2017 was a year of trying new things - one of them being my foray into action thrillers for the first time ever. As someone sampling this crime fiction subgenre for the first time, I knew I wanted to try books from both established and debut authors, and I knew that, as a woman, I wanted to read action thrillers featuring strong female leads. My 2017 action thriller picks were spot-on for my personal qualifications. STRONG TO THE BONE by Jon Land (Forge Books; 12/5/17) and DEEP DOWN DEAD by Steph Broadribb (Orenda; 4/1/17) delivered thrills, emotionally-compelling characters, and a whole lot of high-stakes tension - the perfect introduction to action thrillers for this newcomer.