Building a mystery: Spring book roundup

Now that spring has finally arrived, below is a list of books you can read on your back deck. Just be careful you don’t rip any of the pages racing through ‘em! 

“Antihero,” by Gregg Hurwitz (Minotaur, $30): From the very first sentence, Hurwitz grabs you and won’t let go, immersing you in this gritty thriller. Former black ops assassin Evan Smoak, alias Orphan X, helps a young woman named Anca who was kidnapped off a New York City subway train, assaulted and abandoned. However, Anca — a deeply religious woman — doesn’t want Evan to kill her assailants, which puts him in an awkward spot. The 11th novel in his “Orphan X” series, Hurwitz makes this entry as fresh and exciting as when he first started in 2016. His prose style is uniquely his own, his dialogue crackles, the plot is engaging, and the action sequences are high octane. Enjoy this read with some vodka (Evan’s beverage of choice). If you can’t get enough Hurwitz, his standalone novella, called “The Delivery,” comes out in July. Visit gregghurwitz.net. 

“Served Him Right,” by Lisa Unger (Park Row, $30): Unger is another author with a phenomenal track record of unputdownable novels. She also has some high-profile fans, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. In Unger’s latest novel, Ana invites her closest friends and sister Vera over for brunch to celebrate her recent breakup with her boyfriend Paul, a real scumbag. However, news about Paul’s murder arrives during the brunch, and all eyes are on Ana, who’s no innocent either, given her bad rep when it comes to relationships. Vera and Ana must put aside their differences and discover the truth about Paul’s murder before Ana goes down for it. Filled with deft prose, amazing dialogue, plenty of angst (nobody can do angst like Unger), realistic characters and a dash of the supernatural, “Served Him Right” is Unger at her finest. Visit lisaunger.com. 

“Too Old for This,” by Samantha Downing (Berkley, $30): Senior citizen Lottie Jones is living out her final years in quiet comfort and anonymity, both of which are shattered when investigative journalist/documentary filmmaker Plum Dixon knocks on her door. Plum wants to do a series about Lottie, a former serial killer who has since changed her name and zip code. As much as Lottie begs Plum not to do this, Plum won’t budge; therefore, Lottie has no choice but to kill her, old habits dying hard. However, this was so much easier when she was younger. Pretty soon, everyone’s knocking on Lottie’s door — the police, Plum’s boyfriend, Plum’s mother — and she must deal with them the only way she knows how, but everything is taking a toll on her fragile health. Equal parts disturbing and darkly comedic, this is Downing’s best novel to date. Visit samanthadowning.com. 

“In the Bones,” by Tessa Wegert (Severn House, $30): Wegert, the criminally underrated author of the Shana Merchant series, tries her hand at the first installment of a new series called “North Country” — and boy, does she deliver! Former NHL great Mikko Helle moves to a mansion in New York’s Thousand Islands. However, this mansion’s basement is home to the bones of an unknown woman. It seems everyone in this community has secrets they don’t want to see the light of day. Described as “Agatha Christie meets Ruth Ware,” Wegert’s latest novel is riveting, unsettling and utterly addictive, with an unforgettable ending. This is primo reading — don’t pass it up. Visit tessawegert.com. 

“All the Little Houses,” by May Cobb (Sourcebooks Landmark, $27.99): On the heels of the critically lauded Netflix adaptation of her novel “The Hunting Wives,” Cobb — the queen bee of “smutty suspense” (her words) — delivers her most sultry novel yet. Set in Longview, Texas, in the late 1980s, mean girl Nellie Anderson, the teenage heir to the Anderson family dynasty, has it all — thanks to her mother, Charleigh. Then the wholesome Swift family comes to town. Even though this family isn’t as well off as the Andersons, Nellie feels threatened by them, particularly good girl Jane, and will stop at nothing to destroy them. But Jane seems to have a bit of Nellie in her. Oh dear … definitely a book that will keep you up well past your bedtime. Visit maycobb.com. 

“Hope Rises,” by David Baldacci (Grand Central, $32): This is the sequel to 2025’s “Nash Falls,” in which Walter Nash unwittingly becomes an informant for the FBI and loses his family as a result. Nash undergoes a radical transformation from mild-mannered businessman to Dillon Hope, a tattooed, street-smart killing machine. His mission is to take down the person who destroyed his family: international criminal mastermind Victoria Steers. To do so, he becomes a part of her inner circle. However, Steers hasn’t been in power this long because she’s stupid. “Hope Rises” is riveting and moves at a breakneck pace. Baldacci is at a stage in his career where he could phone it in, but he refuses to do so. Visit davidbaldacci.com. 

“The Council,” by Matthew Betley (Blackstone, $30): After losing his daughter to a violent crime, ex-Special Forces operative Owen Pierce is recruited by the Council, a clandestine organization that goes outside the law to stop criminals. The Council gives Owen an outlet to vent his grief and rage. It’s a win-win for both. However, upon completing a mission, Owen discovers the Council is not as altruistic as it appears. Having served in the Marines, Betley’s action sequences are fast, furious and grounded in reality. This one’s a real page turner. Visit matthewbetley.com.

“Murder at 30,000 Feet,” by Susan Walter (Blackstone, $30): Walter puts a new spin on the locked-room mystery — this one occurs on an airplane. Flight 868 to Puerto Rico encounters dangers from within and without. Not only is it flying into some nasty weather, but one of the passengers is murdered when the lights go off for a moment. Panic and paranoia run rampant as passengers from all walks of life begin spouting accusations. The only thing they can agree on is that the murderer is still on the plane, and nobody is safe. You’ll burn through this book in one sitting. Visit susanwalterwriter.com.

These books are available for purchase at any of the following local bookstores:

• Schuler Books in the Meridian Mall (1982 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos). Call (517) 349-8840.
• Curious Book Shop (307 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing). Call (517) 332-0112.
• Barnes & Noble in the Frandor Shopping Center (420 Frandor Ave., Lansing). Call (517) 932-5153.
• Barnes & Noble in the Lansing Mall (5132 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing). Call (517) 327-0437.