Featuring: Jonathan D. Beer, Don Bentley, DeMar Derozan, Rachel Kushner, Nick Kyme, Tova Mirvis, Travis Mulhauser, Morgan Richter, Krysten Ritter, James Rollins, Ashley Whitaker, Nussaibah Younis

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Jonathan D. Beer, DOMINION GENESIS (Black Library)

Gryphonne IV is dead – one of the mightiest forge worlds in the arsenal of the Adeptus Mechanicus, succumbed to the relentless hunger of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Devoured. Lost.

The few magi that survive drift in idleness, robbed of purpose and direction. But there is one who rejects that fate.

Explorator Talin Sherax seeks ancient and miraculous technologies from humanity’s distant past. When she learns of a fabled relic that could restore all that has been lost, Sherax embarks on a journey, the outcome of which could change everything. Nothing will stand in her way… even if the quest brings her to the brink of heresy.

I’ve read one of Beer’s novels, and a selection of his short stories — all of which have been great, so when this was announced, it went straight onto my must-buy list. Hope to get to it as soon as I can. Dominion Genesis is out now, published by Black Library, in North America and in the UK.

Also on CR: Review of King of the Spoil

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Don Bentley, KILL OR CAPTURE (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)

Mitch Rapp faces an Iranian foe bent on destabilizing the Middle East…

April 2011: On a remote mountaintop overlooking the remains of the Iranian nuclear weapons program, Azad Ashani witnesses a Quds Force demonstration of a capability meant to upend America’s war in the Middle East. Ashani, director of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security and Irene Kennedy’s former back channel to the Iranian government, recognizes the demonstration’s true significance, and the nation-ending conflict it will provoke. Alone, Ashani stands no chance of preventing this rush to madness.

But with the help of one man, he just might.

In Washington, DC, CIA director Irene Kennedy briefs the president that the operational window to kill or capture Osama bin Laden at his recently discovered compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan is rapidly closing. But before he’ll authorize a commando raid on Pakistani soil, the president demands irrefutable proof of bin Laden’s presence.

Proof he trusts just one man to provide.

Preventing a looming war in the Middle East while delivering justice for the nearly 3,000 Americans killed on 9/11 would be a big ask for anyone.

Mitch Rapp isn’t just anyone.

The latest novel in the Mitch Rapp series, with a new author: after Kyle Mills’s excellent run with the character, the baton is now passed to Bentley (author of the Matt Drake series and a few Jack Ryan, Jr. novels, among others). This time, the action takes place in 2011, delving into an action from Rapp’s past. Looking forward to reading it as soon as I can. Kill or Capture is out now, published by Atria/Emily Bestler Books in North America and Simon & Schuster in the UK.

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DeMar DeRozan, ABOVE THE NOISE (Harmony)

From one of the most outspoken and respected NBA athletes comes a groundbreaking and remarkable memoir chronicling a very public struggle with depression, in the hopes that other people will not suffer alone.

“As men, and especially Black men, we don’t talk about our mental health enough. We struggle to admit when things aren’t okay, even when it’s obvious to everybody around us. I’ve seen how toxic that can become. I’ve experienced it myself, keeping everything under wraps until your head and heart are full of fire and rage.”

DeMar DeRozan, six-time NBA All-Star, has been called a “basketball savant” (ESPN) and “the best closer in the NBA” (GQ) — but when he went public with his depression, it sparked a conversation that reached far beyond the court. By breaking the stigma of speaking out, he added a new, seldom-heard voice to the mental health dialogue: a successful Black male athlete, openly naming his pain and advocating for others to do the same.

Now it’s time to tell the full story. Born and raised in Compton, DeRozan was no stranger to hardship — living in poverty, losing friends to gang violence. In worn-out school gyms and community centers, fueled by hunger and a desire to prove himself, he started to rise, but doubts followed. In Above the Noise, DeRozan opens up about his proudest triumphs and the times he felt so weighed down he couldn’t get out of bed. He reflects on what it took to make a name for himself in a new country after getting drafted by the Toronto Raptors, the pressure of playing with veteran athletes as a twenty-year-old rookie, and the pain of losing role models.

From a scared, angry kid to a confident father of five, DeRozan traces his journey to basketball stardom and the forces that honed him into the player — and the slowly healing person — he is today. It will encourage anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggles and inspire people to rise above the noise and speak their truth.

I started reading this as soon as I had it; and I’m happy to report that it’s great. Above the Noise avoids most of the pitfalls that can trouble basketball/sports books — DeRozan doesn’t spend pages providing readers with play-by-play descriptions and explanations of specific games. Rather, he’s far more focused on the experience of playing on large stages (NBA, Olympics, etc.), as well as what it means to be a successful professional athlete; all through the lens of his struggle with depression. It’s a genuinely revealing memoir, too, given DeRozan’s relatively private approach to stardom. A must for Raptors fans and NBA fans in general. (Quick note: Popovich comes across extremely well, here, and DeRozan only increased my respect for the coach’s humanity and decency.) Above the Noise is out now, published by Harmony, in North America and in the UK.

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Rachel Kushner, CREATION LAKE (Scribner)

A novel about a secret agent, a thirty-four-year-old American woman of ruthless tactics, bold opinions, and clean beauty, who is sent to do dirty work in France.

“Sadie Smith” is how the narrator introduces herself to her lover, to the rural commune of French subversives on whom she is keeping tabs, and to the reader.

Sadie has met her love, Lucien, a young and well-born Parisian, by “cold bump” — making him believe the encounter was accidental. Like everyone Sadie targets, Lucien is useful to her and used by her. Sadie operates by strategy and dissimulation, based on what her “contacts” — shadowy figures in business and government — instruct. First, these contacts want her to incite provocation. Then they want more.

In this region of centuries-old farms and ancient caves, Sadie becomes entranced by a mysterious figure named Bruno Lacombe, a mentor to the young activists who communicates only by email. Bruno believes that the path to emancipation from what ails modern life is not revolt, but a return to the ancient past.

Just as Sadie is certain she’s the seductress and puppet master of those she surveils, Bruno Lacombe is seducing her with his ingenious counter-histories, his artful laments, his own tragic story.

The latest novel from the author of The Flamethrowers and The Mars Room takes a turn into espionage fiction, which certainly made me more interested in reading it. It’s already been nominated for awards and received a ton of positive reviews, so looking forward to read it soon. Creation Lake is out now, published by Scribner in North America, and Jonathan Cape in the UK.

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Nick Kyme, HAND OF ABADDON (Black Library)

As the Indomitus Crusade rages on, Inquisitor Rostov discovers vital intelligence that could reveal the plan of the notorious Hand of Abaddon, and hastily gathers together those loyal to his cause.

Defending the Anaxian Line, Ultramarines Lieutenant Ferren Areios uncovers a dread vision that has ties to the mission of an old ally. Meanwhile, Magda Kesh campaigns alongside the 84th Mordian. Though she refutes her fate as something more than a mere soldier, is she truly touched by the Emperor?

Despite a fractious alliance, the Hand’s scheme is reaching culmination. Amidst the infighting, Tharador Yheng yearns to be free of her master Tenebrus’ shadow and claim her destiny. But another acolyte has embarked on his own path, the Red Corsair Graeyl Herek. Both vie for the favour of the Dark Gods, and the means to harness an ancient evil that could reshape the war between the Imperium and Chaos.

The eighth novel in the Dawn of War series, which takes place in the “current” WH40k timeline. I’ve fallen a little behind on the series, but do hope to get caught up as soon as I can. I’ve enjoyed previous novels in the series, as well as many of Kyme’s novels and short stories for Black Library, so I’m pretty confident this will be a good read as well. Hand of Abandon is out now, published by Black Library, in North America and in the UK.

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Tova Mirvis, WE WOULD NEVER (Atria Books)

A literary page-turner that maps the extremes to which a family will go in order to protect their own.

No one appears more surprised than Hailey Gelman when she comes under suspicion for the murder of her soon-to-be ex-husband Jonah. Hailey — nicknamed Sunshine by her mother for her bright outlook and ever-present smile — has always tried to do what is expected of her and is regarded as the family peacemaker. But is anyone, including Hailey, who she has always seemed to be?

The months leading up to Jonah’s death have been fraught, including a bitter separation and a messy custody battle over their young daughter, Maya. When Hailey files a motion to relocate to Florida so she can be near her family, Jonah retaliates and the divorce begins to spiral dangerously out of control.

Sherry, Hailey’s mother, will stop at almost nothing to keep Jonah from getting what he wants. Nate, Hailey’s impetuous and protective older brother, has tried to keep his distance, but he can’t stand to see his little sister suffer. And then there’s Solomon, the patriarch, who is keeping a secret that threatens the stability and security Sherry has worked so hard to maintain. Soon, they are forced to reckon with who they are as individuals and as a family, and just how far they will go for each other.

Inspired by a true story, We Would Never is a gripping mystery, an intimate family drama, and a provocative exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the blurred line between protecting and forsaking the ones we love most.

Thought this sounded interesting. Not familiar with any of the author’s other works, but nevertheless looking forward to reading it — it has an intriguing premise. We Would Never is due to be published by Atria Books in North America, on February 11th, 2025.

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Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Travis Mulhauser, THE TROUBLE UP NORTH (Grand Central Publishing)

An atmospheric, haunting novel about a family of bootleggers, their troubled history, and the land that binds them.

The Sawbrooks have lived on prime real estate on the lakes of Michigan since before there was prime real estate. A family of smugglers and bootleggers, every man, woman, and child in each generation has been taught to navigate the nooks and crannies of the rivers and highways that flow in and out of Canada. The hidden routes are the family’s legacy.

But today, the Sawbrooks are deeply fractured, and the money that’s sustained the family is running out. Edward, the Sawbrook patriarch, is dying from cancer, and his wife, Rhoda, is bitterly disappointed in her three adult children. The eldest daughter, Lucy, is now a park ranger, working to federally protect the land against her mother’s will; the middle son, Buckner, hasn’t been the same since he came back from the army suffering from alcoholism; and the youngest daughter, Jewell, is wasting her potential as a card player and bartender.

When Jewell is asked to commit a crime for a major insurance payout, she agrees, eager for the cash, but too late, she realizes that that the boat she torched wasn’t empty…

Together, the Sawbrooks will have to contend with the old, familial ways and the new, shifting world, and face each other — and their pain-filled past — to smuggle one more thing through and out of their land to safety.

The synopsis for this caught my attention, and Mulhauser is another author whose previous works I am not yet familiar with. Hope to read it very soon. The Trouble Up North is due to be published by Grand Central Publishing, on March 11th, 2025.

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Review copy received via NetGalley

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Morgan Richter, THE DIVIDE (Knopf)

A failed actress turned grifting psychic searches for her missing doppelgänger and is plunged into a web of murder and corruption among Hollywood A-listers.

When Jenny St. John was eighteen, she moved to Los Angeles from her rural midwestern hometown and scored the lead role in an independent film called The Divide. Under the intimate direction of young auteur Serge Grumet, Jenny was on her way to becoming the next indie darling. But then the movie tanked, and Jenny never caught a second break. Now, two decades later, after floundering on the fringes of the entertainment industry, she’s barely keeping afloat running a low-level grift as a psychic life coach.

But when news surfaces that Serge has been murdered, Jenny’s life is turned upside down. Unbeknownst to Jenny, Serge’s ex-wife, painter Gena Santos, looks alarmingly similar to Jenny. So much so that when Gena goes missing, the cops think Jenny is Gena.

Jenny finds herself pulled into Gena’s world and manages to leverage both her resemblance to Gena and her faux psychic abilities to infiltrate the affluent yet unstable inner circle of friends, which include a Korean pop idol-turned-social media star and an Oscar-winning actress-turned-wellness guru. Soon Jenny’s search to find Gena unearths dark secrets about her own past while putting her squarely in the sights of a killer.

I can’t remember when/where I first heard about this novel, but as many CR readers know, I’m a sucker for an LA-based mystery. So, naturally, this went onto my watchlist and, now, TBR mountain. The Divide is out now, published by Knopf in North America.

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Krysten Ritter, RETREAT (Harper)

A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life… with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession…

 Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She’s clever, smooth, and confident — qualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.

Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast — attributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can’t resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.

But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can’t help effortlessly slipping into the socialite’s identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?

As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling — and deceptive — world of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life — but the con that ends it.

This is Ritter’s second novel, following Bonfire (2017). Intriguing premise, so looking forward to giving it a try. Retreat is due to be published by Harper in North America and Sphere in the UK, on March 25th, 2025.

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Review copy received via Edelweiss

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James Rollins, A DRAGON OF BLACK GLASS (Tor Books)

What will they risk to save the world?

With the apocalyptic threat of moonfall looming ever closer, Nyx and her allies must venture into the eternally sunblasted lands to search for an ancient weapon buried untold millennia ago. All the while, enemies close upon her flanks, and a greater danger lurks ahead. For beneath a desert turned to glass, hidden from the scorching heat, life thrives — both wondrous and monstrous. But a more fearsome menace lies even deeper, where an ancient army has been seeded to protect a secret from any who dare seek it out.

Yet, can Nyx truly trust those at her side? Or even herself? For while her gifts grow ever stronger, so does the danger of losing herself to a dark madness. Worst yet, the same afflicts Bashaliia, her winged and bonded brother.

Elsewhere, a looming war explodes across the Crown, forging new alliances and greater enmities, as lands around the globe are drawn into fiery conflict. Prince Kanthe — now consort to the newly crowned Empress of the Southern Klashe — recognizes a hard truth: to save the world, he must destroy all that he once loved.

Beyond such struggles, a new cunning peril smolders at the heart of a kingdom. Hidden in the Shrivenkeep of the Iflelen, an ancient bronze weapon has been awoken. Fed by blood, fueled by hatred, it has only one purpose: to end all life on Urth.

But in this goal, will Nyx prove to be its ally or foe?

The third novel in Rollins’s new Moonfall series. I haven’t had a chance to read the first two novels, but I’m a big fan of his Sigma Force thrillers, so I have pretty high hopes for this series (which I do hope to read soon). A Dragon of Black Glass is due to be published by Tor Books in North America and in the UK, on February 18th, 2025.

Also on CR: Reviews of The Judas Strain, The Last Oracle, The Doomsday Key, The Devil Colony, and The 6th Extinction

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Review copy received via NetGalley

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Ashley Whitaker, BITTER TEXAS HONEY (Dutton)

It’s 2011, and twenty-three-year-old Joan West is not like the rest of her liberal peers in Austin, nor is she quite like her Tea Party Republican, God-loving family. Sure, she listens to conservative talk radio on her way to and from her internship at the Capitol. But she was once an America-hating leftist who kissed girls at parties, refused to shave, and had plenty of emotionless sex with jazz school friends — that is until a drug-induced mania forced her to return to her senses.

But above all Joan is a writer, an artist, or at least she desperately wants to be. Always in search of inspiration for her novel, she catalogs every detail of her relationships with men — including with her former muse slash current arch nemesis Roberto — and mines her very dysfunctional family for material. But when her beloved, credit card debt–racked cousin Wyatt finds himself in crisis, Joan’s worldview is cracked open and everything comes crashing down.

Funny, whip-smart, and often tender, Bitter Texas Honey introduces us to the unforgettable and indefatigable Joan West: ambitious, full of contradictions, utterly herself. As she wades through it all — addiction, politics, loss, and, notably, her father’s string of increasingly bizarre girlfriends — we witness her confront what it means to be a person, and an artist, in the world.

“The Royal Tenenbaums meets Fleabag” — that’s a pretty compelling premise, I thought. I’ll be reading this very soon (although I’ll hold off on posting a review until a bit closer to publication day). Really looking forward to this one. Bitter Texas Honey is due to be published by Dutton in North America, on April 15th, 2025.

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Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Nussaibah Younis, FUNDAMENTALLY (Tiny Reparations Books)

When Dr. Nadia Amin, a long-suffering academic, publishes an article on the possibility of rehabilitating ISIS brides, the United Nations comes calling, offering an opportunity to lead a deradicalization program for the ISIS-affiliated women held in Iraqi refugee camps. Looking for a way out of London after a painful, unexpected breakup, Nadia leaps at the chance.

In Iraq, Nadia quickly realizes she’s in over her head. Her direct reports are hostile and unenthused about taking orders from an obvious UN novice, and the murmurs of deradicalization being inherently unethical and possibly illegal threaten to end Nadia’s UN career before it even begins.

Frustrated by her situation and the unrelenting heat, Nadia decides to visit the camp with her sullen team, composed of Goody Two-shoes Sherri who never passes up an opportunity to remind Nadia of her objections; and Pierre, a snippy Frenchman who has no qualms about perpetually scrolling through Grindr.

At the camp, after a clumsy introductory session with the ISIS women, Nadia meets Sara, one of the younger refugees, whose accent immediately gives her away as a fellow East Londoner. From their first interaction, Nadia feels inexplicably drawn to the rude girl in the diamanté headscarf. She leaves the camp determined to get Sara home.

But the system Nadia finds herself trapped in is a quagmire of inaction and corruption. One accomplishment barely makes a dent in Nadia’s ultimate goal of freeing Sara… and the other women, too, of course. And so, Nadia makes an impossible decision leading to ramifications she could have never imagined.

A triumph of dark humor, Fundamentally asks bold questions: Who can tell someone what to believe? And how do you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?

Thought this novel had a very interesting premise, and I’m very much looking forward to reading it as soon as I can. Fundamentally is due to be published by Tiny Reparations Books in North America and W&N in the UK, on February 25th, 2025.

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Review copy received via Edelweiss