Recommendations based on "Hostage: A Locked-Room Thriller"

New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller!In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel in the Truly Devious series, there are more twists and turns than Stevie Bell can imagine. No answer is given freely, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.The Truly Devious case—an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936—has consumed Stevie for years. It’s the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate was murdered, and her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say. She must move past this obsession with crime.Stevie’s willing to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be back with her friends, and solve the Truly Devious case. Even if it means making a deal with the despicable Senator Edward King. And when Stevie finally returns, she also returns to David: the guy she kissed, and the guy who lied about his identity—Edward King’s son.But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? What’s the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isn’t just a piece of history—it’s a live wire into the present.* Junior Library Guild Selection * Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2019 * Hypable's Best Books of 2019 *Praise for Book One:“The Agatha Christie-like ecosystem pairs with lacerating contemporary wit, and alternating past and present scenes makes for a multilayered, modern detective story.” —New York Times Book Review“Remember the first time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was special? There’s that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell.” —USA Today (four stars)“Be still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.” —Bustle

Don’t miss the next Will Trent thriller, This Is Why We Lied, coming this August!WATCH WILL TRENT ON ABC!New York Times BestsellerGBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton are back in this electrifying thriller from bestselling author Karin Slaughter.“Enter the world of Karin Slaughter. Just be forewarned, there’s no going back.” —Lisa GardnerAfter that night, everything changed . . .Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper’s assault is uncannily linked to Sara’s.And the past isn’t going to stay buried forever . . .

The stunning new standalone, with a chilling edge of psychological suspense, from the No.1 bestselling author of the Will Trent and Grant County series.Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy smalltown family life was destroyed by a terrifying attack on their home. It left their mother dead. It left their father – a notorious defence attorney – devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that shocking night.Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer. But when violence comes to their home town again, she is plunged into a nightmare. Because the case triggers memories she's tried so hard to suppress, and the shocking truth about the crime which destroyed her family won't stay buried for ever…

‘IT WAS SO GOOD’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Absolutely breath-taking’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Talk about a page-turner!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘You. DO. NOT want to miss!!!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐You’ll want to stay. Until you can’t leave…A group of strangers arrive on a beautiful but remote island, ready for the challenge of a lifetime: to live there for one year, without contact with the outside world.But twelve months later, on the day when the boat is due to return for them, no one arrives.Eight people stepped foot on the island. How many will make it off alive?A totally addictive psychological thriller with twists and turns you just won’t see coming. Fans of The Hunting Party, The Castaways and The Sanatorium will be totally gripped from the very first page until the final, breath-taking conclusion.Readers are gripped by Stranded:‘A five-star rating is just not enough… Incredible’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Suspense, twists, deceit… I had my heart in my mouth the whole time’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Utterly unputdownable… You’re going to love every single twisty page!!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘INTENSE… My heart was pounding’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I started this book today and finished it in one sitting. I literally could not put it down’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Definitely a five-star read. I couldn't put this one down. It kept me on the edge of my seat… Such a great ending too!!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Wow! I read this way too quickly, I really didn't want it to end… Amazing… Loved it!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘You'll be on the edge of your seat, racing to finish this book… I read this book one afternoon. I simply could not put it down. I cannot wait until a friend reads this book because I want to discuss it… Get a copy now!!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In a small seaside community, there’s always somebody watching…Twisty, pacy, and superbly plotted, Last Seen is the perfect psychological page-turner for fans of Clare Mackintosh and Sabine Durrant.Seven years ago, two boys went missing at sea – and only one was brought to shore. The Sandbank, a remote stretch of coast dotted with beach huts, was scarred forever.Sarah’s son survived, but on the anniversary of the accident, he disappears without trace. As new secrets begin to surface, The Sandbank hums with tension and unanswered questions. Sarah’s search grows more desperate and she starts to mistrust everyone she knows – and she’s right to.Someone saw everything on that fateful day seven years ago. And they’ll do anything to keep the truth buried.

“This debut novel has the power to shock and awe with its explosively frightening premise about a woman who is kidnapped by a stranger and held against her will for more than year. Chevy Stevens is sure to rock lovers of the thriller genre.” ―USA TodayOn the day she was abducted, Annie O'Sullivan, a thirty-two-year-old realtor, had three goals―sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive in a remote mountain cabin―which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist―is the second narrative recounting the nightmare that follows her escape: her struggle to piece her shattered life back together, the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor, and the disturbing sense that things are far from over.Chevy Stevens's Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal, and beautifully crafted novel about surviving the unsurvivable―and living to bear witness.

Linda Castillo's bestselling series has been called "gripping" [People] and "impossible to put down" [Bookpage] and the "teeth chattering suspense" [USA Today] continues with GONE MISSING―a deeply chilling novel about a rite of passage gone horribly wrong.Rumspringa is the time when Amish teens are allowed to experience life without the rules. It's an exciting time of personal discovery and growth before committing to the church. But when a young teen disappears without a trace, the carefree fun comes to an abrupt and sinister end, and fear spreads through the community like a contagion.A missing child is a nightmare to all parents, and never more so than in the Amish community, where family ties run deep. When the search for the presumed runaway turns up a dead body, the case quickly becomes a murder investigation. And chief of Police Kate Burkholder knows that in order to solve this case she will have to call upon everything she has to give not only as a cop, but as a woman whose own Amish roots run deep.Kate and state agent, John Tomasetti, delve into the lives of the missing teen and discover links to cold cases that may go back years. But will Kate piece together all the parts of this sinister puzzle in time to save the missing teen and the Amish community from a devastating fate? Or will she find herself locked in a fight to the death with a merciless killer?

The most personalA young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick.The most dangerousThe same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel everLindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best!

*Pre-order Alice Hunter's new novel BAD APPLE now! Coming in May 2024*She thought she’d left her past behind.She was wrong…Despite a childhood in the care system, Anna Price has beaten the odds and built for herself the perfect life, complete with beautiful seaside home, devoted husband and a job she loves.Then a policeman appears at Anna’s door: her estranged brother Henry is a wanted serial killer, and the police need Anna’s help to catch him before he strikes again.When an envelope turns up on her doorstep, Anna suddenly finds herself caught in a sick game. One that she remembers all too well from childhood – one that, this time, she must win at all costs…Readers are obsessing over The Serial Killer’s Sister!‘Loved every second of this. Finished it in 36 hours. And the twist…Didn’t see that coming!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘An excellent read with a fantastic jaw-dropping ending.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Loved every bit of this book. I thought I knew exactly what was going on but oh how wrong I was…The story right until the very end is full of surprises.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Alice Hunter is the queen of thrillers!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘The twist at the end is so clever that I was left thinking about it for days after.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Twists, turns, revenge, evil, family...so freaking good!!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘WOW. This was such a page-turner, and I truly didn't expect that ending.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I devoured this book in just one sitting. This is an unputdownable, addictive and gripping read. Hunter has pulled me in and kept me captive until the very last page.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A true masterpiece, that ending just keeps on giving, with twist upon twist.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘WOW WOW WOW. I could've read it in one sitting, but I had to restrain myself!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

LOUISE PENNY says the Frieda Klein novels are "fabulous." JOSEPH FINDER says they're "in the rich vein of Kate Atkinson." And TAMI HOAG calls them "truly unique." A decade ago, psychologist Frieda Klein was sucked into the orbit of Dean Reeve -- a killer able to impersonate almost anyone, a man who can disappear without a trace, a psychopath obsessed with Frieda herself. In the years since, Frieda has worked with -- and sometimes against -- the London police in solving their most baffling cases. But now she's in hiding, driven to isolation by Reeve. When a series of murders announces his return, Frieda must emerge from the shadows to confront her nemesis. And it's a showdown she might not survive. This gripping cat-and-mouse thriller pits one of the most fascinating characters in contemporary fiction against an enemy like none other. Smart, sophisticated, and spellbinding, it's a novel to leave you breathless.