
Three couples
Two bodies
One secret
Dark Fell Barn is a “perfectly isolated” retreat, or so says its website when Jayne books a reservation for her friends. A quiet place, far removed from the rest of the world, is exactly what they need.
The women arrive for a girls’ night ahead of their husbands. There’s ex-Army Jayne, hardened and serious, but also damaged. Ruth, the driven doctor and new mother who is battling demons of her own. Young Emily, just wed and insecure, the newest addition of this tight-knit band. Missing this year is Edie, who was the glue holding them together, until her husband died suddenly.
But what they hoped would be a relaxing break soon turns to horror. Upon arrival at Dark Fell Barn, the women find a devastating note claiming one of their husbands will be murdered. There are no phones, no cell service to check on their men. Friendships fracture as the situation spins wildly out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms.
This group has kept each other’s secrets for far too long.
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.