The best police procedural book reviews. A subgenre of crime fiction, police procedurals focus on the methods and tactics used by law enforcement to solve cases and catch criminals.
We love great detectives, no matter who they are and where they hail from. But at times, we crave the point of view and approach to casework that only a female detective can bring. The canon of great female literary sleuths include those from a wide variety of countries, eras and ethnicities. However, thrillers featuring female sleuths are still a little harder to find, which […]
The Best Female Detective Books, Ranked (Updated!) READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: Detective Hiroshi has never been more entertaining in this electrifying crime thriller featuring some truly ingenious financial crimes. When American wealth manager Patrick Walsh returns to his Tokyo apartment and keys in his passcode, he’s surprised to find that it still works. For those unfamiliar with Tokyo, Azabu is known as one of Tokyo’s most expensive residential districts. When Walsh’s ex-wife Miyuki
Azabu Getaway, The Year’s Best Crime Thriller by Michael Pronko READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: The year’s best crime thriller (Winner, The BestThrillers.com Book Awards). A superb crime drama simmering with suspense and deep character studies en route to an explosive finale. Joseph Lewis’ latest novel tells the story of two lawmen who find themselves hunted by killers loyal to an Ukranian kingpin. The book opens in Chicago’s Cook County Criminal Court, as a jury finds Dmitry Andruko
Blaze In, Blaze Out – The Year’s Best Crime Thriller READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: A well-crafted gangland crime thriller with a fascinating military subplot and a deliciously mysterious villain. Set on the mean streets of Chicago in 1987, In Danger of Judgment follows two police officers as they work eight drug-related murders. All were professional hits with no witnesses. Chicago Police Detective Marcelle DeSantis isn’t afraid of using her good looks to attract the attention of
In Danger of Judgment, a Well-Crafted Gangland Crime Thriller READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: A fast-paced and relentlessly ominous crime thriller that readers can devour on a long flight. Bruce Lewis, author of the terrific thriller Human Strays, returns with his second Kim Jansen novel. Like its predecessor, Bloody Pages is largely set in Oregon and is centered around one of society’s most troubling social ills. Here Lewis explores the theme of intergenerational violence, and he
Family Curse, a Fast-Paced Crime Thriller by Bruce Lewis READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: An intense, irresistible small town murder mystery that crackles with twists. When You Leave Me dangles its delicious first clue in the opening sentence: a shoe containing a human foot, one of several that have washed ashore on the San Juan Islands over the past year. Does it belong to Larry Michaels, whose footless body was found months earlier? Susan Wingate’s fifth Friday Harbor novel – which
When You Leave Me, an Irresistible Small Town Murder Mystery by Susan Wingate READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: A must-read whodunnit that is fresh, funny and truly innovative. Gag Me transports readers into the fragile psyche of a small-town waitress whose best friend, Winsey, is murdered. She works at a diner in tiny Friday Harbor, Washington, and had the misfortune of being the last person seen with Winsey. As such, she’s called in for questioning, and soon after, taken to
Gag Me, a Must-Read Whodunnit by Susan Wingate READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: A fast-paced, mesmerizing blend of classic LA noir and contemporary whodunnit. Bryan Cassiday’s fourth Scott Brody thriller finds the private investigator framed for the the murder of a controversial LA fashion designer. It doesn’t look good for Brody. The explosion that killed designer Max Reed happens not long after Brody delivers a package from local mobster Sal Andrasi, and he knows the
Threads, a Mesmerizing Crime Thriller by Bryan Cassiday READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: This smooth-as-whiskey police procedural proves Kiska’s already smart series is only getting better. Recommended. The trouble with skeletons is that they never stay buried for too long. And novelist Justin Kiska unearths them literally and figuratively in his sophomore novel and continuation of the Parker City Mystery series. Detective Ben Winters and his partner Tommy Mason are back. When we first met
Vice & Virtue, a Smart Police Procedural by Justin M. Kiska READ MORE >
The Bottom Line: A riveting whodunnit featuring a truly creative killer and one of the most compelling new sleuths in the genre. A serial killer is at work in New York City. The three seemingly unrelated victims – a priest, a librarian and a bartender – have been forced to swallow dry ice. And we’re not talking about a trace amount. Somehow, investigators believe, the
FREEZE BEFORE BURNING, a riveting whodunnit by Nikki Stern READ MORE >
