It’s the weekend and this is a short list of all the US titles I am looking forward to reading. All are authors I’ve read and enjoyed in the past. Working on a UK crime fiction list for 2011 that I’m looking forward to reading as well.
Choke Hold by Christa Faust is due out Oct 2011. It will be available in digital as well as print. Woot! The prequel is Money Shot. An ex-Porn star strikes back at those who ruined her life. In Money Shot, the action is just about non-stop. The denouement was realistic, too. I’m curious to know what’s next on her agenda after the events in the last book
Misery Bay by Steven Hamilton – this title is apart of the Alex McKnight series, due out June 7th. The protagonist is a former cop turned sometime private investigator and is set near the border of Canada and Michigan. The series is more character driven and suspenseful which is what I like about it. Mystery is probably the weakest element in the series. My favorite: Blood Is the Sky. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. First book in the series is A Cold Day In Paradise.
Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot: A Novel by Jodi Compton due out July 19th. Sequel to Hailey’s War. Compton also wrote two books featuring Detective Sarah Pribek set in Minneapolis. The series has been abandoned but the two books are: The 37th Hour and Sympathy Between Humans. Wonderful writer, again, her mysteries tend to be character driven. Ignore the 2 or 3 star reviews, thanks.
The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly due out April 5th – I’m so behind in this series featuring Mickey Haller who was first introduced in The Lincoln Lawyer. I’m not a big legal thriller fan but I do enjoy Connelly’s brand of legal thrillers. There’s now a movie version. His Harry Bosch series is excellent as well. I recently read where the author stated that Billy Burke embodies the physical look of Harry Bosch
Other titles coming out that’s on my might read list: Lethal by Sandra Brown, due out September 20th. Can you say…sticker shock? The digital format for this book is set at $14.99. Can’t afford that, sorry. I just hope my library will be buying it. I’ll get it from there or go for a used copy. In fact, I still have two of hers to read anyway. Why do I like Sandra Brown? Her plots seem to challenge believability and her characters tend to be unlikable but dammit, her books are very readable. Entertaining.
I see Karen Rose has a new paperback coming out June 7th, You Belong To Me. If you haven’t read Karen Rose you should. She’s a solid romantic suspense writer. Readers do complain about the violence but she seems to be really good at balancing romance with mystery without shirking on either.
In the fall we have a new Laura Griffin set for August 30th release, titled Snapped. I’ve yet to read her work. I do own two titles and hope to read them this year. Then we have a new Julie Garwood romantic suspense, Her Ideal Man August 9th. I obtained a Netgalley e-ARC of this one and plan to read it.
Are there any titles you’re looking forward to reading?
Interesting list. I enjoyed those two “old” Jodi Comptons too, but have not been tempted by her new series (military theme?). Michael Connelly is always a must-read for me. I’ve seen quite a bit on the internet about Money Shot and Choke Hold, but somehow they don’t seem appealing – maybe the covers?
Hi Maxine. Well, the covers are more of the old school pulp style of the 1950′s vintage paperbacks which Hard Case Crime is recreating. Some of them are nicely done. Harlequin last year re-released some of their vintage hard boiled paperbacks from the original artwork but unfortunately, they edited the work to make it more political correct.
As for the content, the ones I’ve read from Hard Case Crime particularly, Christa Faust and Lawrence Block are awesome reads.
I may read Connelly´s, but as I am far behind with this series there is no haste.
I am going to read “A Drop of the Hard Stuff” soon, though, as I received a NetGalley long time ago.
Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon. It’s about to be available via Kindle on 7 April in Oz, not sure if it’s already available in US.
In addition to the Karen Rose and Laura Griffin title, I’m looking forward to–
Watch Me Die – Erica Spindler (apr)
Breaking Silence – Linda Castillo (jun)
Fallen – Karin Slaughter (jun) I know you’ve given up on her
Justice – Karen Robards (jul)
Never Knowing – Chevy Stevens (jul)
Long Gone – Alafair Burke (aug) will at least try it
Prey – Linda Howard (sep)