I love a good edge-of-your-seat as much as anyone, those stay-up-all-night to get to the very last page books are the very best kind of distraction. But what I love even more is edge-of-your-seat reads that dig into foundational relationships – the loves and losses that compel our characters to go to great lengths to protect the people they hold dear. When authors infuse their mysteries with this sort of emotional punch, I won’t stop reading until the very last page. My new book, The Insomniacs, aims for that same punch: there’s a mystery at its core, but it’s also about going to the ends of the earth for your found family.
Here are five favorites where I was as invested in the relationships as I was the mystery.
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark: this isn’t just a book about a ghostwriter solving a decades-old mystery, it’s a read about a daughter trying to understand her father before she loses the chance to make peace with him. That relationship spurs so many of the actions that Clark masterfully takes us through, and that exploration turns this book into a masterclass.
The Lightning Bottles by Marisa Stapley: Look, I’m already a sucker for a book about famous musicians but when one of them who is presumed dead…turns out to possibly not be dead, I mean…I WAS HOOKED. The underlying theme here of how far we will go for lost love was exceptionally well done.
Razorblade Tears by S.A Crosby: I know that Crosby is a smash success but if you haven’t read this masterpiece, please correct that immediately. Two fathers go searching for justice for their murdered sons. It’s a beautiful exploration of biases, prejudice, love, acceptance and the lengths parents will go for their children. I listened to this one, and I highly recommend the audio. Genuinely exceptional.
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller: This is not *technically* a suspense novel but it has all the elements of suspense without the actual label. If you haven’t yet read Miller, she is one of my very favorite writers, and The Women of Wild Hill is no exception, as we follow generations of a possibly witchy family solve the questions of what happened to the women who came before them. It’s a read about family, generational ties, justice and revenge, and I absolutely devoured it.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb: Yes, it’s a story about a violin. Guess what? It grabs you by the throat and pulls you in and becomes a story about so much more. I was absolutely delighted by how much this book surprised me: it’s a story about biological families and found families and love and passion and music all wrapped up in a mystery about a missing violin. At its heart, it’s a thrilling, fast-paced read about not just the hunt for a ransomed artifact but about art and self-worth and all the beauty this world affords.
***
