As we get deeper into fall, we start to head towards Halloween. I don’t really read horror books because I like to sleep at night, so thrillers are probably the closest I get to reading anything “scary.” Plus, if I post now, that will give you plenty of time to pregame and get ready for All Hallow’s Eve. 

I know that Mr. Coben is a pretty popular author, but I’ll admit the only reason I picked this one up is because of Reese. In my experience, these author/celeb collabs have been pretty enjoyable, so I was excited to see what this one offered. Happy to say that it did not disappoint. Dr. Maggie McCabe is reeling from the loss of her husband and her medical license. When she gets hired to do some surgery outside of the US, it almost seems too good to be true. Not gonna lie - at this point I was yelling, “Don’t do it. I saw that movie. It was called Face Off.” When things go sideways, she has to go on the run to save her husband’s legacy. (See I told you so.) Now this was not as predictable as Face Off - I thought I had it figured out and then it twisted a few more ways. Also, if you get the audio book, it’s read by Reese Witherspoon, so that was super fun. This would be a great listen for your next road trip (Let’s all go! Eeeee!)

When I saw this one online, I think maybe I picked it because I had just finished The Wedding People - which was surprisingly awesome - and I wanted this to be that. First - it’s not. Second - it’s still good in its own right. Christine has maneuvered her way into covering the wedding of the century at Ballymoor Castle in Ireland. Creator of the Glo makeup empire, Gloria Beaufort is proud to host her grandson’s wedding. The beginning of this one is kinda like every other whodunit, but keep reading. The end twists in some ways that I didn’t see coming. You have to work a little in the first half, but once you get past the halfway mark, you won’t want to put this down.

If you know me at all, you know I love a good romance. So it’s probably not shocking that I am recommending this. “But Amanda,” you may be thinking, “this is a post about thrillers, not romance.” Oh, I’m aware, and I have to say that I wasn’t ready for the thriller-ness of this one. Dr. Emery Finch is working on some revolutionary medical devices. Not only can they scan you to figure out what is wrong, but they can fix you at the same time. The idea is causing their investors to see billions of dollar signs. But in her free time, Emery is working on something much more valuable - the possibility of resurrection. This works out nicely when her husband, Luca, is hit by a car on their anniversary. Was it an accident or was he targeted? Unfortunately, the effects of the machine cause amnesia, which they then must work through as a couple. Ok, yes there is a romance side here as well, but Christina Lauren is one of my favorite authors because they (it’s a writing pair) always develop the best characters. But this one has quite a bit more intrigue than usual. If you want a little more umph in your romance, check this one out.

I first came across Brynne Weaver when I read her Ruinous Love Trilogy. Think Dexter but with romance. It’s dark, but there is something intriguing about it. Brynne is back with her latest trilogy - this time called The Seasons of Carnage. Set in the picturesque seaside town of Cape Carnage, we see Harper Starling taking care of her elderly mentor who is dealing with dementia. Enter Nolan Rhodes, who is intent on ending the life of the driver who killed his brother and Nolan for dead. If you’ve read the first Ruinous Love Trilogy then you met our main character Harper. She was the social media influencer who Sloane rescued before killing evil Harvey Mead. This series is a spin off of the first series, and I think I like it. Be sure to check out the trigger warnings at the front of the book, so you don’t get into something darker than you would like. Also, please note the first book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger (ahhh!). But the good news is that the second book, Harvest Season, is already out so put your request in for both and if you get lucky, you’ll get Harvest Season quickly and won’t have to stew over what is happening.

I like some James Patterson books. They are kind of the romance equivalent of the mystery/thriller market. When you pick up a James Patterson book, you know you are going to get a good story and it is usually going to be a quick read. That is the case here. Plus in this case, we are talking about an art heist, which is a topic I often gravitate towards. We start off with Halston claiming that this is a true story - which is fun, but I’m thinking still fictional? Then we watch as Halston puts together a team in order to steal a Picasso that is just coming on the market. It kind of reminded me of Leverage or Ocean’s Eleven. I don’t want to give you any other details because I don’t want to spoil the story, but if you want an enjoyable read that will entertain you for a couple of hours, this one is for you. Maybe a little less romance than some of the others (sigh - a girl can’t have everything), but the thrills are on point.

Ok friends, those are my latest thrillers to get us warmed up for the spookiness that is the Halloween season. See below to get caught up with the latest installments of some long-running thriller series.

Happy thrilling…

:) Amanda