Here are 15 of the best novels to come out in paperback over the past month, as selected by the CrimeReads editors.
Austin Kelley, The Fact Checker
“Kelley’s droll and pithy narration propels the story, as does the impressive plotting . . . Readers will be swept up.”–Publishers Weekly
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Bewitching
(Del Rey)
“A thoroughly enjoyable book about power, privilege, dark magic, and the capacity for stories to transcend them all.”–Booklist
Sophie Stava, Count My Lies
(Gallery/Scout)
“This compelling, tautly plotted book will appeal not only to lovers of Gone Girl–style tales of suspense but anyone with a taste for smart, well-crafted fiction. A page-turning thrill-ride of a story from a debut novelist.” –Kirkus Reviews
Louise Hegarty, Fair Play
(Harper Perennial)
“It’s smart, surprising and sneakily emotional; a layered literary game that both satirizes and celebrates the mystery genre while exploring the messier truths it often tries to tidy away.” –Seattle Times
Delia Pitts, Death of an Ex
(Minotaur)
“A literary, absorbing whodunit encompassing murder, human compassion, and grief.” –Library Journal
Chris Pavone, The Doorman
(Picador)
“Mr. Pavone has written an outstanding book full of sociological detail and pulsing with the passions and prejudices of the times in which we live.”
–The Wall Street Journal
Jess Kidd, Murder at Gulls Nest
(Atria)
“Kidd’s turn to cozy mysteries after several genre-stretching novels is a welcome one that tantalizes the prospect of more installments. As Nora adroitly observes, “There’s work to be done and deductions to be made.” –The New York Times Book Review
David Demchuck, Corinne Leigh Clark, The Butcher’s Daughter
(Hell’s Hundred)
“A wild, high-octane, blood-soaked tale.”–The New York Times Book Review
Abigail Dean, The Death of Us
(Penguin Books)
“A devastating exploration of the long-term effects of violence . . . [b]y focusing on the victims rather than on, say, the drama around the police investigation, this wrenching book subverts the normal conventions of a serial killer novel. It’s an unusual and effective approach.” –The New York Times Book Review
John Connolly, The Children of Eve
(Emily Bestler Books)
“Connolly once again flexes his gifts for vivid characterization and striking prose. . . . This long-running series shows no signs of slowing down.”–Publishers Weekly
Julie Clark, The Ghostwriter
(Sourcebooks Landmark)
“Deftly and engagingly delves into this complicated not-so-cold case.”–The New York Times
Liann Zhang, Julie Chan is Dead
(Atria)
“Zhang debuts with a witty and insightful thriller about the pitfalls of influencer culture. Zhang offsets the novel’s fast and entertaining first two acts with a gonzo final third, displaying impressive audacity for a newbie. It’s a marvel.” –Publishers Weekly
Sarah Harman, All the Other Mothers Hate Me
(Putnam)
“A funny whodunit with incisive commentary. . . . Ripe for a debate on what makes a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ mom, and entertaining to boot.” –Glamour
Clay McLeod Chapman, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
(Quirk)
“The most ambitious novel yet from a writer quietly redefining the emotional contours of contemporary horror.”–Vulture
