Thriller

Upcoming: RULES OF PREY TV Adaptation

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Deadline recently announced that Amazon MGM Studios have greenly an adaption of the first novel in John Sandford‘s Lucas Davenport/Prey series: Rules of Prey. The show will star Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, The Boys, etc.) in the lead role. The eight-episode first season will stream on MGM+. (Not sure if that’s available in Canada, but hopefully it’ll be available on Prime at least…)

Here’s how Nellie Andreeva describes the show’s premise, in the Deadline piece:

“Created by Bruce Terris (DTF St. Louis), who serves as showrunner and executive producer, Rules of Prey follows Lucas Davenport (Ackles), formerly a detective in the Minneapolis Police Department, drawn out of seclusion back into law enforcement to investigate a series of confounding murders designed to send a message specifically to him. When an ingenious serial killer begins murdering Minneapolis citizens, Davenport, a brilliant polymath and unconventional investigator, takes the case, sparking an intense psychological duel with an equally intelligent adversary. As Davenport deciphers the killer’s twisted moral code and personal vendetta, he must match wits with a predator operating by his own rules of justice, risking everything to stop a killer who sees their conflict as the ultimate game.”

The novel, first published in 1989, is available in North America via G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Based on that description above, there is a slight deviation from the novel, in which Davenport was very much “still” a lieutenant in the Minneapolis PD. Here’s the novel’s official synopsis:

The killer was mad but brilliant.

He left notes with every woman he killed. Rules of murder: Never have a motive. Never follow a discernible pattern. Never carry a weapon after it has been used… So many rules to his sick, violent games of death.

But Lucas Davenport, the cop who’s out to get him, isn’t playing by the rules.

With any luck, the adaptation will follow a similar approach to Prime’s Bosch, Cross, and Reacher shows; each of which has taken a highly-popular, well-established crime series, brought earlier stories up-to-date, and breathed fresh life into them, while retaining what made the books stand out and so popular. Continue reading →

Excerpt: LONDON GOTHIC by Edward Seaward (DarkWinter)

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A few days ago, DarkWinter Press published London Gothic by Ed Seaward. It is a haunting, ‘Southern Ontario gothic’ tale set in 1970s/80s London, Ontario. To celebrate the release, we have a short excerpt to share with our readers. Here’s the synopsis:

In 1975, John Caine and his nineteen-year-old son Ricky bury a woman near a clump of trees in an open field on the rural outskirts of London, Ontario. In 1984, seventeen-year-old Bethany Caine is haunted by the disappearance of her mother nine years previous. Her father and brother insist Thelma Caine abandoned them one night, evidenced by her brief goodbye note. Having already escaped the house dominated by her brutish father to live with her lover, university student Angela, Bethany presses much older brother Ricky to reveal what actually happened to their mother.

Structured along alternating timelines, with chapters exploring the Caine family in the 1970s interspersed with chapters set around the Victoria Day long weekend in 1984, London Gothic unfolds a story of violence and incest as those who truly love and support Bethany attempt to uncover the mystery of Thelma Caine’s disappearance.

And now, here’s the excerpt…

Continue reading →

Excerpt: THE AUNT by Courtney Psak (Hodder & Stoughton)

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The Aunt, the latest novel from Courtney Psak, is out today in the UK. A twisty tale of sibling rivalry, it is published by Hodder & Stoughton. To mark the release, the publisher has provided CR with an excerpt to share with our readers. First, here’s the synopsis:

Standing outside of my sister’s mansion, with its prime ocean views and floor to ceiling windows, I look at my baby niece and realize just how little I knew about Lexi’s new life. And how easy it was for her to keep secrets from me…

The day that Amy gets the call, her whole world falls apart. Her younger sister Lexi has been killed in a tragic boating accident, along with her husband. Despite being estranged for the last ten years, Amy never stopped loving Lexi, and the news crushes her.

But Amy is shocked when she discovers she is set to inherit Lexi’s beautiful mansion on Palm Beach, all her fortune… and her newborn daughter.

Amy is stunned — how did she not know her own sister had a baby? And when the police reveal that they are treating the accident as suspicious, Amy starts to question everything.

Did she ever really know her sister? What secrets has Lexi been hiding? Can Amy protect her baby niece, or will the truth cost her everything?

And now, on with the excerpt…!

Continue reading →

Quick Review: ICARUS 17 by Charles Cumming (Hemlock Press/Mysterious Press)

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Lachlan Kite’s latest mission is a little closer to home…

Lachlan Kite should have left fieldwork behind by now.

As director of covert intelligence agency Box 88, he’s at the apex of his espionage career. But when Martha Raine – a woman he hasn’t seen in twenty years – begs for his help, Kite finds himself back in the game, racing to avert disaster.

Kite must find Martha’s son, Max, who vanished in Athens with his girlfriend, Yasmine. But the couple aren’t just missing, they’re running for their lives. Two rival agencies are hunting them, both with orders to kill on sight.

Max and Yasmine are carrying a dizzying secret, one which could pull apart the foundations of the Middle East for a generation. If Kite fails to save them, the costs – both personal and professional – will be catastrophic.

In this, the fourth novel in Charles Cumming’s excellent Box 88 series, Lachlan Kite sets out on the hunt for a couple who have gone missing in Greece. While previous books have connected contemporary missions to Kite’s past actions as a spy, in this book, the stakes are far more personal. As expected, this is another gripping, very well-written novel that hooked me from the start. Continue reading →

Interview with NICOLE LUNDRIGAN

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Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Nicole Lundrigan?

I’m a Toronto-based author. My education was in science, but I started writing fiction on a whim many years ago, my tenth novel was just released in May. My previous book was a bestseller, and my work has been shortlisted twice for the Crime Writers of Canada’s Best Crime Novel award. I write at the kitchen table, with a slew of stickie-notes, and my senior dog is usually snoring not far away. Each of my books has (at least one) murder in it.

Your latest novel, The Case Study, was just published by Viking. How would you introduce it to a potential reader?

The Case Study is a psychological thriller that follows the obsessions of two women: One is the wife of a psychiatrist, and the other is the murderous subject of his famous case study. Mia is fixated on her husband’s patient, and begins watching their recorded therapy sessions. And Lainey, who developed a rare delusion after killing her uncle, grows increasingly interested in her doctor — and his family. The book is dark and the behaviours get quite unhinged, but it (mostly) works itself out by the end. Continue reading →

Quick Review: CORMORANT HUNT by Michael Idov (Scribner)

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A renegade CIA officer must infiltrate an extremist group in the heart of Europe…

Ari Falk has just blown the lid off a massive conspiracy at the highest level within the CIA. While some hail him as a hero for exposing government corruption, others brand him as a dangerous traitor to his country. His quiet exile in the Republic of Georgia is shattered when a new mission arises—one perfectly suited for someone as jaded and unpredictable as him.

A hot war in Europe and shadowy political schemes set the stage for danger at every turn. Enter Asha Tamaskar, a brilliant, neurodivergent CIA officer with her own secrets, and Felix Burnham, a chilling antagonist with radical alliances that could change the global balance of power. From Tbilisi to Prague and Andorra to Bethesda, Falk’s quest for justice takes him on a high-stakes journey around the world.

The Cormorant Hunt explores geopolitics with grit and authenticity, weaving together a narrative that is both urgent and unforgettable. Razor-sharp dialogue, heart-pounding twists, and complex characters abound—blending suspense, wit, and brilliant storytelling, this is a must-read for fans of political intrigue, espionage, and thrillers that don’t play by the rules.

This is Michael Idov’s second, fast-paced and gripping spy novel starring Ari Falk. It picks up soon after the end of the first book in the series, and offers another contemporary, well-written story, populated by engaging characters. After enjoying the first novel in the series (with just a few minor reservations), I’m pleased to say that I enjoyed this as well, and it does mark an improvement in Idov’s writing. Continue reading →

Upcoming: THE OPERATOR by Mike Lawson (Atlantic Crime)

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Congressional fixer Joe DeMarco’s misadventures in and around Washington and America’s politics continue! Now, though, he’s pitted against a merciless, far better-resourced opposing fixer…

In February 2027, Atlantic Crime are due to publish The Operator, the 20th novel in Mike Lawson‘s excellent series — an incredible milestone for the series and author. This has been a favourite series of mine ever since I read DeMarco’s debut outing, The Inside Ring, so every new volume is something to celebrate. Here’s the synopsis:

It’s fixer versus fixer, and only one can win…

Joe DeMarco is a capable man. He works as a fixer for John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House (though DeMarco prefers the term “troubleshooter”). He’s the one Mahoney calls upon when there’s a situation that requires creative problem solving.

Carla Andretti — a cutthroat lawyer at one of the world’s top firms — is a fixer too. On behalf of the ultra-wealthy tech-mogul Leo Cage, Carla helps her boss conquer whatever he desires, even if she too must bend the law to make it happen.

When one of Leo’s schemes begins to crumble, it threatens to expose them both on a massive scale, forcing Carla to do what she does best: fix the situation. In order to keep her and Leo’s names clean, she’ll have to go after the people responsible for the unraveling. The only problem? Joe DeMarco’s onto her — and he knows all too well the tricks of the trade.

Can’t wait to read this.

While I’m waiting, I could of course get caught up on a few of the author’s novels that I have (inexplicably) yet to get around to: Redemption (a stand-alone thriller) and the Kay Hamilton series — Rosarito Beach, Viking Bay, and K-Street — which were published under the pseudonym M. A. Lawson.

Mike Lawson’s The Operator is due to be published by Atlantic Crime in North America, on February 16th, 2027.

Also on CR: Reviews of House Rules/Dead on Arrival, House Secrets/Dead Man’s List, House Justice, House Divided, House Blood, House Odds, House Reckoning, House Rivals, and The Asset

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads

Quick Review: A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE by Jordan Harper (Faber / Mulholland)

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Another grim, brutal exploration of the darker sides of human nature

For some people there are no rules, only prices…

This place is a crime that can’t be solved. And that’s why we love it.

LA is a brutal, burning city. It is America with nowhere to run. Each night Jake Deal captures it on a livestream to his blood-hungry subscribers. Above board, Doug Gibson is a street lawyer trying to fix the system one case at a time. Underground, Kara Delgado is working for a private concierge company – a make-a-wish foundation for the terminally rich.

When Kara’s best friend Phoebe goes missing, she soon finds herself in the worlds of both Jake and Doug. Will the remaining humanity of this fragile team kill them all or expose one enormous, unspeakable crime?

Jordan Harper has fast become a must-read author for me. His novels are consistently gripping, unafraid to venture into the darker corners of human nature and what the powerful can get away with. A Violent Masterpiece is no exception, and examines the worst-possible-scenario of Hollywood power and corruption. Continue reading →

Quick Review: THE SHADOW FRIENDS by Tess Gerritsen (Thomas & Mercer / Penguin UK)

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Ghosts of the Cold War come back to haunt the Martini Club

When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in Purity, Maine, the tight-knit band of former spies in the Martini Club once again sees their quiet coastal retirement interrupted by international intrigue. And when a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered, Ingrid Slocum sees chilling links to a disastrous mission that nearly killed her three decades ago.

Desperate to uncover the truth, Ingrid’s drawn back into the game by a magnetic ex-CIA colleague ― and former lover ― who was with her on the long-ago doomed mission. He convinces her to join him, and together they head to Amsterdam to track down her would-be killer.

Ingrid’s frantic husband Lloyd and Maggie Bird are close behind, but a clandestine network of assassins is intent on stopping them. Forced to question every allegiance, the Martini Club must rely on the skills they tried to leave behind. Because in this game of revenge and deception, the past never dies ― it just hides in the shadows.

The first novel I read by Tess Gerritsen was The Spy Coast (2023), the first book in the Martini Club series. It was a fantastic introduction to the group of retired spies living in Maine, juggling civilian life with the now-frequent resurrection of issues from their past actions. The Summer Guests (2025) nicely expanded readers’ picture of these characters and the lives they lived at CIA. In The Shadow Friends, Gerritsen continues to develop the characters and the world they live in, and also gives another member of the group the spotlight. It’s another engaging thriller/mystery, which I very much enjoyed. Continue reading →

Upcoming: 138 MAIN STREET by Gavin Bell (Gallery/Scout, Simon & Schuster)

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Next month, Gallery/Scout Press is due to publish 138 Main Street by Gavin Bell. I just found out today that Gavin Bell is the real name of the author Mason Cross, whose Carter Blake series is one of my favourites. He has also written two novels as Alex Knight (although, I inexplicably haven’t had a chance to read those, yet, despite owning them).

I was particularly drawn to the intriguing, original premise; so, combined with how much I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous books, this naturally became one of my (suddenly) most-anticipated novels of the year. Here’s the synopsis…

AN ADDRESS TO DIE FOR…

There’s a killer on the loose. And he’s targeting one specific address—138 Main Street. The problem? There are over 7,000 Main Streets in the USA. And the police and FBI have no clue which one will be next.

For FBI Special Agent Ben Walker and his rookie colleague, Officer Zoe Hill, the pressure to solve the case is unimaginable. There aren’t enough police officers to cover every house, and vigilante residents are attacking anyone who rings their doorbell. Main Street might be one of America’s most popular addresses, but for those living at number 138, it comes down to fight or flight.

Then a manuscript is sent to the New York Times, purporting to be the manifesto of the “Main Street Killer” and demanding radical social change. As the effect of the terror campaign takes hold across the nation, Walker and Hill find themselves in a race against time to stop the killer. But with their target always several steps ahead, and almost 3,800,000 square miles of ground to cover, they’ll have to find him first…

Gavin Bell’s 138 Main Street is due to be published by Gallery/Scout Press in North America, on June 2nd. UK readers, however, are in luck: it was published today, by Simon & Schuster.

Also on CR: Reviews of The Killing Season, The Samaritan, The Time to Kill/Winterlong, and Don’t Look For Me

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky