#grandcentralpub

More Than Meets the Eye is the 10th book in the Kendra Michaels series from the Mother/son team of Iris and Roy Johansen. "Serial killer James Michael Barrett agrees to a plea deal at his murder trial. He leads a group of FBI agents and local police to the site where he buried his last victim. As agents start to dig, they hit something metallic. There's a large explosion that kills Barrett and most of the agents. Soon there are murders very similar to the way Barrett killed his victims. Kendra Michaels is brought in to help find this new killer. She agrees to be helped by the only survivor of Barrett's attacks. But the killer has other plans for them both." If you're not familiar with Kendra - She was blind for the first 20 years of her life. She had a groundbreaking procedure that restored her sight. But her other senses remain super sharp. This allows her to see things and recognize things that others miss. She does that often in this book also but there is less of that in this story. This is more of a police procedural. And the way leads are followed is that Lynch "knows a guy" and gets information that way. (It happens that way a lot. Feels like a writer shortcut.) Previous books have all been fast-paced with terrifying killers. Not this one. It doesn't flow like the others. I attribute part of that to the plot device used. No spoilers - it is a different take on serial killers. I appreciate when authors try something new, but it seems awkward here. And it makes the story drag. If you're a Kendra Michaels fan or if you are looking for a new take on fictional serial killers you would enjoy this one. Thanks to @grandcentralpub and @novelsuspects for the advanced copy. #morethanmeetstheeye #irisjohansen #royjohansen #grandcentralpub #novelsuspectinsiders #hachettbooks #kendramichaelsseries #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/CmeLJR5rBL3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a new take on an old character. "Professor Brandt Savage is content teaching his classes and ordering takeout. Until one day while walking home he is thrown in the back of a van and taken to a fortress-like apartment. His kidnapper is determined to turn him into a different man - pushing him past any limitations he thought he had. "Why" , he thinks. But his kidnapper has big plans for his new powers." It's always interesting to see a new story on an old character. Doc Savage was a superman-like hero since the 30's and 40's. I can still see those pulp-fiction paperbacks on my dad's bookshelves. Brandt is the grandson of Doc Savage. There's another connection - but no spoilers. Sitts and Patterson have written a fast-paced action thriller. Brandt and his kidnapper have some interesting interactions. And you can almost believe that someone could train to correct their vision (who wouldn't love that) and grow muscles tough enough to repel bullets. The final sequence is crazy. Fun,escapist novel from Patterson and Sitts. Thanks to @grandcentralpub and @novelsuspects for the advanced copy. #theperfectassassin #jamespatterson #briansitts #grandcentralpub #novelsuspects #novelsuspectinsider #docsavage #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs (at Fortress of Solitude) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckf3YfXrLiW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Long Shadows is Book 7 in the Memory Man series from David Baldacci. “Amos Decker is sent to South Florida to investigate the murder of a federal judge. It looks straightforward - judges have enemies and her bodyguard was collateral damage. But as Amos and his new partner follow their leads many things don’t add up. Amos is unsure who the real target was. And his memory is not working right. And his partner is different and Amos does not like change.” I had a hard time putting this book down. Great pace and story. Baldacci gives the reader several - “Wait - What?!” moments. You will not guess the direction and reveal from DB. And best place ever to hide a microphone 😮. If you haven’t read Baldacci, what are you waiting for? Every book can be read as a stand-alone. I was a little worried about the lack of pre-release publicity. No arcs, no Netgalley, nothing. Last time that happened the book was a miss. But this is another great Baldacci story. Are you a fan of the Memory Man? #longshadows #davidbaldacci #amosdecker #memorymanseries #grandcentralpub #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYIVsurMsk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

What do authors think about the weekend before their new books release? Nervous? Anxious? Excited? New books coming this week from Cate Holahan and Jeff Abbott. Both are excellent reads and books you should add to your thriller list. Do you check out new releases? #traitorsdance #jeffabbott #cateholahan #thedarknessofothers #grandcentralpub #novelsuspectinsider #newreleasetuesday #shelfie #sundayshelfie #bradshelfie #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #bookworm #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs #foundationtrilogy #thetroublewithgoatsandsheep https://www.instagram.com/p/ChhVwdNAsqR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Darkness of Others by Cate Holahan might just be the best book she has written. "Imani and her husband, Philip, live in a posh townhouse in Brooklyn Heights. They are both stunned when they find out a movie director friend, Nate, has been murdered and his wife, Melissa, is missing. Police want to talk to her because it looks like she might have been the one to pull the trigger. Melissa also happens to be Imani's best friend. Tonya works for Richard at his restaurant. When there's a mixup with her rent she is evicted and with the restaurant shut down because of the pandemic, she has nowhere to go. Richard offers to rent a couple of his extra rooms until she can get on her feet. But Imani thinks she might be involved some way in Nate's murder. And she won't stop until she's found her friend." There is a lot of time spent in Imani's head and Imani spends a lot of it inventing situations. Do you ever have moments where your brain makes these unsubstantiated leaps in logic? "I really hope I don't get Ebola today at lunch." Imani's brain is constantly churning - as a reader you don't know where things are going or who's what. Holahan does a good job hiding the killer. There's one big clue that gives it away and that's where the pace picks up to the end. Some nice twists and surprises. This is more psychological thriller than Holahan's usual domestic thriller. The tough part for me is that the story is set in NYC at the beginning of the pandemic. People didn't really know what was going on and reactions were extreme. It's hard to relive that. Holahan explains her reasons in the acknowledgments. An excellent story from Holahan. Thanks to @grandcentralpub and @novelsuspects for the advanced copy. #thedarknessofothers #cateholahan #novelsuspectsinsiders #novelsuspects #grandcentralpub #pandemicfiction #surfsidebeach #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #bookworm #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs #psychologicalthriller (at Surfside Beach, South Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChcNVR-Lc17/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

In Traitor's Dance, Jeff Abbott brings back Sam Capra, though it's been ten years since the events of the last book. "Sam works for a secret espionag agency called Section K. He is living in Austin, TX with his 13-year-old son, Daniel and just trying to be the best suburban dad. Sam is approached by a fellow spy with news that a former agent, Markus Bolt, is missing from Russia, where he defected after betraying the US. It looks like he's headed back to the US to see his family. Sam's job is to catch Bolt and bring him in - without letting anyone else know what's going on. Just a simple pickup..." This is going to be one of my favorite books this year. It's fun when an author makes up their own agency. (Section K) It gives them the ability to do whatever they want. Sam is up against the Russians who want Bolt back as well as rival intelligence agents. Plus Bolt knows how to stay hidden. There's a lot of action in these pages and some surprising twists. Everyone is not who you think they are. Aboot does a nice job of not veering into Russian bad-guy stereotypes. This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. But now I need to go back and read the others. Abbott has a great fast-paced writing style. This is an excellent action-thriller. #traitorsdance #jeffabbott #samcapra #grandcentralpub #novelsuspectinsider #novelsuspects #espionagethriller #spythriller #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #bookworm #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs (at Surfside Beach, South Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKOAtdLyp2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J.D. Barker She destroys the men she loves and escapes every time. The most dangerous killer James Patterson has ever created is also his most seductive. On his first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O’Brien is called to a murder scene. A terrified twenty-year-old has killed her kidnapper. The young woman is also a brilliant escape artist. Her bold flight from police custody makes the case impossible to solve and, for Walter, even more impossible to forget. Now a detective, his fascination with the missing woman is approaching obsession. This deadly string of secrets didn’t begin in his home city but he’s going to make sure it ends there. I don't know about you guys but I am a HUGE James Patterson fan! Honestly there aren't many of his books that I haven't read and each and every one of them I finish in a day because I always get lost in them and this one was no different! I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say what I think about the book! This one is a little different. It has a paranormal twist but it adds to the mystery and the adventure! The pace is great and the mystery of the woman is beyond interesting! It splits between the present and from Walter's first meeting with the mysterious gray eyed woman! The murders have been going on for hundreds of years so the question is is there a group of black widows or is there one person? Overall it was a gripping and entertaining thriller turner that had me up long after my bedtime! Thank you Grand Central Pub for sharing this fantastic story with me! #GrandCentralPub #JamesPatterson #JDBarker #DeathoftheBlackWidow #books #bookreview #mysteryread #thrillerbook #bookstareviews #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #reader #bookish #bookclub #readreadread #igbooks #instareads https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf1iFdMMW4a/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The 6:20 Man is a new stand-alone novel from David Baldacci. "Every morning Travis gets on the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan where he works as a low-level analyst at a prestigious investment firm. 'Til one morning he gets an anonymous email that a colleague is dead by suicide...in the building. Travis gets pulled into looking into a conspiracy where it's impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. And it looks like a killer has their eye on Travis..." This book has the feel of the Camel Club series. People in power that want more money and more power. And they’re not worried about getting rid of some people to get their way. Travis is a new character from Baldacci. He's similar to previous characters but still has enough of his own personality to feel different and fresh. Once again there’s an unlikable main character named Brad. He’s actually worse than unlikable. Literary Brads get no love at all. C’mon authors - just one time, make him cuddly or something. Baldacci keeps you guessing on whose an enemy and whose a friend. This is an interesting look at Wall St and big money and the rat race that people puts them in for a chance at a certain lifestyle. There is resolution but the ending sets up for more stories with this character. It's the same fast-paced narrative that readers have come to expect from DB. Fans of Baldacci should enjoy this or any reader looking for soem conspiracy fiction. Thanks to @grandcentralpub and @novelsuspects for the advanced copy. What happens to characters with your name? #the620man #davidbaldacci #grandcentralpub #novelsuspectsinsiders #novelsuspects #conspiracythriller #wallstthriller #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #readersofig #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/CfJaYn5r7SO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=