Breaking into the crime game isn’t easy, but every month, a few brave and talented souls make a go of it. For readers, there are few experiences so thrilling as finding a new author whose career is just beginning and whose work promises years of enjoyment to come. But it’s sometimes hard to find those debuts. That’s where we come in. We’re scouring the shelves in search of auspicious debuts and recommending the very best for your reading pleasure.
Patricia Smith, Remember (Polis)
Patricia Smith’s work feels necessary. She’s as honest in her writing as she is IRL, and that is very honest indeed. Remember takes us into the shadowy memories and confused mental world of a traumatized young woman unable to move on from the horrific childhood incidents that claimed the lives of her mother and sister. When an interloper moves into the house across the street and starts asking questions, Smith’s protagonist finds her own recollections shifting and warping to reflect a new understanding of herself and of her past.
Tara Laskowski, One Night Gone (Graydon House)
In Tara Laskowski’s haunting debut, two women, separated by decades, enjoy sultry summers in a wealthy coastal enclave. One woman’s summer is cut short by a mysterious incident, while the other woman finds herself increasingly endangered as she attempts to unravel the events of years before. One Night Gone heralds a lyrical new voice in the world of gothic storytelling and suspense.
A.S. Hatch, This Little Dark Place (Profile Books)
This Little Dark Place could be about any depressed coastal town in England, but Hatch took special inspiration from his hometown, beset by violence, drug abuse, and collapsed economies as Brits have eschewed their own coastline to seek sun overseas. This is the perfect read for anyone looking for a gritty crime story grounded in realism and suffused with harsh, minimalist beauty.
Kirsten Innes, Fishnet (Gallery/Scout)
Kirsten Innes’ debut isn’t strictly a crime novel, but it is about a disappearance, which counts enough to be included it on this list. A young woman named Fiona whose sister Rona vanished years before is stuck raising a young child while hope, friendships, and career prospects dwindle around her. A chance encounter at an old school friend’s wedding gives new clues as to why Rona took off, and Fiona soon finds herself undercover investigating the Scottish sex industry and fighting for sex workers’ rights. This book is infused with politics, passion, and beautifully wrought prose.
Annaleese Jochems, Baby (Scribe)
From New Zealand newcomer Annaleese Jochems comes a sultry tale of a badly behaved gamine who runs off with her beautiful fitness coach in an ode to Heavenly Creatures. Publicists are describing this one as a “sunburnt millennial thriller,” which we consider to be a bang on the nose description.
