But What About the Thriller Readers?

Don't feel left out, I read a ton of thrillers. The trouble is finding the best grouping for certain readers. I know a lot of people out there are big James Patterson fans (I've not read him for years) and you're always looking for something else to read or something else to get that special someone who's light keeps you up all night. So, for the Patterson (and all thriller fans), here are some recommendations. 

Linwood Barclay is one all thriller fans should try. Barclay has been around for a while, but last year's No Time For Goodbye was the book that attracted the most attention. Twenty-five years ago, Cynthia Bigge's entire family disappeared. Now, on that tragic anniversary, Cynthia is finally appearing in television to talk about that horrible night in hopes that it will finally bring her some closure and answers. Talk about a page-turner! Barclay's latest release, Too Close to Home, is in the same vein and is out in hardcover now. 

Bill Floyd's debut, The Killer's Wife, is an absolute can't miss for any thriller fan out there. Nina Mosely/Leigh Wren has worked hard to get herself and her son far from the overbearing shadow of her husband's heinous crimes. It doesn't matter that she had no idea what her husband was doing or that she was the one who turned him in when she finally did discover his actions. Someone out there believes that she should pay for her husband's actions as well. This stunning and emotional read is a guaranteed up-all-night read. 

David Levien's City of the Sun was one of my favorites for 2008. When Jamie Gabriel disappears on his paper route one morning, his parents are at their wits end trying to figure out what to do. In a last ditch effort, they hire PI Frank Behr. After over a year of no progress, Behr comes in and immediately begins to uncover clues the police have missed. Not sure when Levien will have another one hitting shelves, but you can bet I'll be first in line to buy when it does!

Then there's Brian Freeman. He's only three books into his series, but after his debut, Immoral, he jumped onto my annual must buy list (authors with yearly releases that I MUST have). Immoral was a little different from other books of its kind. The story is essentially broken in half. In the beginning, Lt. Jonathan Stride is investigating the disappearances of two teenage girls in Duluth. It's captivating, to be sure, but then, mid-book, the whole thing jumps ahead and to another locale, Las Vegas. This trick made the book a truly memorable one for me, and my favorite in the series so far (but they're all good). Immoral is followed by Stripped and Stalked. Book four, In the Dark, is due out next spring.