I can’t remember the last time writing a review stumped me quite as much as this one has. THREE DAYS AND A LIFE by Pierre Lemaitre is one of my most-anticipated 2017 releases—I’ve been counting down the days to a new Lemaitre release ever since I finished his utterly brilliant psychological thriller BLOOD WEDDING over a year ago. BLOOD WEDDING is beautifully written, intelligently plotted, and sometimes brutally dark; I had hoped for Lemaitre to deliver a read in a similar vein for his next effort. THREE DAYS AND A LIFE certainly delivers the same beautiful writing and superb construction as did BLOOD WEDDING, but that’s where the similarities end. This review is such a puzzle to me because as a reader, THREE DAYS is excellent: a heartbreaking and masterful portrait of a man’s life, marked by a childhood mistake. But as a crime reader, I would be very hesitant to recommend THREE DAYS AND A LIFE.
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July 2017 Wrap-Up
July was a fantastic reading month for me—while I didn’t read as many books as I typically do, I loved the majority of the books I did read. And I had a great reason for not reading as much as usual: I spent nearly a week of the month involved in activities for ThrillerFest 2017, an annual crime fiction conference held in New York! Learn all about my July reads and ThrillerFest in this post, plus see a few fun bookish statistics from my month in reading.
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Book Review: LIES SHE TOLD by Cate Holahan
Cate Holahan’s LIES SHE TOLD has a little bit of everything that I love most in a psychological thriller: a literary protagonist (the story’s main character is herself a thriller writer), a “book within a book” mystery, and red herrings and plot twists a plenty. But LIES SHE TOLD has something else, too—it has an intentionally and thoughtfulness to it, qualities that add a layer of intrigue to an already addictive crime novel. On sale 9/12/17, LIES SHE TOLD is pure, binge-worthy entertainment—the kind of effortlessly engaging read that can only come from the author’s intelligent plotting and careful construction. Holahan’s forthcoming thriller will be an instant-hit for fans of EXQUISITE by Sarah Stovell and THE WEIGHT OF LIES by Emily Carpenter; readers looking for an addictive, layered suspense novel will feel right at home in Holahan's world.
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Cover Reveal & Excerpt: CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds
I’m thrilled to share a cover reveal and excerpt from CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds, an upcoming domestic thriller from Quercus! On sale in December, this gripping, claustrophobic story follows a woman who falls down the stairs at home… and wakes up with no memory of the past year of her life. To make matters worse, it seems that her family wants her to stay in the dark about what really happened… I’m going to be reading this book soon, and am so excited to dive into it!
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Book Review: ORDEAL by Jorn Lier Horst
This fall is going to be a big one for new Scandinavian crime fiction. If you read my Fall 2017 Nordic Noir Reading List, you'll already know that one of the books I'm recommending is ORDEAL by Jorn Lier Horst, a brilliant police procedural with a big heart. ORDEAL is without a doubt my favorite Jorn Lier Horst book I've read thus far—its complex plotting and endearing characters make for a compelling and engaging read. The king of the Nordic Noir procedural, Jorn Lier Horst has crafted an impeccable slow-burn crime novel in ORDEAL.
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