In honor of Asian-American and Pacific Islander heritage month, we’re highlighting the incredible array of crime books and thrillers by Asian-American authors publishing in 2022, so you can keep reading these stories all year long.
JANUARY-APRIL
Mia P. Manansala, Homicide and Halo-Halo
(Berkley)
“While the follow-up to Arsenic and Adobo is a cozy mystery, it’s darker, dealing with PTSD, predatory behavior, dismissive attitudes toward mental health, and other issues. Filipino American food and culture, as well as family and community, remain essential elements in the story.”—Library Journal, starred review
Peng Shepherd, The Cartographers
(William Morrow)
“The Cartographers is one of those brilliant books you have to read twice”—Washington Post
Jesse Q. Sutanto, The New Girl
(Sourcebooks Fire)
Equal parts drama, humor, and angst, this boarding school thriller also delves into themes of racism and justice, and is recommended…for fans of Karen M. McManus’s One of Us Is Lying, Holly Jackson’s Good Girl, Bad Blood, and the streaming series Gossip Girl.—School Library Journal
Soon Wiley, When We Fell Apart
(Dutton)
This is a story about young people constrained in their self-development, one by his own internal pressures, the other by social expectations that are at odds with her true desires.”—New York Times Book Review
June Hur, The Red Palace
(Feiwel and Friends)
“This atmospheric historical mystery will transport and captivate readers … Hur deftly incorporates the class system, patriarchal restrictions, and court politics, as well as Korean words, into the storyline, broadening the world and cultural richness of the story … A beautifully written story full of historical and cultural details that will leave readers aching for a follow-up.” —Booklist, starred review
Naomi Hirahara, An Eternal Lei
(Prospect Park Books)
Wryly humorous, well-plotted, and timely without being depressing, An Eternal Lei will inspire daydreams of (post-pandemic) travel to Hawaii.” —Katie Noah Gibson, Shelf Awareness
Jane Pek, The Verifiers
(Vintage)
“The world of social media, big tech and internet connectivity provides fertile new ground for humans to deceive, defraud and possibly murder one another. . . . Well rendered and charming. . . . Original and intriguing.” —The New York Times Book Review
Gigi Pandian, Under Lock and Skeleton Key
(Minotaur)
“This thrilling murder mystery is full of twists, turns, magician stunt doubles, and secret staircases.” —Brit & Co
Alma Katsu, The Fervor
(Putnam)
“Katsu has no peer when it comes to atmospheric, detail-rich historical horror, but this volume is more unsettling than anything she’s written yet, because its demons attack readers uncomfortably close to home. A must-read for all, not just genre fans.” —Library Journal (starred review)
Grace D. Li, Portrait of a Thief
(Tiny Reparations Books)
This clever debut is an absolutely thrilling ride from start to finish. —Buzzfeed News
Lan Samantha Chang, The Family Chao
(Norton)
“The Family Chao is a riveting character-driven novel that delves beautifully into human psychology; Dostoevsky himself would surely approve.” —NPR
Sena Desai Gopal, The 86th Village
(Agora)
“A powerful indictment of graft and corruption, as well as a comparison of poverty and wealth.”—Library Journal
MAY – AUGUST
Nghi Vo, Siren Queen
(Tordotcom)
“In this stellar novel, Vo turns Hollywood into a fairyland–the kind from the old stories, sharp and dangerous–and laces the sparkling silver romance of the movies with a dark, exploitative, hungry greed. . . .”—Booklist (starred review)
Kirstin Chen, Counterfeit
(William Morrow)
“Longstanding friendship, fake luxury, and elaborate theft . . . and from a writer whose previous novels have been utterly captivating—yes, please.”—Electric Literature
David Yoon, City of Orange
(Putnam)
“Yoon finds the tension in the smallest of acts—like heating up a can of soup—and builds suspense by teasing out information about the world, forcing readers to question everything. Fans of The Martian will enjoy this new take on the struggle to survive in an unfamiliar land.”—Publishers Weekly
Jennifer Hillier, Things We Do in the Dark
(Minotaur)
“One of the best writers in the genre, Jennifer Hillier is synonymous with the deeply thought-provoking, raw, twisty thriller.” —Samantha M. Bailey
Amina Akhtar, Kismet
(Thomas and Mercer)
“Kismet is wicked and smart, a fly-on-the-wall humdinger where a light social gathering spikes your blood pressure. Amina deftly intertwines the earthly with the otherworldly.” —Caroline Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of You
Tess Gerritsen, Listen To Me
(Ballantine Books)
Absolutely first rate—readers will be thrilled and delighted by this new Rizzoli & Isles outing!”—Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door
Christopher Huang, Unnatural Ends
(Inkshares)
“[A] puzzle worthy of Golden Age detective fiction. Fans of historical mysteries and 1920s novels will welcome this twisted, complex story.” —Library Journal (starred review)
Ed Lin, Death Doesn’t Forget
(Soho Press)
“[Death Doesn’t Forget] takes readers on a tour of everyday Taipei, balancing exposure of sobering gender inequalities, marginalized aboriginals, and cowboy policing with irreverent wit.”—Booklist
Winnie M. Li, Complicit
(Emily Bestler Books)
“Winnie M Li gives us an insider view of the intoxicating and corrupt world of the movie industry that often places women in a no-win situation. Her lead character, Sarah Lai, faces both sexism and racism in following her ambition to become a producer. How much of her integrity is she willing to sacrifice? Moving through New York City, the Cannes Film Festival and Hollywood, COMPLICIT is a page turner for our times.”—Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of CLARK AND DIVISION
Elle Marr, Strangers We Know
(Thomas and Mercer)
“…the increasingly tense plot takes turns the reader won’t see coming. Marr is a writer to watch.” —Publishers Weekly
