Some fairly big series continuations coming this fall in the mystery and thriller genres. John Grisham has a follow up to his 1991 novel, The Firm. I don’t think it’s going to be the blockbuster that it could have been. Publisher’s Weekly wrote a pretty tough review. I’m betting that Richard Osman and Nita Prose’s books will do better. Here are the 7 most anticipated mystery and thrillers according to Goodreads users.
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
A Korean American family tumbles into crisis when the father disappears into the bright Virginia day. The only witness: a child who cannot speak. Following up on her acclaimed debut novel, Miracle Creek, author Angie Kim turns the standard mystery story into a philosophical inquiry concerning the nature of human communication.
Publication Date: August 29
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
English author, comedian, and television presenter Richard Osman has found great popular success with his Thursday Murder Club series, his particular riff on the cozy mystery template.
The gang’s search leads them into the antiques business, where the tricks of the trade are as old as the objects themselves. As they encounter drug dealers, art forgers, and online fraudsters—as well as heartache close to home—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim have no idea whom to trust.
With the body count rising, the clock ticking down, and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out?
Publication date: September 19
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Two women from opposite sides of the country are brought together by violent acts of the same man, and become allies and sisters in arms as they pursue the justice that would otherwise elude them in one of the most acclaimed, highly-anticipated thrillers of the year.
I’m really excited about this one. I haven’t read her previous book or seen the movie, but everybody else loved it.
Publication date: September 19
Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead
From the critically acclaimed author of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife comes Midnight is the Darkest Hour, a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts―the preacher’s daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks―hold the key to uncovering the truth.
I thought the cover had a tusk on it for a while before I figured out what was happening.
Publication Date: October 3
The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
An evocative family drama and a riveting mystery about the ferocious pull of motherhood for two very different women—from the New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and Girl in Translation.
Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City from her rural Chinese village without money or family support, fleeing a controlling husband, on a desperate search for the daughter who was taken from her at birth—another female casualty of China’s controversial One Child Policy.
Publication Date: October 10
The Exchange: After the Firm by John Grisham
What became of Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke and fled the country? The answer is in The Exchange, the riveting sequel to The Firm, the blockbuster thriller that launched the career of America’s favorite storyteller.
Publication Date: October 17
Here’s the trailer for The Firm if you want to feel some nostalgia.
The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tea room floor. This is a standalone novel, but if you want what everyone else read last year, start with The Maid.
Publication Date: November 28
