I thought it would be fun to share a couple of novels that I picked up in the last week! I don’t always share about books until I know whether I will like them. However, these all happen to be in the thriller/crime/drama categories, so it’s too perfect not to share. I confess that three out of four of these novels are actually audiobooks, but you can always grab the paperback instead (if that’s your preference!)
Book 1: The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
I almost chickened out of this book after I got through the first few chapters. I really don’t enjoy reading anything that focuses on harm to a child or children in peril. I’m not sure what I thought this book was going to be about, given the title, but I realized that I was in eery territory after the setup for the novel. Then I went and read a bunch of spoilers to make sure I could handle it before continuing on. I’m listening to the Audible version and so far, five chapters in, I’m enjoying the story.
Description: An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.
A night out. A few hours of fun. That’s all it was meant to be.
They call themselves the May Mothers–a group of new moms whose babies were born in the same month. Twice a week, they get together in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for some much-needed adult time.
When the women go out for drinks at the hip neighborhood bar, they are looking for a fun break from their daily routine. But on this hot Fourth of July night, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is taken from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but her fellow May Mothers insisted everything would be fine. Now he is missing. What follows is a heart-pounding race to find Midas, during which secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are destroyed.
Book 2: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
I grabbed this novel for around $8 for the paperback and since it was free shipping, I definitely impulse-bought this book late at night. I’m excited to start reading it!
Description: Fifteen-year-old Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenage golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. And then she was gone.
Now her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. It’s been 10 years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a cafe, she is surprised at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters – and his youngest, Poppy, takes her breath away. Looking at her is like looking at Ellie. And now the unanswered questions she has tried so hard to put to rest haunt her anew…as well as some new ones about Floyd and Poppy….
Book 3: American Girl by Wendy Walker
This is an Audible original that I was able to get for free with the subscription, which I think is why I grabbed it in the first place. I haven’t started this one yet but I’m definitely interested in the premise and can’t wait to dive in.
Description: Charlie Hudson, an autistic 17-year-old, is determined to leave Sawyer, PA, as soon as she graduates high school – in the meantime, she works as many hours as she can at a sandwich shop called The Triple S to save money for college. But when shop owner Clay Cooper – a man who is both respected and feared by many in this economically depressed community – is found dead, each member of his staff becomes a suspect in the perplexing case. Charlie must work to protect herself and her friends and uncover the danger that may still be at large in their tightknit community.
Book 4: The Coldest Case by James Patterson
I have never actually read a James Patterson novel… almost a blasphemous thing to say as a reader of this genre, but it’s true! I picked up this audiobook, which is actually an audio drama performed by Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter, and Nathalie Emmanual, because I haven’t listened to an audio drama since I was a child. My dad used to listen to audiobooks on tape and audio dramas on the drama during road trips and they were often mysteries. I know podcasts successfully replicate this experience, but I haven’t listened to a drama with a cast like this before!
Description: James Patterson’s Detective Billy Harney is back, this time investigating murders in a notorious Chicago drug ring, which will lead him, his sister, and his new partner through a dangerous web of corrupt politicians, vengeful billionaires, and violent dark web conspiracies.
In The Coldest Case: A Black Book Audio Drama, homicide detective Billy Harney sends his new partner, Kate, deep undercover in a notorious Chicago drug ring. When several members of the ring soon turn up dead, Billy abruptly pulls Kate out, blowing her cover. Kateβs informant inside the gang quickly disappears. As does the ringβs black book….
When Billy canβt find the informant, he wonders if Kate is secretly harboring her, since the two grew close during Kate’s weeks undercover. As Billy and Kate investigate the ringβs murders, theyβll be pulled into a dangerous web of corrupt politicians, vengeful billionaires, drugged pro-athletes, and violent, dark web conspiracies, all in search of the missing black book.
What are you reading?
There’s something about the foggy, drippy weather of winter that always draws me into crime thrillers. What are you reading right now? Share your “TBR” lists in the comments π
Thanks again!