Laura Lippman was a reporter for twenty years, including twelve years at The (Baltimore) Sun. She began writing novels while working full-time and published seven books about “accidental PI” Tess Monaghan before leaving daily journalism in 2001.
Since She's Been Gone (2024) Sagit Schwartz "Since She's Been Gone is a fast-paced, timely thriller that sets itself apart with its nuanced, informed view of eating disorders."
Beware the Woman (2023) Megan Abbott "Beware the Woman is Megan Abbott at her best, which is about as good as it gets. A modern-day Gothic, it is chilling and creepy, feverish and surreal, and compulsively readable."
I Have Some Questions for You (2023) Rebecca Makkai "Some books are so universal that they feel bizarrely specific: I read I Have Some Questions for You as if it was written just for me, but I can't imagine who wouldn't love it. Timely, provocative, nuanced, generous-Rebecca Makkai astonishes once again with the perfect combination of brains and heart."
The World Cannot Give (2022) Tara Isabella Burton "THE WORLD CANNOT GIVE is the perfect book for anyone who loves A SEPARATE PEACE, anyone who hates A SEPARATE PEACE and anyone who has never read A SEPARATE PEACE. It is at once wonderfully old-fashioned yet thrillingly modern, rich in setting and character, specific and universal. In short: I loved it."
Like a Sister (2022) Kellye Garrett "Kellye Garrett, a break-out star in crime fiction since her debut, has upped the ante with her latest, Like a Sister. A traditional mystery set in the world of reality television and Instagram influencers, it is equal parts charm and heartbreak, with razor-sharp insights on class, race, and family. I'm happy to know that Kellye Garrett is just getting started. I can't wait to see what she does next."
What's Done in Darkness (2021) Laura McHugh "Laura McHugh is already on everyone’s short list of crime writers to watch for, someone who just goes from strength to strength. What’s Done in Darkness is timely, but more important, it’s a deeply empathetic look at a community and place that are all too easy to stereotype. Compulsively, propulsively readable, it never loses sight of what’s really at stake for its charactersor its readers."
Bad Habits (2021) Amy Gentry "It is almost impossible to find the words for a truly original novel such as Bad Habits, a primal scream of a book that could be written only by this author at this time. Amy Gentry is in utter control of this anaconda of a story as it twists, squeezes and lashes out at the reader. And all the reader can do is stare helplessly back, mesmerized. In case it’s not clear, I loved it."
Leave the World Behind (2020) Rumaan Alam "You will want to read Leave the World Behind very quickly, you will want to read it very slowly and savor every word. Rumaan Alam's ingenious, gorgeously written novel feels both like a prophecy and a contemporaneous response to our anxious era, all of it building to a perfect finale."
Blacktop Wasteland (2020) S A Cosby "The book will leave you breathless, but also desperate to know where Cosby will take us next."
Little Secrets (2020) Jennifer Hillier "Little Secrets starts with every parent's nightmare--the disappearance of a child in a crowded store. If that sounds like tough stuff, trust me, you want to keep reading. Better yet, trust Jennifer Hillier, a rising star in crime fiction whose work is like no one else's. That gut punch of an opener jumps to a twisty tale of trauma and grief and revenge, with extraordinary empathy for everyone involved."
Separation Anxiety (2020) Laura Zigman "[Separation Anxiety] is compassionate and funny, articulating with gentle humor the terrible things that we’re all grappling with. To steal a phrase from my daughter, it made me happy-cry."
Pretty as a Picture (2020) Elizabeth Little "Elizabeth Little is part of an exciting new generation of crime writers who have been bending this sturdy genre into new, unexpected shapes. Pretty as a Picture is a glorious buffet--a twisty story, a cinephile's delight, a knockout of a heroine. I loved it."
The Hidden Things (2019) Jamie Mason "The Hidden Things confirms Jamie Mason's prodigious and wholly original talent. In a world of copycat writers chasing trends, she does her own thing -- and it's magnificent."
Miracle Creek (2019) Angie Kim "Miracle Creek is a marvel, a taut courtroom thriller that ultimately tells the most human story imaginable, a story of good intentions and reckless passions. Compelling, generous, at once empathetic and unsparing. I am wrecked, I am heartened and hopeful, which means, in short, that Miracle Creek is pretty much the perfect novel for these chaotic times in which we live."
November Road (2018) Lou Berney "Lou Berney has quickly become one of crime fiction’s stand-outs, a quietly subversive writer who can surprise the most jaded readers. NOVEMBER ROAD delivers everything we have come to expect from him -- and then some."
Down the Darkest Street (2016) (Pete Fernandez, book 2) Alex Segura "So many writers have tried to reinvent the PI novel in recent years that it's refreshing to be reminded it was never broken. DOWN THE DARKESTSTREET is classic PI fiction in the best sense, with a vibrant settingand a character who's so much more than the sum of his flaws."
Devils And Dust (2015) (Jack Keller, book 4) J D Rhoades "Rhoades' star is raising almost as fast as his own rocket across the page."
The Monogram Murders (2014) (Hercule Poirot Mystery, book 1) Sophie Hannah "Sophie Hannah is a prodigious talent. I can’t wait to see what she does next."
The Devil in Her Way (2013) (Maureen Coughlin, book 2) Bill Loehfelm "Bill Loehfelm, a rising star in crime fiction, just keeps rising higher..."
Cold Shot to the Heart (2011) (Crissa Stone, book 1) Wallace Stroby "Just when you think that you can't be surprised anymore, a writer like Wallace Stroby ups the ante."
Print the Legend (2010) (Hector Lassiter, book 8) Craig McDonald "The competition for the future of crime fiction is fierce, but don't take your eyes off Craig McDonald. He's wily, talented and -- rarest of the rare -- a true original. I am always eager to see what he's going to do next."
Next (2010) James Hynes "One of the most surprising, delightful, compulsively readable, and ultimately profound novels I've read in some time."
An Empty Death (2009) (DI Ted Stratton, book 2) Laura Wilson "An exceptional talent... few writers working today can deliver this kind of one-two punch. Terrific."
When One Man Dies (2007) (Jackson Donne Mystery, book 1) Dave White "White manages the neat trick of respecting the genre's traditions while daring to nudge it toward something new and unexpected."
Walla Walla Suite (2007) (Quinn , book 2) Anne Argula "This book will delight anyone who has ever feared that the private detective novel has no new tricks - or voices - up its sleeve."
A Welcome Grave (2007) (Lincoln Perry, book 3) Michael Koryta "With the publication of A Welcome Grave, it's time to stop referring to Michael Koryta as a boy wonder and just focus on the sheer wonder of his storytelling. Koryta knows how to put his characters---and his readers---into an ever-tightening vise of twists, turns, and conspiracies, but it's his empathy that makes his work stand out. This is a nuanced, mature novel that proves both the depth of Koryta's talent and the vitality of the PI genre."
The Only Suspect (2005) Jonnie Jacobs "A riveting, twisty and very timely read. You won't be going anywhere until you find how this one ends."
Dead Frenzy (2003) (Loon Lake Fishing Mystery, book 4) Victoria Houston "Wonderful characters... Loon Lake is a great getaway."
Delusion (2002) (Dr Peter Zak, book 3) G H Ephron (Donald A Davidoff) "A terrific series. Delusion offers up all the pleasures we have come to expect - the wonderfully human protagonist of Zak, a twisty plot, and incisive writing."
Straw Men (2001) (Memory, book 3) Martin J Smith "The creepiest good time I've had in ages - a genuine page-turner."
Grand Delusion (2000) (Jacob Burns Mystery, book 2) Matt Witten "A winner. Cozy fans are going to love this guy."
Killer Wedding (2000) (Madeline Bean Culinary Mystery, book 3) Jerrilyn Farmer "Madeline Bean gives great dish in every sense of the word!"
The Flower Master (1999) (Rei Shimura, book 3) Sujata Massey "Her best yet. Intricate plotting and writing as beautiful as the ikebana described herein."