New Books - NewInBooks

Books to Read for Fans of Henning Mankell

Looking for a new book full of thrilling high-speed chases, mind-boggling mysteries, and characters that will have you racing to pick up the next book? We've curated a list of the best new mystery and thriller releases for fans of Henning Mankell. Happy Reading!

Unjust Bias (DI Gus McGuire Book 8)

by Liz Mistry

Release Date: August 4, 2022

British Detective Fiction. DI Gus McGuire will do anything to protect his friends, even when that puts himself at risk. However, when an unsolved murder with links to the local community and the murder and torture of a trans child appear to be linked, Gus finds himself pulled between family, work and friends. A fast-paced, gritty serial killer novel.

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Little Loose Ends (Hudson Valley Series Book 2)

by Bonnie Traymore

Release Date: October 9, 2022

After a series of events that would have put anyone over the edge, all Victoria wants is for her life to go back to normal. But now a threat from her past has resurfaced. Are the troubling text messages he's sending a genuine threat, or is he just playing with her head? The more she uncovers, the more she knows he'll stop at nothing to get her.

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Halloween Party Murder (Juniper Holiday Cozy Mystery Book 1)

by Leighann Dobbs

Release Date: October 13, 2022

A fun & cozy Halloween mystery in a new holiday series from USA Today Bestselling Author Leighann Dobbs. A dead body puts a damper on Juniper Holiday's famous Halloween party and she's on the suspect list! Can Juniper unmask the killer before stuffy Detective Desmond Mallard cuffs the wrong perp? A few friendly ghosts make this lightly paranormal.

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The Quarry Girls

by Jess Lourey

Release Date: November 1, 2022

Killers hiding in plain sight. Small-town secrets. A girl who knows too much. From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things and Bloodline comes a nerve-twisting novel inspired by a shocking true crime.

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The Break

by Katie Sise

Release Date: November 1, 2022

Can she trust the people she loves? Can she trust herself? A new mother is pushed to the edge in a provocative thriller by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Open House.

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Over Her Dead Body

by Susan Walter

Release Date: November 1, 2022

Ashley Brooks’s life isn’t working out as planned. After years of struggling to make it in Hollywood, she’s still waiting for her big break. When fate leads her to the doorstep of legendary casting director Louisa Lake George, Ashley thinks her luck is about to change: the prickly old pro knows about a role she’s perfect for. The aspiring actress never gets to thank her, though, because the day after the audition, Louisa is dead. The bigger shock—she left all her money to Ashley.

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Interview with Stephanie Brother, Author of Four Always

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Four Always?

Four Always started with an idea for a funny meet-cute: a young woman who was sheltered in her upbringing is making a bakery delivery to Club Red, a new male revue club that's opened in her small touristy island town. The club turns out to be owned by four brothers who also dance and strip, and when they open the box she brings, she finds out it's filled with small penis-shaped cookies intended for a bachelorette party. She's dazzled by the men's looks, but also supremely uncomfortable being surrounded by them while they make anatomy jokes.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Four Always, what would they be?

A silly answer is "Like a Virgin" by Madonna. My main character, Jade, isn't a virgin, but she's never experienced anything like she does after she meets the Stanton brothers. More seriously, I’d say "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera, because as the story progresses, Jade, a plus-size woman, becomes aware of all of the negative thoughts about herself that have always filled her head (don’t we all have those?) and she learns to interrupt them as she realizes how beautiful and strong she is.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I've always been a big softie, which is why romance is, and always has been, my favorite genre to read and to write. Give me quirky characters in difficult situations and I'm hooked. Romance is both incredibly exciting and a great comfort, and that’s a powerful combination.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Unless I’m on vacation, it's hard to find time to read. I’ve really gotten into audiobooks because they allow me to enjoy books while I’m doing things like driving, exercising, and cleaning.

In honor of October, I just finished listening to Cackle by Rachel Harrison. I’m in the middle of The Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon, and Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood is next up.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My shy heroine never thought she'd set foot in a strip club (her family highly disapproves!) so I loved writing about her not only going to Club Red, but being unexpectedly pulled up on stage by the Stanton brothers for a not-so-private lap dance. To soothe her nerves, she ends up getting drunk at the show, and that was a lot of fun to write.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

In the summer, I love to write outdoors. I take my laptop to interesting places and get a lot of inspiration from people watching. In the winter, I have a thermos of chamomile tea that I keep on my desk, and a blanket with arms to keep me warm.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Make the world a happier place.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

A message that threads through all of my books is that love is powerful and love prevails. In Four Always specifically, and in many of my novels, I also hope readers get the message that they're worthy of love, and of finding a man (or four men!) who treat them the way they deserve to be treated.

Stephanie Brother is the author of the new book Four Always

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Interview with D.C. Haenlien, Author of The Reginnaglar Ceremony

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Reginnaglar Ceremony?

You know in many fantasies, how an evil conquering empire is always an antagonist? Right, I wanted to read a story about the evil empire, only it's about how one of them rose to power and becomes more ruthless and cold-blooded in the process.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Progression fantasy, and yes, it is my favorite genre.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Legends & Lattes and NieR Automata.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I have a soft spot for any scene involving cooking, but favorite would have to be the knighting scene at the end of the story. The vows reflect the side characters relationship with the main character in a way that I love.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Does heightened productivity after midnight count?

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Not particularly. If I had to force one, write what you enjoy?

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Regret is forever.

D.C. Haenlien is the author of the new book The Reginnaglar Ceremony

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Interview with Brooke Ramsey, Author of Olivia

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Olivia?

What would you do if your sister went missing and the police couldn’t find her? Would you wait for answers? Or would you find the answers yourself? Anna, the heroine in Olivia, is perhaps my alter ego. She is self-sacrificing, and courageous and goes after what she wants no matter what it costs her. She’s inherently flawed, yet my readers love her.

Anna was my inspiration for this story. Once I had ‘Anna’ in my mind, the rest of the story came together easily. While Anna’s personality and Christian Fiction might not seem to go together at first glance, Olivia is ultimately a story of healing, forgiveness, and doing what is right.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Olivia, what would they be?

Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I write the kind of books I like to read... Christian romantic suspense, and romantic thrillers.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Vanish by Lynn Shannon and Buried Deception by Amanda McKinney.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The final action scene... I grew up with two brothers and watched a lot of action movies! Edge-of-your-seat action scenes are always my favorite to write.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

A completely silent room. I can't stand any noise at all.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I want the characters to feel like friends. I want my readers to miss them when the book is finished.

Brooke Ramsey is the author of the new book Olivia

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Interview with Gregory Sherrow, Author of The Step God's Curse

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Step God's Curse?

I had the most amazing online Spanish tutor, Juan Pablo in Oaxaca, Mexico, who challenged me to write three short stories in Spanish. At that time, he had no idea that I was writing fiction on the side and only intended me to write a paragraph or so for each story. But when I sat down to write the first one, something clicked, and I never got to the other two.

To say I got carried away would be a massive understatement. I quickly switched to expanding the story in English, which given my Spanish abilities, was no great loss to Spanish literature, and the story began to take on the form that you find in the book. At the end of the day, if it weren’t for Juan Pablo’s support, encouragement, and help with tracking down details of 19th century Veracruz that were only available in Spanish language archives in Mexico, The Step God’s Curse probably wouldn’t exist.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My reading crosses several genres that I really enjoy, so it’s hard to pick just one. I jump around among magical realism, contemporary literature, technothrillers, and sub-genres like historical fantasy. Naturally, this ends up influencing my storylines which typically cross genres.

This used to be taboo in publishing but, fortunately, that is changing. Readers have always enjoyed stories that cross genres, but publishers have traditionally found it difficult to market books in that way. Improved communication between readers, closer connections between authors and their audiences, plus the rise of independent publishing and self-publishing have made it possible for readers to get more of what they enjoy.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

It’s more like a TBR monolith. A few on the top are Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I greatly enjoyed writing the connected train and hacienda scenes, when the protagonist and antagonist formally meet. For me, it was the perfect mix of geeking out on historical details while weaving together sexual tensions among the characters with an undercurrent of malignant motivations.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I have gotten in the habit of writing in a new place for every book as a way of clearing my head of the last one and moving into the creative space of the next. I have no idea how long the spirits of my previous novels last in those places, so I might one day run out of locations.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I’ve been absorbing a lot of stoic philosophy over the last few years, especially as interpreted by Donald Robertson. It’s not the misunderstood “suffer in silence” kind of stoicism but an acceptance of the imperfection of life. It has helped me achieve a tremendous amount and greatly reduced my feelings of daily stress.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Naturally, they should remember it as the book that they most enjoyed reading this year, right? But in all seriousness, I’d like one of the underlying themes to bubble up in their heads while they are doing the dishes, bushing their teeth, or some other mindless activity.

One theme in particular is the idea that people often engineer their own downfall. The antagonist in The Step God’s Curse wasn’t forced into taking the actions that ultimately led to his demise, and it wasn’t just one action that sealed his fate but a series of decisions underpinned by hubris and a lack of respect for others.

Gregory Sherrow is the author of the new book The Step God's Curse

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Interview with Deanna Lynn Sletten, Author of The Christmas Charm

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Christmas Charm?

I love Christmas traditions and passing down heirlooms throughout the generations. I wanted to write a story where a special gift from the past helps to remind a family about the importance of staying together.

It started with the idea of a Christmas star charm necklace and continued from there. I hadn’t meant to make it a dual-timeline story, but once I started writing it, I realized how important telling snippets of the grandparents’ past was to the story. I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed writing their story.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My reading tastes have changed throughout the years. I used to read novels by Danielle Steel, Nicholas Sparks, Barbara Delinsky, etc., and really enjoyed them. Now, I enjoy historical fiction novels as well as biographies and history books. Much of my reading is research for the books I write, too. I’m also a big fan of Alice Hoffman, Stephen King, and Paula Brackston. For classics I enjoy everything by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Truman Capote. I guess you’d say my reading preferences are all over the place.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m currently reading Fairy Tale by Stephen King, and am really enjoying it. My TBR pile is basically a pile of books on my nightstand and in my Kindle that I hope to get to at some point. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton and The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe are two in my Kindle that I can’t wait to get to.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was the final confrontation between Jess and her mother. I won’t go into details, but I always love a good fight when family members can finally clear the air.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

No quirky writing habits. I do write mostly at night from 10:00 pm – 1:00 am, and also in the afternoons. I like silence when I write so I can stay focused on the project.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I hope readers walk away from my story feeling happy and satisfied with the ending. I want them to feel that no matter how bad things can be at times, there is always a way to work toward righting them.

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of the new book The Christmas Charm

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Interview with Bonnie Traymore, Author of Little Loose Ends

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Little Loose Ends?

It's a stand-alone sequel to Killer Motives but it's a bit different. The first book was a whodunnit. This one is a true thriller. The main character, Victoria, needed to confront something from her past, a traumatic event that's unfortunately way too common. I also wanted to explore the fine line between justice and revenge, and how far would someone go to protect their family.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Little Loose Ends, what would they be?

Where Have All the Cowboys Gone was running through my head when Victoria met the hot detective in Arizona!

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Mystery/thriller is my favorite, so yes, but I also read other genres, such as romance or historical fiction.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I'm reading Karen Slaughter's new book now, Girl Forgotten. It's great so far!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The climax with the twist for sure was the most to write. I wrote it early on, but I revised it until the last possible minute.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I like to get up early (3 a.m. or so) and write in the dark when everyone's sleeping. It's my only time. I teach full time, so I'm too tired after work.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Carpe diem!

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Be careful who you mess with, especially a mom protecting her child.

Bonnie Traymore is the author of the new book Little Loose Ends

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Interview with Amy Quick Parrish, Author of Highlands Christmas

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True?

I’ve always loved Christmas movies like Elf and A Christmas Story, but I couldn’t understand the “Christmas in July” Hallmark Christmas Movies mania… until the pandemic, when I finally sat down and watched one. And another. And another. And then I started on the Netflix Christmas movies and then the Lifetime Christmas movies. I attended a panel on Christmas movies at the Austin Film Festival and realized these four people in front of me had written some of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. (Elf, Princess Switch, and several others.)

This novella started out as a screenplay but I realized rather than get involved in the inevitable backlog of scripts written during the pandemic, I could just release it out into the world as a novella. During that time I was writing, I was receiving a lot of Facebook ads/articles for dream homes in Scotland. They were amazing – little stone cottages with cozy libraries and fireplaces.

It’s the escapism, the fantasy – who wouldn’t want to inherit a beautiful home in Scotland’s Highlands? So I thought about it and decided a lot of those inheritance schemes seem like a scam (I later actually received a scam about an inheritance myself) and I wondered what would happen if you were already there with your heart set on living there… and this novella is the result.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True, what would they be?

Melissa: Sleigh Ride by the Ronettes, Colin: O Tannenbaum by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, Alexander: Let it Snow! By Dean Martin, and Lindsay: O Holy Night by Brian Setzer.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read a lot of non-fiction, usually research and inspiration for the fiction I write. But I love YA, Christmas books, fairy tales, and SciFi. My favorite genres are YA and SciFi but I’m definitely ready to write more Christmas books. It’s such a great form of escapism.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I have several books about Irish and Scottish fairy tales and folklore.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I enjoyed writing the scene where Melissa and Colin have their “meet cute” at the airport.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

My cat likes to sit on a blanket in the “inbox” on my desk. I also try to eat whatever my characters would eat – so I ate lots of oatcakes, haggis and shortbread during this book.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

“Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye.” It’s a Scottish saying that means if something is meant to be, it’ll happen. If it doesn’t happen, it’s because it wasn’t meant to be.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Go to Scotland! It’s beautiful!!

Amy Quick Parrish is the author of the new book Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True

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Interview with Leighann Dobbs, Author of Halloween Party Murder

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Halloween Party Murder?

This is just a fun quirky cozy mystery within a Halloween setting.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Halloween Party Murder, what would they be?

Funny you should ask. The main character, Juniper Holiday, loves music and blares 80s rock music, so anything from an 80s rock band would be a good theme song for her.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love reading all kinds of mysteries, but cozy mysteries are my favorite to write.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Paper Doll (Spenser series book 20) by Robert Parker, Marple: 12 New Mysteries by Agatha Christie and others.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scene where the body is discovered, that one is always my favorite to write.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I need a cup of coffee to sip on while I am procrastinating about writing.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You can't edit a blank page!

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Smile.

Leighann Dobbs is the author of the new book Halloween Party Murder

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Interview with Stella Atrium, Author of The Bush Clinic

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Bush Clinic: Book I of The Tribal Wars?

Thanks for asking. I was so pleased to find reviewers who call The Bush Clinic femme-driven. Ha, ha, that was my intent. In all societies, women live in a network of women, although that practice is not dramatized in our novels or movies. For female heroes as far back as Angie Dickinson's Police Woman, women characters operate in a world of men. Where were her sisters, aunts, daughters, sorority sisters, and female colleagues who held strong positions like judges or reporters?

Women working together is a novel idea in some writing genres. Mostly we see a few forced together like in refugee camps, or the wives of men in leadership like in the church. I started with the writing principle that the female characters drive the plots of my stories. Nothing happened except by their pushing. That’s in all my stories, but not so much LGBTQ+.

I looked at women in combat zones and saw that they had no protection, no cover, no rights even to clean water. How did they manage to feed the children and stay clean? Women were corralled together and could not resist abuse or separation. My idea was that women talked among themselves and found strategies for how to respond to abuse and support each other, except some were ostracized.

In a free emerging democracy, women must secure the right to vote, the right to open a business, to own property, to choose when to have kids. Access to capital is critical for women to have a voice in business and in politics. Not a token woman on the board of a corporation, but a self-made woman who succeeds by the work of her own hands. So I developed several of these types in a fantasy story set on another planet to see what obstacles they addressed, what bad behavior they indulged, and how much social power they could accrue.

The fantasy series starts with The Bush Clinic, and several novels follow our connected tribal women and intruders from Earth. The male characters were not neglected. In fact, some get hero roles as militia leaders of generals in the peace-keeping corp. A woman is more interesting when an interesting man pursues her.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I’ve been reading for many decades, so I had trends where I read mostly biography or mostly philosophy. In the 2000s I was enamored with books about the Ottoman Empire; I sort of fell down the rabbit hole. I read in fantasy after I discovered Robin Hobb. The books based on old fairy tales were a favorite, or tales from Eastern European Jewish tradition. I started reading deeply in science fiction when I was writing in that mode, but shied away from the grimdark subgenre where all the plots were the same and interest was driven by the gore or unusual creatures. That trend ran out for me rather quickly.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Right now I’m reading books from India, especially survival strategies for women in a layered society where status is about what you are rather than gained through merit. The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi is open on my reader right now.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Dr. Greensboro is gifted with a pair of infant gualareps, lizard-like creatures that throw their thoughts. One day she asks one who she likes best, Dr. Greensboro or Hakulupe Le, showing a small stone for each person. The gualarep takes the stones in her mouth and climbs a nearby tree to dig a hollow and plant the two together forever at the bush clinic. Dr. Greensboro says, “I don’t think I knew that they could climb trees.”

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

The needed elements to write are to get up early, put on a pot of coffee, and turn on the computer. At two in the afternoon I look up because my stomach is growling. LOL

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Never let ‘em see you sweat.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Our lives benefit from the lives of people who came before us: family, friends, heroes, philosophers, leaders, enemies. We should learn a little something about them.