Summer is here, and itβs bringing with it all kinds of amazing new crime fiction releases. From binge-worthy psychological thrillers to the return of CBTB-favorite crime writers to sleep-with-the-lights-on creepy suspense stories and much more, July 2020 has a little something for everyone. In todayβs blog post, Iβm highlighting the new releases I personally recommend this month, and the July publications that are still on my TBR list! Dive on in for the best of the best of this monthβs new crime fiction, and grab yourself a new read (or two!) to add to your summer reading list.
Read MoreCBTB's July Must-Read Crime Fiction
Book Review: HOME BEFORE DARK by Riley Sager
Riley Sager has done it again. The New York Times bestselling author of LOCK EVERY DOOR, THE LAST TIME I LIED, and FINAL GIRLS is back this summer with another irresistible work of chilling psychological suspenseβand itβs his best, and most ambitious, book yet. HOME BEFORE DARK is a modern-day ghost story-meets-family mystery sure to deliver all the page-turning entertainment value readers of Sagerβs work have come to expect, but this time, with an extra-chilling twist. In HOME BEFORE DARK, readers follow protagonist Maggie Holt as she returns to the home her family ownedβand fledβyears prior, an experience that became the inspiration for her fatherβs bestselling nonfiction book, House of Horrors. Thereβs just one problem: Maggie doesnβt believe a word of what her father has written about her childhood, and sheβs determined to prove that this storied home is nothing more than a dilapidated house in need of some TLC. But as Maggie settles into the house, events unfold that defy logicβand begin to call into question all that Maggie believed (or didnβt believe) about her familyβs ordeal years prior. Ghosts arenβt realβ¦ are they? HOME BEFORE DARK will make you think twice. Blending a chilling present-day mystery of family secrets with a glimpse into the book that defined Maggieβs childhood, House of Horrors, HOME BEFORE DARK is as masterfully-plotted and relentlessly readable a thriller as youβll read this summer. So turn on all the lights in your room, double-check that your closet is as empty as you think it is, and dive into the spine-tingling world of Riley Sagerβs HOME BEFORE DARK.
Read MoreBook Review: THE MIST by Ragnar Jonasson
Very few recent crime fiction series have hooked me the way Ragnar Jonassonβs Hidden Iceland Trilogy has. This impeccably-crafted Icelandic crime series is an astonishing accomplishment: a trilogy plotted as beautifully as it is written, brimming with the humanity of its characters and immersing readers in the stunning landscape of Iceland.. In the Hidden Iceland books, author Ragnar Jonasson wraps readers up in the chilling atmosphere of his trilogyβs setting, and draws readers into the inner life of its endearing and compelling protagonist. The Hidden Iceland trilogy has captivated me with its stylish prose, clever plotting, and unputdownable suspense, and with THE MIST, Jonasson delivers a conclusion worthy of its exceptional predecessors. In THE MIST, readers follow series protagonist Hulda Hermansdottir as she returns to work following a personal leave necessitated by an undefined tragedy. Hulda will soon face a disturbing - and puzzling - case: a mysterious death at a remote farmhouse in the Icelandic countryside, where two bodies have been found. Weaving together Huldaβs personal life with an extended flashback at the farm in the lead-up to our victimsβ deaths, THE MIST is a complex and heartbreaking mystery, a feather in the cap of an already-exceptional crime fiction series. If youβre in the market for elegant suspense that relies more on atmosphere and character development than blood and gore, Ragnar Jonassonβs superb Hidden Iceland trilogy might just be your perfect match. I will sincerely miss this series and its standout protagonist, but I am already looking forward to seeing what Ragnar will write next.
Read MoreBook Review: I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW by Heine Bakkeid
You know those books that come seemingly out of nowhere and knock you sideways with how very much you love them? That was Heine Bakkeidβs extraordinary crime fiction debut I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW for me. This Norwegian crime novel blends the atmosphere and grit of the Nordic Noir tradition with the spine-tingling chills found in the work of authors like Yrsa Sigurdardottir and C.J. Tudor. I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW is an outstanding crime novel about grief, loss, and the ghosts that haunt us. Set against the backdrop of remote northern Norway, I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW follows a disgraced former police officer who is given a chance at redemption in the form of an off-the-books missing persons investigation. Hired as a private investigator by the parents of a young man who has gone missing at a lighthouse off the coast of northern Norway, Thorkild Aske sets out on what he assumes will be a fruitless missionβa journey that becomes as much about tracking down this missing man as it is about Thorkild confronting his personal demons. With immersive atmosphere and propulsive plotting, I WILL MISS YOU TOMORROW wraps readers up in a chilling suspense novel worthy of every bit of praise it has earned. This promising series launch is a must-read for fans of melancholy, atmospheric Nordic suspense.
Read MoreCover Reveal + Q&A: THE KINGDOM by Jo NesbΓΈ
The stunning cover for one of Fall 2020βs biggest crime novels has arrived, and I am so honored to be able to reveal it here on Crime by the Book! In September, bestselling and beloved crime writer Jo NesbΓΈβs newest release will hit bookstores. THE KINGDOM is a standalone work of suspense that delves into the troubled relationship between brothers, and the deadly family secrets that they have been keeping for years. If youβve been around Crime by the Book for even just a little bit, you will already know how obsessed I am with Jo NesbΓΈβs writing. He is hands-down my favorite author, and any new book from him is cause for celebrationβbut I am particularly excited about THE KINGDOM (and not just because its cover is killer!). Jo NesbΓΈ is best known for his crime series featuring a troubled detective in Oslo, Norway, but THE KINGDOM is a standalone crime story that promises to explore a new side of NesbΓΈβs talentβand provide the perfect opportunity for readers new to NesbΓΈβs work to dive in and give it a try, too. Not only am I completely honored to be able to share the stunning cover for THE KINGDOM with you today, but I also had the incredible opportunity to ask Jo a couple of teaser questions about his newest release! In this blog post, you can catch the cover for THE KINGDOM, learn more about its plot, and get a little sneak-peek into the book from Jo NesbΓΈ himself.
Read More