We’re only two months into 2019, so it’s early, but the case could be made that February is set up to be the best month of the year for thriller fans.
For starters, the biggest book of the year, Don Winslow’s The Border, will finally hit store shelves—bringing his iconic trilogy to a close. Without question, regardless of genre, this is the biggest reading event of 2019, and Winslow delivers in a way that only he can. Timely, raw, and perfectly written, this is a book people will be talking about for a very long time.
The same day that Winslow’s book comes out, Mark Greaney’s highly-anticipated new Gray Man novel, Mission: Critical, will be released. I’ve actually been saying this for several years now, but Greaney represents an important figure within the action thriller genre, as does his character, Courtland Gentry. With long-running series such as Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp (now helmed by Kyle Mills), Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath, and Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon all at least sixteen books into their respective runs, Greaney marks the next wave of top-tier thriller novelists, and he claims his spot at the top of the genre with this one.
New offerings from Charles Todd, Sophie Hannah, Charles Cumming, and Marc Cameron—along with a few others—help round things out, in addition to newcomer Harriet Tyce, whose first novel, Blood Orange, is a serious contender for best debut of the year. So, while summertime is traditionally when the genre’s biggest stars come out with new thrillers, February is building a solid case for the best overall month too … and it’s hard to argue with the level of high-quality work coming out over the coming weeks.
Find out more about all of these titles, plus a few more, below.
Happy reading!
A Spy in Exile by Jonathan de Shalit
Release Date: February 5th (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)
After she’s forced out of Israel’s intelligence service, former Mossad agent Ya’ara Stein is, quite literally, a spy in exile. That is, until the prime minister picks her to head up a new cover unit that will answer only to him, giving her complete control to select her own recruits and train them personally.
After accepting the prime minister’s offer, Stein—with the help of her chief handler and recruiter, Amnon Aslan—begins her selection process. Hoping her recruits will have the ability to fly under the radar from the Mossad (who knows nothing of her new assignment) and other foreign security services, they begin a training phase designed to make them ruthless killers before heading out on their first mission.
In Berlin, the team goes after a missing woman with ties to Stein’s past in what is supposed to be a low-key, fairly straightforward operation. However, things take a dramatic turn when they discover that the Russians are involved—and possibly a new offshoot of the Irish Republican Army—and subsequently uncover a series of planned attacks on England and Germany that are already in the works. There is also a plotline that takes them to Brussels to assassinate a high-profile Muslim extremist who’s been beating the drum for jihad, and another in England, as the story bounces around in between a separate focus on Stein’s past.
While some of the plot threads feel like recycled storylines from several more recent Daniel Silva novels, Jonathan de Shalit does a fine job developing his heroine, who grows into a strong protagonist by the book’s end. Readers will likely hope to see more of Ya’ara Stein and her team of operators, though it’s unclear if the author intends to build a franchise around her. That said, the overall feel and pacing of the story does make this a bit of an acquired taste. Those looking for a more traditional action thriller will be disappointed, as de Shalit’s style is much more slow-burn coupled with a thinking man’s storyline.
If you’re craving an old-school, authentic spy thriller written in the same vein as le Carre and Kanon, this is it.
The Black Ascot by Charles Todd
Release Date: February 5th (William Morrow)
Set in the early 1920s, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge happens to be running from his problems when he inadvertently stumbles upon a crisis situation. After lending a helping hand, the grateful village thanks him by offering up a juicy tip: Alann Barrinton—who, eleven years earlier, was accused of rigging a car belonging to Blanche Thorne, inducing a fatal car crash that also left her new husband severely injured during the Black Ascot, a royal horserace honoring the late King Edward VII—was recently seen in England for the first time since slipping out of the country more than a decade ago.
Rutledge, who’s in a bit of a bad way himself here, struggles to keep his nerve while interviewing Barrington’s family, friends, and known acquaintances. Each refuse to confirm that Barrington is alive, let alone back in England. That prompts Rutledge to wonder why the man would risk coming back after all these years, questioning whether or not his return is fueled by the desire to clear his name … or to kill again.
Newcomers to the series should know that Rutledge left World War I a damaged soul who hears the voice of a fallen soldier in his head. That voice, belonging to a man named Hamish, works like an invisible sidekick of sorts and plays an active role in Rutledge’s success over past books. One of the author’s (the mother and son writing duo of Caroline and Charles Todd) strengths has been their ability to bring the post-WWI England atmosphere to life in a vibrant way that few other current series dare to explore. That said, the pacing is very slow, which has been per the norm for this franchise. Things take a long time to develop, and the needed backstory and descriptions bring the pacing to a crawl before picking up in the final act. While that may bother those in search of a quick, page-turning thriller, readers craving a delicious mystery will feel right at home here, and the well-thought-out plot is interesting enough to hold readers’ attention.
The Black Ascot shows Ian Rutledge in a new light as he chases after one of the most wanted men in all of England, and while fans of the series have seen him take on difficult cases before, the famed inspector has never been tested quite like this.
Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg
Release Date: February 12th (Thomas & Mercer)
Ian Ludlow, one of the most beloved writers around, is known for his headline-beating action thrillers starring larger-than-life operative Clint Straker. In fact, his stuff has such a tendency to come true that even the CIA has taken notice. So too have other foreign intelligence services, who don’t necessarily believe the author is simply lucky with his details, but rather acting as a foreign asset for the United States.
After turning down an offer from the government to think up out-of-the-box attack scenarios, Ludlow heads over to Hong Kong to visit the set of a movie based on one of his novels, only to find that the script has been carved up by those overseeing the project. While he’s focused on the film, Chinese intelligence officers take an interest into the research he’s conducting for his next novel. Unbeknownst to him, Ludlow’s tendency for predicting the future once again holds true, as his story begins actually playing out behind the scenes. Things take a serious turn when the Chinese try to assassinate him and fail, leaving Ludlow trapped in another action-packed adventure … but this time, he doesn’t know the ending ahead of time.
Goldberg’s story is meant to be over the top, and he lays it on fairly thick once again with a number of clichés and references that fans of the genre will recognize. Still, his style and approach make for a really addictive reading experience. So, while it’s a spoof of sorts and not meant to be too serious, Goldberg still managed to churn out a solid thriller that moves fast and is tons of fun.
The Moroccan Girl by Charles Cumming
Release Date: February 12th (St. Martin’s Press)
When bestselling thriller author Kit Carradine is approached by a fan named Robert Mantis, he at first believes the encounter to be like any other run-in with a loyal reader. That changes when Mantis reveals himself to be a member of MI6 and then informs Carradine that his government wants him to spy for them.
Having written thrillers for years, Kit is all too excited for the chance to live the life he’s spent so much time imagining. His objective is to deliver cash to one of Mantis’ people while also looking for a woman named Lara Bartok. Though he quickly finds out that real-life espionage is nothing like what’s portrayed in James Bond movies, Kit eagerly heads to a literary festival in Morocco, all the while trying to think and act like the characters he’s created throughout his career as a novelist. On-site, Kit does, in fact, find Bartok, only to discover that she’s actually the former lover of a leader of a terrorist group targeting right-wing journalists and politicians. The Russian and American governments represent just two of the powerful parties after the group’s leader, and before he even realizes what he got himself into, Kit suddenly finds himself at the center of a very dangerous game.
While some of Cumming’s readers may be disappointed that this book isn’t part of his popular Thomas Kell series (last seen in A Divided Spy, 2017), his latest standalone is a solid, twisting thriller. After a bit of a slower opening, Cumming dials it up a notch, kicking off a blazing-fast second half that makes up for the leisurely start.
Spies, sex, and supervillains. What more could you possibly need? Charles Cumming’s latest offering is a wild, twisting, and fun ride from start to finish.
Mission Critical by Mark Greaney
Release Date: February 19th (Berkley)
Back with the CIA in an unofficial capacity, Courtland Gentry, better known as the Gray Man, is given orders by his handler, Suzanne Brewer, to return to Washington. As it turns out, an agency plane happens to be in the region, and Court’s able to hitch a ride—but it’s not a direct flight to D.C. Their first stop is in Luxembourg City, where another group of operators boards the Gulfstream IV with a prisoner en route to England.
After touching down at a small airfield in the West Midlands, Court realizes something is off. Though he’s told nothing about the other mission his assignment is piggybacking, he figured out pretty quickly that it’s a prisoner swap. What he doesn’t know is that the armed men lining the secluded runway are MI6 agents tasked with interrogating the prisoner about a possible mole inside of Langley as part of a joint effort with CIA. However, just before the exchange goes down, Gentry catches movement in the distance and his instincts tell him the drop is an ambush, a theory that is quickly confirmed when bullets fly moments later.
When the smoke clears, only Court is still alive, and the prisoner is gone.
In full damage-control mode, Brewer has Gentry go after the prisoner while calling in additional help to identify potential traitors within the agency. As things unfold, an all-out mole hunt emerges, and it becomes clear that both sides have been penetrated … as each race to plug their leaks before it’s too late.
Mark Greaney continues to leave his mark on the thriller genre, pumping out another brilliant, hard-hitting thriller with Mission Critical. The Cold War era has long been considered the golden age of spy thrillers, paving the way for John le Carre and others to dominate the genre. Here, Greaney modernizes things, offering a fresh and timely take with a high-stakes plot that’ll appeal to a wide range of readers and fans of everyone from le Carre and Forsyth to Vince Flynn and Daniel Silva.
Mark Greaney reignites the Cold War with Mission: Critical, the most heart-pounding, action-packed Gray Man novel to date.
Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
Release Date: February 19th (Grand Central)
Accused of murdering her husband after she was found covered in blood next to his body, everything about Madeleine Smith screams guilty. Enter her attorney, Alison Wood, the narrator of Tyce’s riveting debut of physiological suspense, whose job it is to defend her client, even with the deck stacked against them.
On the surface, Allison looks like the perfect mother and wife. In reality, she’s neglectful of her beautiful, young daughter and has been unfaithful to her husband. Prone to late nights in the office, where she’s engaged in a steamy affair with her boss, Patrick Saunders, Allison finds herself leading a double life. A severe alcohol problem proves to be the proverbial cherry on top of her messy situation, though she’s somehow managed to remain a competent lawyer through it all. Now, after fifteen years, Allison is excited by the prospect of her first murder case, diving in with gusto even as her attempts to hold her life together begin to slowly falter.
After being charged, Madeline is ready to plead guilty to murder, all but handing the prosecution a win. But Allison, upon hearing her client’s version of the events that took place, doesn’t believe her. The story takes a sharp turn when Allison begins receiving anonymous text messages, with someone using their knowledge of her toxic lifestyle as blackmail, holding it over her head with a promise to make her pay for what she’s done. Realizing that she can rescue a small part of herself by saving Madeline, Allison goes all-in on the case … but to find the truth, she’ll have to hold it together long enough to see things through, leading her down a trail of deception that she never could have predicted.
Though there are small inconsistencies and a few issues worth pointing out, like the fact that Allison’s psychotherapist husband apparently doesn’t pick up on any of the major red flags surrounding his wife, overall, Tyce’s story is strong. Additionally, the plot is unique and moves along at a brisk clip, never providing a down moment for readers to comfortably set the book down. In today’s world, where the unreliable narrator has become all too common since Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl took the genre by storm, many authors have tried to emulate her success by offering similar storylines. Too many. Instead of following the masses down that same twisting, overbeaten path, Tyce serves up a fresh story that, while close enough to Flynn’s novel that it’ll attract readers who enjoy her work, scores extra points for its originality.
Incredibly well-written and hopelessly addictive, Blood Orange is a top contender for best debut novel of the year, and Harriet Tyce is someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
The Next to Die by Sophie Hannah
Release Date: February 19th (William Morrow)
Sophie Hannah’s latest standalone thriller features a devilish serial killer who doesn’t just claim one victim . . . but also targets their loved ones.
The public is in a panic. The police are on edge. And it’s all because a killer dubbed “Billy Dead Mates” has terrorized civilians, murdering them and then going after the victims’ best friends too.
As the body count rises, a special British task force is assembled with one goal—to unmask the murderer before they can strike again. But while investigators work around the clock, they have precious little information to go on. So far, they know the victims and have learned that each one was given a white book with random hand-written words on some of the pages before they were killed. Beyond that, they have no real tangible leads to work with. That is, until a comedian comes forward with a game-changing revelation that could break the case wide open.
During her latest comedy tour, Kim Tribbeck recalls that someone gave her a small notebook with a white cover. Now, she fears that person was the killer, but not only does she not remember anything about the person, things don’t quite add up for another reason. Billy Dead Mates’ first four victims were proven to be two sets of best friends, hence the nickname. Kim, though, doesn’t have any close friends. She’s a loner, who by all accounts has her own trust issues. So, the question then becomes . . . why hasn’t she been killed?
And who could she possibly be connected to that might also be a target?
Hannah does a good job spinning things initially, forcing readers to consider every imaginable scenario as to why Tibbeck received a book in the first place, and though the big reveal is one that veteran readers of the genre will likely see coming, the buildup is entertaining and her smooth writing style provides an easy and fun reading experience.
The Border by Don Winslow
Release Date: February 26th
Adán Barrera, the head of the world’s most powerful cartel, is presumed dead. But the war on drugs is far from over.
For Art Keller, who was first introduced as a DEA agent in The Power of the Dog (2005) before returning in The Cartel (2015), the war is nothing new. In fact, Keller has devoted forty years of his life to the war on drugs, chasing after Barrera while navigating their complicated relationship and history together. In that time, he’s seen it all. Keller has witnessed first-hand the violence in Mexico. He’s seen the carnage and killings, and even killed himself. Thousands have died, maybe hundreds of thousands, including innocent bystanders, journalists trying to report on the war, and far too many addicts. And after four decades of nothing changing, Keller is finally ready to hang it all up and retire in Mexico, content to live out his remaining days in peace.
Then he gets an offer that changes everything.
Ben O’Brien, a powerful senator with ties to Keller (the kind of ties that could torpedo his political career should they ever be exposed) offers Art the chance to become the new head administrator of the DEA. Though he’s reluctant at first, Keller ultimately accepts after admitting to himself that he’s not yet ready to become a ghost and disappear from the world he’s known for so long. “The king might be gone,” Keller thinks of Adán Barrera, “but the kingdom he created remains.”
And so, Keller assumes his new position, giving him far more power and resources than ever before, which he puts to good use. While a good chunk of the story early on focuses on the vacuum caused by Barrera’s death, chronicling the inner power struggle of the cartels, Winslow eventually shifts his attention north of the border, concentrating on how the things happening in Mexico directly affect America.
As the plot unfolds, Keller realizes that Barrera’s reach extends beyond the grave, with the current heroin epidemic proving to his latest claim to fame. Winslow follows the ripple effect of drugs and addiction, introducing a plethora of new characters—including an NYPD officer, users and their loved ones, and even young migrant children desperately fleeing the war-torn streets of Guatemala in hopes of finding refuge in the States—offering a glimpse from every side of the conflict. It’s powerful, raw, and at times, overwhelmingly heartbreaking.
Through it all, Keller keeps digging, only to find a stunning link between the cartels and the Oval Office that shakes him to his core. After forty years of fighting the good fight, the War on Drugs has officially followed him home, and Keller’s about to learn that in some ways, Washington D.C. is the most dangerous place of all, flush with corruption and power-hungry career politicians who will do anything, even kill—especially kill—to keep their darkest secrets buried forever.
Much like his fictional character, Winslow has spent a substantial part of his life following the drug wars. Known for his unprecedented research and expert-level understanding of how the cartels operate, Winslow’s knowledge and passion bleed through each and every page as he crafts yet another masterpiece that feels ripped straight from the headlines. In fact, it’s almost eerie how much Winslow’s plot mirrors real life, and even those who oppose his political beliefs will be forced to reconsider their position after taking in this story and seeing the vivid, heart-stopping image he paints for readers.
Don Winslow’s iconic trilogy represents the most epic crime saga of our time, all told in a way that only he could deliver … and The Border is his finest work to date. While it’s sad to see this series come to an end, Winslow sends it out with a bang that readers won’t soon forget.
Open Carry by Marc Cameron
Release Date: February 26th (Kensington)
Bringing down a criminal is only half the problem. First, you have to find the target, and that is where U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter thrives.
Born and raised in Florida, Cutter joined the military early, saw combat in the Middle East, and then joined the Marshals, where he now works with an elite Fugitive Task Force. Specifically, Cutter is the team’s best tracker, able to locate and bring in anyone regardless of setting—a claim that been tested time and time again. Now, after being sent to Alaska, Cutter and his partner, Deputy Lola Fontaine, are tasked with locating a fugitive somewhere on Prince of Wales Island.
Hayden Starne is a wanted man due to a plethora of kidnapping and sexual assault charges filed against him, and it’s up to Cutter and Lola to bring him in to answer for his sins. However, things take a turn when Arliss discovers that a number of disappearances have recently occurred across southeast Alaska, most notably a young Tlingit Indian girl named Millie Burkett. When Millie’s body turns up, Arliss, not believing in coincidences, likes Starne for the murder and ramps up the search efforts to find him.
Soon, more people go missing, including producer Carmen Delgado and another crew member who are in town to shoot a reality TV show following the wives of Alaskan fisherman (inspired by a Nat Geo documentary about life in the far north). Using what little footage exists from the previous few days of shooting and location hunting, Cutter and Lola sift through the film’s contents looking for clues, hoping to find anything that might lead to Delgado, and then to Millie’s killer. The unexpected emergence of a Mexican cartel boss changes everything, though, including the tone of the story, as his presence suggests there’s more going on than meets the eye.
Suddenly, Cutter finds himself in a dangerous role reversal where he’s now the one being hunted . . . and the people after him have every advantage.
Cameron, a natural storyteller, uses both his background in law enforcement and his time spent in Alaska to lend a gritty authenticity to the plot. While he’s used similar settings in past books, Cameron’s able to paint a new picture for readers through the eyes of Arliss, who is experiencing the “cold, dark, uninhabited forests often shrouded in fog” for the first time. Because Cutter and readers are acclimating to the area together, the setting becomes fascinating instead of overwhelming, as Cameron brings the Alaskan wilderness to life the same way James Lee Burke excels at making the Louisiana setting a secondary character in his novels.
Set in the vast Alaskan landscape where a small village attempts to keep its dark secrets hidden, Marc Cameron’s Open Carry is tailor made for fans of C.J. Box and William Kent Krueger.
