Michelle Rao

Alpha Beta Gamma, a Murder Mystery with a Highly Charismatic Sleuth

The Bottom Line: Witty and intellectual, Alpha Beta Gamma introduces a highly charismatic amateur sleuth who risks everything to unravel a sinister international political conspiracy.  Alpha Beta Gamma opens in Tehran, where former spy Nasser and his wife, Fatemeh Ali, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their daughter, Sara. The stakes are high, as they know that Sara is engaged in protests against the morality police, who recently killed a young woman. Soon, […]

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The Bulgarian Bartender, a Can’t Miss Rescue Thriller by Daryl Kulak

The Bottom Line: Part rescue thriller, part buddy comedy, The Bulgarian Bartender is a can’t-miss women’s adventure through Eastern Europe. Kaylee McDouglas is desperate for a way out of her small town life. When boyfriend Stan presents her with an engagement ring, she immediately agrees to fly from Ohio to Europe to meet his parents. Meanwhile, longtime besties Tiff and Angie find it hard to be supportive. They

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The Quantum Grail, an Electrifying Page-Turner by J.D. Redvale

The Bottom Line: An electrifying page-turner with shocking twists and a jaw-dropping conclusion. When forty-five-year-old U.S. Navy Captain John Mitcham gets stood up by his wife at a local restaurant, he assumes she just needs more space. John and Claire, gutted by their daughter’s suicide, have been taking time apart. But when John goes to do a welfare check on Claire, a neighbor informs him

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The Thousand Year Spy, a Masterful Wartime Espionage Thriller by Jeff Wallace

The Bottom Line: A masterpiece of wartime espionage that is as sophisticated as it is mesmerizing. Fans of Alan Furst may find a new favorite in Jeff Wallace.  Jeff Wallace, author of the brilliant The Man Who Walked Out of the Jungle, is back with a sophisticated World War II-era spy novel that blends themes of displacement, betrayal, and resilience within the harsh realities of wartime espionage. The novel

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Their Little Lies, a Terrifying Psychological Thriller by Quinn Avery

The Bottom Line: Buried family secrets, steamy romance and a terrifying serial killer add up to a masterfully told psychological thriller. Coming off a botched murder investigation, Detective Josephine Kelly is contemplating early retirement. Feeling the need to regroup, she uses her father’s declining health as an excuse to take time off and return home to Ames, Iowa. But thanks to a troubled childhood, the truth

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Cargo Hold 4, a Suspenseful Sci-Fi Thriller by Lonnie Busch

The Bottom Line: Cargo Hold 4 elevates space horror, deftly replacing jump scares with nerve-racking dread, unforgettable supernatural phenomena and big-payoff action scenes.  For the eight scientists aboard the starship Gretel, space travel is anything but cold and silent. The racket from Cargo Hold 4 — banging, crying, moaning and a guttural vibration – is deeply unnerving, and the spooked crew has various theories on what

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Right Across the Bay, a Must-Read Whodunnit by Quinn Avery

The Bottom Line: A small town murder mystery that is anything but small. Right Across the Bay is a must-read whodunnit infused with romance, betrayal and an unforgettable finale.  Set in a seemingly tranquil lakeside community in southwestern Minnesota, Right Across the Bay opens as sheriffs recover the watery remains of fitness guru Britta Baxter. Three decades earlier, Britta and her cousin/BFF Maxine spent summers together at Lake Shetek. Both subsequently went to college,

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Doctor Lucifer, a Medical Thriller From One of The Year’s Most Exciting New Voices

The Bottom Line: Doctor Lucifer potently blends the dynamics of a medical thriller with the sheer hysteria involved in a brutal cyberattack. Written with the authority of an insider, Lee is one of the year’s most exciting new voices.  Minutes before Anaheim internist Dr. Mark Lin goes about his usual morning rounds, he receives an alarming text message from the hospital administrator warning of debilitating spam attacks. Soon

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Past Lives Denied, a Sophisticated Murder Mystery by Ellenmorris Tiegerman

The Bottom Line: A sophisticated, entertaining murder mystery that successfully fuses bitter academic infighting with an exploration of past life regression. An impressive debut for Ellenmorris Tiegerman.  Caitlyn Morrys is a Freudian psychologist struggling to reconcile her training with flashbacks from past lives: witch burnings in papal Europe, Nazi death camps, and nightmarish wars and struggles from the distant past in the U.S., Israel and southeast

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