Dog days of summer book roundup
Like it always does, summer has breezed by. If you’re planning one last family outing or trip to the beach before school resumes, you might want to consider bringing one of the following gripping new reads …
“You’ll Be Sorry,” by Lisa Gardner (Grand Central Publishing, $30): Critics have called Lisa Gardner’s latest thriller the perfect spooky end-of-summer read. It includes an abandoned house, a witch and a family of six who disappeared 30 years ago. Plus, it’s from the mind of a master storyteller — what more needs to be said? Visit lisagardner.com.
“Not a Word,” by Linwood Barclay (William Morrow, $30): You can’t go wrong with Linwood Barclay. I don’t believe he’s ever published a bad book. In “Not a Word,” Reece stops by his parents’ house and finds them both dead in their bed in an apparent murder-suicide. As Reece steps outside to collect his bearings, he gets a call from his mother. Now things are really getting complicated. Who was the other woman? Reece finds himself thrust into a tangled web of dark family secrets, fearing for his life. Side note: You should also check out Barclay’s previous novel “Whistle,” his first foray into the horror genre, which earned high praise from the “king of horror” himself, Stephen King. Visit linwoodbarclay.com.
“The Unknown,” by Riley Sager (Dutton, $32): Riley Sager is another author who never fails to deliver. “The Unknown” is a combination of mystery and horror that will keep you up late. Struggling actress Marin Keane gets her big break working alongside some of Hollywood’s elite, including legendary actress Violet Wright and eccentric yet accomplished director Ronan Peters. Peters’ new movie is about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on Lake Faraday in Vermont. In 1926, five women, believed to have been a coven of witches, disappeared from the island. Now, Keane and her costars are playing these witches and filming on New Avalon without any contact to the outside world. They get more than they bargained for when they start disappearing one by one. The hardcover edition features a handsome dustjacket, hued edges, designed endpapers and a foiled-stamped case. Visit rileysagerbooks.com.
“Daredevil: Enemy of My Enemy,” by Alex Segura (Marvel/Hyperion Avenue, $28.99): The newest novel from author and comic book artist Alex Segura is based on Marvel’s blind superhero, Daredevil, the alter ego of attorney Matt Murdock. The murderous vigilante known as the Punisher has killed Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, New York’s top mob boss. Now there’s a power vacuum in the city, with every mobster and supervillain vying to become the next crime czar. With the heat in the streets escalating, Murdock defends the Punisher in court and realizes there’s discrepancies in his story. As Daredevil, he must stave off a full-scale gang war. You don’t have to be a Marvel fan to enjoy this novel; Segura does an excellent job of providing background on the characters without making it exposition heavy. Visit alexsegura.com.
“Deceptions” by Jeffery Deaver (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $32): Jeffery Deaver is called the master of ticking time-bomb suspense for a reason — something he demonstrates again with this anthology of short stories. He uses original characters in addition to two of his established series characters, Colter Shaw and quadriplegic detective Lincoln Rhyme. Each story is meticulously crafted with twists and counter twists. If this isn’t enough Deaver for you, his 17th Rhyme novel, “The Collateral Heart,” debuts in November. Visit jefferydeaver.com.
“Dragonlance: War Wizard,” by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (Random House Worlds, $30): In 1985, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman penned “Dragons of Autumn Twilight,” the first novel in the “DragonLance Chronicles,” inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Now, they’re back with the first installment in a new prequel trilogy, which is an excellent jumping-on point for newbies. Visit margaretweis.com and trhickman.com.
“Marion: A Novel,” by Leah Rowan (St. Martin’s Press, $29): Leah Rowan turns Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic, “Psycho,” on its ear with this book. Instead of Norman (Anthony Perkins) stabbing Marion (Janet Leigh) to death in the notorious shower scene — perhaps cinema’s most famous scene — Marion kills him instead. With her deft prose, taut plotting and page-turning twists, Rowan gets her inner Hitchcock on and then some. Visit leahrowanbooks.com.
“The Secrets We Hide,” by Karin Slaughter (HarperCollins, $32): The second installment in Karin Slaughter’s North Falls series find Sheriff Emmy Clifton and her sister, ex-federal agent Jude Archer, investigating the brutal murder of Allison Vickery, to which there’s more than meets the eye. Slaughter’s latest is an intricately plotted police procedural with many disparate subplots that she ties together in a powerful ending. Riveting, suspenseful and disturbing, this is a book best read during the daytime. Visit karinslaughter.com.
