Sometimes you pick up a book and feel like it was made for you. ARE YOU SLEEPING by Kathleen Barber was that kind of read for me. This psychological thriller is billed as Serial meets Ruth Ware—a winning combination of two of my favorite things! As an avid podcast listener, I’m immediately drawn to any book that takes inspiration from true crime podcasts. (Remember SIX STORIES by Matt Wesolowski? An instant hit for me.) ARE YOU SLEEPING succeeds in blending the compulsively-readable style of authors like Ruth Ware and Clare Mackintosh with a plot that captures the engrossing, very particular style of true crime podcasts. I highly recommend this suspense novel as a fresh, unique addition to your summer reading list.

Happy Throwback Thursday! This feature (created by It’s Book Talk) is intended to highlight an older title that deserves another moment in the spotlight. For this week’s Throwback Thursday pick, I’m recommending a brilliant Nordic Noir book from my favorite crime book publisher, Orenda Books: THE BIRD TRIBUNAL by Agnes Ravatn. I'm also delighted to provide an excerpt of this book's first four chapters so you can sample this unique and compelling read.

THE GOOD DAUGHTER is the kind of exceptional psychological thriller that only comes around once every so often—a story as in-your-face shocking as it is tender and heartbreaking. Page by page, Slaughter methodically unfolds the history of two sisters, and reveals the horrific past that has both tied them together and driven them apart. Slaughter has written a brilliant, bold crime novel that examines the unbreakable bond of family and the lengths two women will go to uncover the truth about the brutal secrets of their past. 

Psychological thriller readers, I’ve found you a summer must-read. EXQUISITE by Sarah Stovell is a twisty, breathless thriller blended seamlessly with a touch of Fatal Attraction-inspired romance-gone-wrong - a winning combination, executed brilliantly. Add in a bookish setting and you’ve got yourself the perfect escapist, addictive crime book to take on your next vacation. EXQUISITE already boasts a fantastic list of endorsements, with crime fiction's rising stars like Erin Kelly, Holly Seddon, and Sarah Pinborough calling it "gripping," "whip-smart," and "slickly claustrophobic." Buy this book and clear your calendars: EXQUISITE is a 2017 must-read. 

Some books seem custom-made just for you—ARE YOU SLEEPING by Kathleen Barber is that kind of book for me. This inventive thriller blends the addictive psychological psychological suspense of authors like Ruth Ware with a podcast-inspired storyline—aka a combination of some of two of my most favorite things! I’m thrilled to share an excerpt from this highly-anticipated Summer 2017 thriller with you today.

Ever since my trip to Denmark earlier this spring, I’ve been absolutely dying to get my hands on a copy of Sara Blaedel’s forthcoming THE UNDERTAKER’S DAUGHTER. At this year’s BEA, I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the US edition of the book, which will release in the US in February 2018! To help tide you over until then, I’m excited to share a little preview of the book: plot summary, about the author, and the top 3 elements of this book that I loved! 

I’m delighted to share a guest post by author Elizabeth Heathcote, whose psychological thriller UNDERTOW releases June 13th! I always love learning what books inspire or interest crime authors, and in this post, Elizabeth shares a wonderfully well-rounded list of five novels with strong psychological components. 

THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER has one of the most compelling psychological thriller plots I've read in ages. I was so excited to dive into this story that blends psychological suspense with a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale retelling. While I still wholeheartedly admire this book's ambitious premise and unique suspense angle, a lack of character development and excessive flashbacks detracted from my reading experience. My feelings on this book were quite mixed—it has a fantastic premise and unique storytelling elements, but it doesn't quite deliver. 

Happy publication day to Emily Carpenter’s fantastic summer psychological thriller, THE WEIGHT OF LIES (6/6/17)! I’m thrilled to share a Q&A with Emily about her addictive, engaging suspense novel on the blog today. In this post you'll find: plot summary, links to my review of the book and the book's Amazon info, and of course, my Q&A with Emily!

This was a fantastic reading month for me! I read a mix of psychological thrillers, Nordic Noir, literary thrillers, and more. Overall, I loved the books I read this month, and had so much fun reviewing them. Read on for a recap of my May 2017 reads, and a few fun stats from my month in books!