CBTB's Most Anticipated March 2022 Crime Books

March 2, 2022

Listen, I wasn’t planning to do any single-month “most anticipated” lists this year… but then I realized how many incredible new crime, mystery, and thriller books are publishing this March, and I changed my tune. In today’s blog post, I’ve rounded up my personal picks for most-anticipated new crime books publishing in March—aka your one-stop shopping list if you’re in the market for a great new read this month! From serial killer thrillers to Nordic Noir, from books involving snakes (!!) to books involving comics, March has an incredible variety of new crime novels for us to devour. Mark your calendars, clear your to-read list, and get ready to do some book shopping. Without further ado, let’s dive into my picks for most-anticipated new crime books of March 2022!

Book Review: THE NIGHT SHIFT by Alex Finlay

February 28, 2022

More thrillers should be as fun to read as Alex Finlay’s THE NIGHT SHIFT. Available this week from Minotaur Books, Finlay’s newest thriller delivers a one-two punch of 90’s nostalgia and gripping, genuinely unputdownable plotting, and ties it all together with characters whose intertwining fates—and secrets—will keep you hooked from the book’s first page to its very last. It all begins on the eve of Y2K in New Jersey, when a group of teens are brutally murdered at a local Blockbuster. A suspect is named, but soon after skips bail and vanishes. The case is never solved. Fast forward fifteen years, and a similar tragedy takes place, this time at an ice cream shop. Could the original killer be back in town? THE NIGHT SHIFT unfurls at breakneck speed, practically daring readers to set it down. Readers who love fast-paced thrillers featuring FBI agents (think: books from authors like Lisa Gardner) will devour Finlay’s accessible and immediately-engaging writing; readers who loved Riley Sager’s recent ode to the 90’s in SURVIVE THE NIGHT will love being transported back to the end of the last century in Finlay’s immersive writing. THE NIGHT SHIFT is a full-throttle thriller that is, simply put, the most fun I’ve had reading in quite a while. Pick this one up, clear your calendar, and enjoy the ride.

Book Review: THE PARIS APARTMENT by Lucy Foley

February 21, 2022

From the Scottish highlands to islands off the coast of Ireland, Lucy Foley has a knack for transporting her readers to highly memorable and wanderlust-worthy locations—and now, in her newest novel of suspense, she sets her sights on Paris. In THE PARIS APARTMENT, Lucy Foley invites readers to explore a darker side of the City of Light. Following a young woman escaping turmoil in her personal life for the refuge of her brother’s home in a posh Parisian apartment building, THE PARIS APARTMENT invites readers into a world of intrigue, where everyone’s a suspect, and nothing is quite as it seems. This Hitchockian story tells a tale of suspicion, secrets, and murder, all set against the enchanting backdrop of Paris. THE PARIS APARTMENT reads like a cross between Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, Riley Sager’s novel Lock Every Door, and the game of Clue; this immersive mystery delights and thrills in equal measure, weaving an engrossing tale that will keep readers guessing whodunnit until the book’s final pages.

Book Review: THIS MIGHT HURT by Stephanie Wrobel

February 13, 2022

In a matter of two books, Stephanie Wrobel has cemented herself as one of my must-read thriller writers. You know that magical feeling when you find an author whose work seems to somehow just click for you? That’s me with Stephanie Wrobel. Wrobel’s debut suspense novel Darling Rose Gold hooked me with its nod to true crime and its dark, intimate exploration of a treacherous mother-daughter relationship; now, in Wrobel’s sophomore thriller, she blends a ripped-from-the-headlines plot (think: a cult story perfect for those fascinated by disturbing real-world cases like that of NXIVM) with a propulsive story of the ties that bind family together. The result? A book that’s guaranteed to be on my list of best crime books of 2022. THIS MIGHT HURT is an outstanding psychological thriller on every level, from its immediately-intriguing cult thriller premise to the complex layers readers will discover within its pages. Is blood really, as the saying goes, thicker than water? Can we ever escape the lasting legacy of childhood trauma? In THIS MIGHT HURT, readers follow three women as they exorcise their demons, face their fears, and, if the folks at Wisewood have their way, reach their “maximized selves”—no matter the cost. Stephanie Wrobel has knocked it out of the park with her sophomore thriller; if you only read one book this month, make it this one.

CBTB'S RECOMMENDED "POPCORN THRILLERS"

February 8, 2022

We all know how much I love a dark, disturbing crime novel—but sometimes, even I need something lighter and more escapist. Enter what I like to call “popcorn thrillers.” Binge-worthy as a bowl of popcorn and brimming with as much entertainment value as your favorite movie, a “popcorn thriller” is one of those irresistible, lighter suspense novels that make for the perfect escapist, one-sitting read. This is an entirely arbitrary category of thriller, but it’s one that you’ve probably heard me refer to a lot here on CBTB—and it’s a category that (based on conversations I’ve had with folks in this community!) so many of you seem to really enjoy. Today’s blog post is exactly what its title says: a place for me to collect my recommendations for “popcorn thrillers,” and a resource for you to return to when you’re looking for your next read in this category! I’m keeping this blog post simple: there aren’t any bells & whistles here, simply a running list of “popcorn thrillers” that I personally love. Under each book’s listing, you’ll find the publisher-provided descriptive copy for the book, and a buy link so you can check it out for yourself.

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