Summer is here in the Northern Hemisphere so maybe you’re looking for a thriller to read on your holidays, or perhaps just as you sit in the garden waiting for lockdown measures to be further stripped back? And those in the Southern Hemisphere might need a good book to get them through the long nights and wintry weather. Either way, this week’s new books report is full of thrills. We’ve got the hunt for a serial killer in A Cut for a Cut by Carol Wyer. We’ve got a Nordic noir debut for Norway. Mark Edwards has a new book out and his work is never short of thrills. And what about some French crime fiction from Pierre Lemaitre, which means the master, by the way. We have psychological thrills from Polly Phillips, and let’s not forget a global hunt for a woman assassin in Rob Sinclair’s new book. That’s certainly enough thrillers for one week, isn’t it?
A Cut for a Cut by Carol Wyer
DI Kate Young is haunted by her husband’s murder – and her husband’s memory – in A Cut for a Cut, the second of Carol Wyer‘s series featuring the Staffordshire-based police officer, out on 29 June. Young is obsessed by Chris and the way he died, but she needs to put her clandestine investigation on the back burner when someone starts raping and killing random women on her patch, cutting the word MINE into the skin of each victim. Still deep in the throes of grief, and with her boss putting her under increasing pressure to find the killer, is Young about to hit breaking point?
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The Therapist by Helene Flood
Domestic noir doesn’t get more authentic than when it is from the pen of a psychologist-turned-crime writer. Sara is a therapist, but the mind games are targeted at her when she receives a voicemail from her husband to say he’s arrived at the holiday cabin he’s sharing with friends. In reality, Sigurd never gets there, and as the police begin their investigation the spotlight turns on Sara, and the voicemail she inexplicably deleted. To get to the heart of her husband’s disappearance, Sara must question everything she thinks she knows about their relationship… Translated from the Norwegian by Allison McCullough, The Therapist is Helene Flood’s debut novel. It’s out now for Kindle and on 8 July in print.
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The Hollows by Mark Edwards
An attempt to reconnect with his teenage daughter Frankie goes badly awry for journalist Tom in Mark Edwards‘ creepy standalone that’s out on 8 July. Tom’s career is falling apart and so is his marriage so he decides that quality time with Frankie could be the antidote to his growing despair. They head to Hollow Falls, a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine and from the off things get a little weird. Then Tom learns that 20 years ago this week, the resort was the scene of a double slaying. As murder tourists gather to mark the gruesome anniversary, eerie goings on have Tom and Frankie on high alert. Should they get out… while they still can?
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Rosy & John by Pierre Lemaitre
The Camille Verhoeven trilogy (Alex, Irène and Camille) is to become a quadrilogy on 8 July: Rosy & John. Well, sort of. The book originally appeared in French in 2011 and is already available on Kindle. Now it’s being published as a paperback. The story takes place prior to Camille and centres on Jean Garnier, a Parisian man who has lost just about everything. His girlfriend was killed in an accident. His mother is in prison. He lost his job after his boss died suddenly. Jean’s desperation has led him to plant seven bombs in locations around Paris. After one goes off, Camille Verhoeven must get to understand Jean in order to find the other six and prevent further disasters.
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Assassins by Rob Sinclair
Assassins is second novel in Rob Sinclair’s Ryker’s Return series following Renegade and the assassin James Ryker does indeed return. A mission in Prague is interrupted by news of a murder back in England. The victim is someone Ryker knows. In fact, it’s someone he thought he killed ten years ago on a different mission in Qatar. Ryker then discovers that he and his team are being hunted by a woman assassin and, if you haven’t gathered by now, this is a book that packs in a lot of action and intrigue. It’s out 29 June.
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My Best Friend’s Murder by Polly Phillips
Best friends forever, Izzy and Bec have been pals for as long as they can remember. They’ve been there for each other through the dark times, like the death of Bec’s mother, and the celebrations, such as the birth of Izzy’s daughter. But there’s a dark edge to their friendship and when Bec reaches breaking point and Izzy is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, that darkness begins to show. Did she fall or was she pushed? The answer is in there somewhere, and Polly Phillips’ latest psychological thriller is about to steal your sleep until you get to the truth. My Best Friend’s Murder is out in print on 8 July (already out for Kindle).
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Read about last week’s new crime novels here.