Every crime/thriller Novel Lizzy has read this year (so far!)

I read a huge variety of genres, everything from spicy romance to political non-fiction. Whenever I need a little palette cleanser, or a book that I know I'll fly through because I won't want to put it down, I reach for a crime/thriller novel. I grew up reading Alex Delaware novels by John Kellerman and the medical thrillers of Robin Cook, before moving on as a teenager to demolish every Jack Reacher story. This is thanks to my grandma who taught English at high schools and would get kids hooked on reading with Agatha Christie, and my dad who always let me read books that were probably a little beyond the level of a 12 year old (thanks Dad!) so I think the genre is in my blood, even though it's not the biggest one I read now.

I figured now was a good time to give a little run down of the ones I have read so far this year and a speedy little review so that if you are stuck in a slump and needing a thriller to get you out, you can grab one of these next! 

My first thriller of the year was a strong starter, Dan Brown's Secret of Secrets, and although my husband Edd wasn't super impressed by it, I thought it was excellently done (as per usual when it comes to Dan Brown for me!). It had all the things I love from Dan Brown - research that really adds to the plot and the draw of the story, a setting that feels transportive (in this case Prague), and our fave unlikely hero - Robert Langdon. It's a big novel but I didn't guess a single twist before they arrived (I am quite gullible though so that's a huge benefit for me reading mysteries haha).

I chose Greedy by Callie Kazumi based purely on the vibrant cover (#noregrets) and it delivered a unique crime novel about a gambling addict who lands a job working for a Japanese foodie (and billionaire). Things get ... weird, and it was a sinister unveiling as the stakes increased and the meals got stranger. 

My next thriller was from Queen Fredia McFadden herself, Dear Debbie, which surprised me in that it wasn't quite as dark and twisted as her others I had read but still the same extremely readable 'popcorn thriller' that I was after.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent, okay now that was dark and twisted. A challenging read for sure that draws you into a family with trauma and secrets at their core, and one that had me as-well as Shirl completely gripped and reading until late into the night - hoping for some kind of moment of redemption for them all. 

Next I'm going to cheat slightly because I went through a little non-fiction buzz but I feel like a lot of these read like a solid crime/mystery novel that had me hooked just like a good novel. I read two of Patrick Radden Keefe's narrative non-fiction books - London Falling and Say Nothing, both just impeccably done, reading stranger and more surprising than I think any crime novel could have come up with.

Along similar lines, I think everyone and their mother at this stage has heard me recommend The Valley by Asher Emanuel, but if you like reading a bit of non-fiction and are interested in the realities of our crime system here in Aotearoa then you absolutely must pick this one up in between your novels. It's the most important book of the year for me.

Okay, back to regular programming and the more fictional crime/thrillers I was reading - next up for me was my first Karin Slaghter (I know!) which I really thoroughly enjoyed. The Secrets We Hide is technically Book 2 in her North Falls series but despite completely missing that, I felt like I was incredible immersed in this police procedural style mystery and psychological thriller about two sisters and and small town with big secrets. I will absolutely be reading more of her books!

Another new author for me who lots of people love was up next, Michael Robotham has a novel coming out at the end of this month, Tell Me Something True, and I was lucky enough to get an advance copy from the publisher to read which I absolutely devoured. Another small town focus, this time in Robotham's own home of Australia, and a narrative about a crime that happened a long time ago but which is still being untangled in the present moment. This was SO good - I think if you liked All The Colours of the Dark you will also enjoy this novel, it's emotional and simmering with tension, and grapples with that line of being a crime/thriller whilst still having so much heart and even love at it's core. It's a really incredible feat of a novel and I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on it too.

Down to the last three now and they're all good ones (to be fair I don't think I've had many misses this year which is incredible). 

I took No Prisoners by Ellis Blake away on holiday with me and really thoroughly enjoyed this neo-crime noir novel set in the outskirts of Albuquerque where a mother is searching for her husband whilst keeping herself and her son safe. It was a slow burn that came together at the end in SUCH a satisfying way, I was incredibly impressed. 

Another Kiwi local author next up was Anne Cleary because people kept talking about how good her thriller The Nowhere Boy was, and they were not wrong. I think I read this in 24 hours which is the sign of an excellent mystery - and because this one starts with a 3 year old boy going missing from his car seat I really couldn't stop reading until it had come to it's conclusion. The stress was stressing, the characters were messy and human in the best ways, it was all set in and around Auckland which I love. I had a great time. 

My last thriller (for now!) was another ARC that is coming out next month, and another local author from here in Aotearoa (I love being able to promote our local talent of which there is so much!). The Centre by Hannah Tunnicliffe comes out next month in late October, and if you like your thrillers from people like Liane Moriarty, with a domestic noir style and a luxury setting (maybe a cultish aspect to your crime mysteries?) - you are in for a treat. Focused on two sisters who have always been close, and a retreat in Northern Sydney that starts to pull them apart. It's immersive, well-crafted, and I enjoyed it SO much with the wellbeing/improvement angle and the emotional intimacy and power dynamics that were at play with various characters. 

I'm excited to return to the world of Miss Marple with Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley. It's no easy task to pick up where Agatha Christie left off, but if anyone can I think it must be Lucy Foley, I love her thrillers! I will OBVIOUSLY be reading The Witch by Freida McFadden because I love that she's embracing Witch Season with her next novel. And then it goes without saying that my year will be finishing off with the newest Jack Reacher which arrives at the end of October. I don't even bother to read what they are about, I can't imagine not keeping up with whatever Reacher is up to next (other than downing cups of black coffee in small town diners somewhere in America).