If you’re in need of a new mystery to read, I’ve got seven new novels to suggest. Thanks to Netgalley and several fabulous publishers, I got a sneak peek at some great books coming out this month.
Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard
Psychological suspense
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
A rising Instagram star arrives at isolated Shanamore Cottages and never returns home. Her husband doesn’t report her disappearance until a week later, and a tabloid reporter takes up the story. Meanwhile, the Cottages’ manager is shocked by footage of a brutal murder, but should he tell the police what he’s seen and risk questions about the hidden camera?
Guaranteed to keep you reading . . . and rethink what you share on Instagram. (Here’s my review.)
29 Seconds by T. M. Logan
Psychological suspense
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
College professor Sarah is relentlessly harassed by her powerful colleague Hawthorne, who gives her an ultimatum: sleep with him or lose her job. Then another powerful man makes her a different offer: give him one name, and he’ll make that person disappear. Forever. Should she name Hawthorne?
Simultaneously suspenseful and thoughtful, the book dives into the issue of sexual harassment and wrestles with hard ethical choices. (Here’s my review.)
Graveyard Bay by Thomas Kies
Mystery/thriller
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
A twist-filled mystery about a hard-nosed, heavy-drinking crime reporter as she investigates a brutal murder and struggles to keep her job. Here is my review https://meredithrankin.com/graveyard-bay-thomas-kies/
The Spotted Dog by Kerry Greenwood
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
Cozy mystery
Australian baker Corinna Chapman investigates the disappearance of an ex-service dog & ends up with more mysteries to solve. Don’t read this on an empty stomach, though. After reading her food descriptions, you’ll want food! Comes with recipes! (Here’s my review.)
What Happened that Night by Deanna Cameron
Publication Date: September 17, 2019
YA mystery/thriller
Clara’s sister Emily has murdered their neighbor, a boy Clara has had a crush on since childhood. As their small town reels from shock, teenage Clara struggles with a secret. She knows why Emily killed Griffin. But can she handle telling the truth?
Bomber’s Moon by Archer Mayor
Publication Date: September 24
Police procedural
Vermont cop Joe Gunther returns in the 30th (!) title in this series. This time, his investigation into the seemingly unrelated murders of a thief and a drug dealer is both helped and hampered by two women. One is a private investigator with a troubled upbringing. The other is his girlfriend’s daughter, a new investigative reporter for the local newspaper.
Here’s my review.
Neon Empire by Drew Minh
Publication Date: September 27, 2019
I haven’t had a chance to read this one yet. (Update: I have read this. It’s fabulous and wild. Here’s my review.)
But the blurb promises an intriguing book:
“In a state-of-the-art city where social media drives every aspect of the economy, a has-been Hollywood director and an investigative journalist race to uncover the relationship between a rising tide of violence and corporate corruption.
Bold, colorful, and dangerously seductive, Eutopia is a new breed of hi-tech city. Rising out of the American desert, it’s a real-world manifestation of a social media network where fame-hungry desperados compete for likes and followers. But in Eutopia, the bloodier and more daring posts pay off the most. As crime rises, no one stands to gain more than Eutopia’s architects—and, of course, the shareholders who make the place possible.
This multiple-POV novel follows three characters as they navigate the city’s underworld. Cedric Travers, a has-been Hollywood director, comes to Eutopia looking for clues into his estranged wife’s disappearance. What he finds instead is a new career directing—not movies, but experiences. The star of the show: A’rore, the city’s icon and lead social media influencer. She’s panicking as her popularity wanes, and she’ll do anything do avoid obscurity. Sacha Villanova, a tech and culture reporter, is on assignment to profile A’rore—but as she digs into Eutopia’s inner workings, she unearths a tangle of corporate corruption that threatens to sacrifice Cedric, A’rore, and even the city itself on the altar of stockholder greed.” (from Goodreads.)
Survival Can Be Deadly
A late addition to this list is indie novel Survival Can Be Deadly by Charlotte Stuart, the first in a “discount detective” series. Charming and funny. Here’s my review.