It is now July! This summer has gone fast for me even while being in quarantine. Things where we live are starting to open back up, and we have spent a lot of time at the playground and the pool. The speed of summer is only going to pick up momentum as more and more of our daily lives return to a new normal. So, here are a list of fast paced thrillers and crime fiction novels to race through before the summer ends!
Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross
I finished this one at the end of June, and loved it. There is a reason James Patterson is one of my favorite authors, and its because whenever I need a good thrilling crime novel he's my go to. I often compare his books to comfort food, and this book fits the bill! Ned is a pool boy when he meets rich and beautiful Tess. They fall for each other fast. Ned decides to complete a heist in order to make one million dollars, and be able to live comfortably with Tess. However, the heist goes wrong, and now Ned is on the run. Set in Palm Beach Florida, this book is the epitome of summer thriller!
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
Ruth Ware has taken the thriller world by storm, and this novel does not disappoint. This book is set in a fictional coastal town called Salten. One morning a woman is walking her dog when her dog pulls something sinister out of the water. The next morning three girls from around England receive a text saying simply "I need you." All three girls rush to the fourth member of their former inseparable clique. The four girls were known for lying, and their past might just catch up to them. Not only is this book set on the coast, it will have your rushing to the end!
The Late Show by Micael Connelly
This book is the first in a series of crime fiction novels about Detective Renee Ballard. Renee works the night shift for the LAPD, so she mostly starts preliminary investigations for a lot of cases. However, by day her cases are handed to daytime detectives until one night she comes across two cases she can't bear to part with. Renee goes against orders and works the cases during the day while still trying to maintain her job at night. In this book we get grisly crime, an amazing female lead, and a lot of twists and turns, all while enjoying the beaches of Malibu and life in Hollywood.
Joyland by Stephen King
My dad lived in Ocean City Maryland most of my life, and so we spent a lot of time at the beach, the boardwalk, and of course the theme park. The manager of the theme park was a close friend of ours so we often got to see the "underground" stuff, and explore the park. In Joyland we experience a haunted theme park through the eyes of college student Devin Jones. I sped through this book in about a day. While Stephen King is known for horror, I would definitely consider this book more of a thriller/coming of age story. If you are new to Stephen King this book is a great place to start!
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
Eleven years ago six kindergarten students disappeared without a trace. Now five of them have returned, with only vague remembrances of each other and no idea where they have been. Where is the sixth child, Max, and where have they been all this time? Avery is determined to find her older brother, and she doesn't believe they have memory loss either. Told from the points of view of Scarlett, Lucas, and Avery this book has you turning pages as fast as you can. Of course this is also set during the summer in sunny Florida!
The Cabin by Natasha Preston
School is out for the summer, so Mackenzie and five of her friends go to a cabin for a fun filled weekend. The weekend is cut short when the next morning two of her friends are dead. With no sign of breaking and entering the friends that are left realize that one of them is the killer, and that they may be at risk of being murdered next. Shannon and I read everything that Natasha Preston writes, and couldn't recommend her books more! They are fast paced, have endings you would never expect, and keep you engrossed until the very last page!
The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis
This is the second James Patterson on this list because I could NOT leave it out! In the Hamptons money and privilege are limitless. The Murder House is a beach front estate with a gruesome history of unsolved killings. Detective Jenna Murphey has not been to the Hamptons since she was a little girl, but is now trying to make a life there. When two famous people are found dead at The Murder House Jenna thinks the case will be easy and boost her career. That is until she discovers the history of the house, and the reason she hasn't been to the Hamptons since she was little. Patterson's signature choppy chapters make his books easy and fast to read. So if you are in a rush to squeeze one more book into your summer reading, this is an excellent choice!
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
This is the only book on the list that I haven't read but Riley Sager is one of my favorite thriller authors, and his books never disappoint! The Last Time I Lied is focussed on a summer camp called Camp Nightingale where Allison, Natalie, Vivian and Emma shared a tiny cabin. The last Emma or anyone for that matter saw the other three girls was when they sneaked out of the cabin one night. Now Emma returns to the camp to teach art to the campers, and maybe find out the truth about what happened to her friends. I used to go to summer camp every summer for one week, fortunately none of my friends ever vanished. This book has had me intrigued, and I definitely want to finish it before the summer ends!
New Release: The Safe Place by Anna Downes
The Safe Place is a fast thriller set during the summer that will keep you on the edge of your pool lounger until the very end! Emily loses everything her agent, her job, and her apartment. Of course she is desperate, but then the opportunity of a lifetime working for Scott Denny as a house keeper in his summer home comes around. Now surrounded by Scott's family, and enjoying her days at this remote yet idyllic French estate Emily finds hope. However, Scott and his wife Nina have dangerous secrets. Make sure to snag this one, you won't be disappointed!
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